My question is, could this kit be built to depict a vehicle in a desert setting... say in Desert Storm or OIF, or would it require too much converting?

Thanks
Hisham

The kit comes with decals for a vehicle based in Germany, circa 1994. However, for the same decals it gives another painting option stating "Optional" in desert sand, I think you can probably build a desert vehicle without much hassle.

I am currently working on a Paladin for the SPIF campaign, you can check it out from the campaign thread. Mine will be the Germany one with NATO colors. The kit goes together nice and easy. Two things though:

1. The vinyl tracks are not very good. AFV Club has a M108-M109 vehicle family track set, it is cheap and nice, plus it is a workable track. Get that if you can, compared to this AFV Club, the kit tracks are useless.

2. The .50 caliber Browning MG in the kit desperately needs replacement. I think due to the molding the shape of the barrel was distorted, it is not circular but elliptical with misshaped details.

Other than these, it builds into a nice kit.

Thanks for the advice concerning the tracks. I'll definitely get the AFV set.

As far as the .50 caliber MG, I have Academy's set.. and I think they're pretty good.

Hisham

For OIF - yes. The A6 did not come out until two or three years after Desert Storm so it is inappropriate for that conflict. The kit's problems are numerous, beginning with the old hull, (the flotation kit stowage chief among them) but includes many shortcomings involved with the new turret as well. I'll see if I can find the old post which covers them.

This thread mentions most of the fixes necessary. Some of my photos aremissing as they were in the now defunct Yahoo photo album, but a few are left at the bottom of the thread.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/51756&page=1#434245

Thanks for the link and the info.

I still consider myself a beginner/intermediate modeller, so I'm not sure if I can manage those fixes. I might change my mind about getting it after all!

Hisham

I wouldn't change my mind in your place. It's still a pretty good kit right out of the box. Most people don't notice a lot of the inaccuracies. Read that one thread - no one noticed the inaccurate bore evacuator. Not fixing it won't really detract from the kit as a whole.
Having said that, most of the fixes are...mu mushkele.
The hardest is removing the flotation gear, and again most people leave that on. It's really not too noticable, but if you choose to remove it I describe the method I use. It literally takes less than five minutes.
The other little fixes are very easy.
Get the kit, build it how you want. It's an impressive looking vehicle either way. My photos show the marking scheme for the desert variant. I have more if you need them for specific vehicles.

I agree w/18 Bravo. It can come out looking really good straight out of the box. With a little effort, it can look awesome. At a minimum, leave the ends off the flotation "boomarang", parts 53 I believe, and slice/sand down the triangle piece they mount against. This will make the flotation cover almost unnoticable. It is a good kit and most people will never notice the things those of us who have crewed them do. I say build it, I've built quite a few of them. You can see a build-up from OIF in my Showcase below.

Prime portal has pics of real Paladins', Echelon and Archer make generic decals that you can use.

Hope that helps.