Ironically, I've seen a bit of information on the Pink Panther Land Rover as done in the Tamiya kit, but have found no information so far on the actual use of the vehicle. Is there any information source on SAS operations using said vehicle? Thanks.

A quick Google search turned up these-

http://www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/mobility-troop/sas-land-rover/

And this walk around is pretty nice-

http://kmk.echo619.server4you.de/wa/armour/PP/index.html

And this-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11734496@N04/2862559931/

I'm sure more can be turned up- happy hunting!

You'll find a few pointers in this article from the Land Rover Monthly magazine :
http://www.lrm.co.uk/Archive%20Index/Military/Behind%20the%20Lines/behindthelines.html

HTH

Frenchy

The Tamiya Pink Panther Land Rover represents a series III Rover used in Oman and Aden in the mid '70 by the SAS.

Hi Gino
AFAIK, the Tamiya SAS Land Rover is a Series IIA 109. In 1971, the Series IIA was replaced by the Series III.

Frenchy

Maybe so, hard to tell between the older Series types.

The headlights location may help :
Early Land Rover Series IIA (1962-1967): headllights are on the galvanized metal grill.
Transitional IIA Land Rover(1968/71) (a few thousand built): Headlights on the wings, but surface mounted giving a "bugeye" look.
Series III(1971-85): Headlights on the front of the wings, a plastic grill and name badge.
More ID tips here : http://www.lrfaq.org/FAQ.2.Ident.LR.html

HTH
Frenchy

I'm thinking I'm going to start contraversy here with the Landy buffs on this thread as the use of this vehilce has been argued elsewhere before. However the pinkys were allegedly used in the early 1970's in the two-tone green camo by SAS Units in Co.Down, Northern Ireland (see Italeri kit release of same vehicle)

Agreed with the above. They were also used in small numbers in N. Ireland in camo.

You mean the Pink Panthers were repainted and used in Northern Ireland, or just the same type were used? I was under the impression that the Pink Panthers, stripped-down and chock full of desert equipment, would be the worst possible vehicles to use in Northern Ireland, unless they were reconfigured.

They were pretty much the same, just repainted in black and green camo and with standard tires. They were used for recon and special ops, so they didn't need to be all armored up.

Infact it was the Pink Panthers that were painted over the original green camo sceme and the added desert equipment was procured later when used for more desert like conditions.

Indeed the Pinky has some additional equipment for desert operations but that can be excluded to make a model of a "green" N.Ireland version. (I have photos somewhere I'll try dig up, no promisses I still have them though)

Originally when the vehicle was deployed to Co.Down there wasnt the same threat or level of attacks against Security forces as came in the later 1970's and 80's. Also The type of attacks from disadent groups although a serious threat were not as sophisticated at that time.

Although armoured landrovers were introduced even earlier in the "Troubles" they were originally designed for Policing duties and public order situations and only issued to the RUC (police) units. They were not originally designed to counter IED's or rocket attacks which came later and in large numbers.

Public dissorder and riots were the biggest problem facing land rover crews in the early 1970's. Later Armoured landrovers including the presently used Tangi in PSNI (RUC then) service evolved from lesson learned from bomb and rocket attacks but this technology was pretty new to "Soft Skin" vehicles during the 70's.

Even Normal British Army units operating in urban areas of Belfast or Derry City (Londonderry to our unionist Breathern) patroled areas using similiar open top un-protected Land Rovers well into the early 1980's. Although some Armoured landrovers were fielded and tested in the later 70's the British Army didnt invest in a proper armoured landrover issued to all units until the mid 1980's, this was the APV (armoured Patrol Vehilce) or Piglet (in reference to the larger Armoured vehicle being used the Humber Pig)

So the moral of the story is the "Pinky" was as acceptable as any other vehcile could of been at the time of its use. Some suggest the vehicles deployment was a show of force from the British Army againts republican groups operating in Border areas but officially information regarding the use of the vehicles is still pretty hard to come by and confirm

..Hope this info might help, sorry for the long rant though

That would make sense as they did much the same thing in Sierra Leone in 2000 when an SAS patrol in DPVs appeared on a Channel 4 News report.

Having spent many a childhood holiday in Donegal, and having spent 2 years in Derry when I was in the Army, I can't imagine anything worse than an open top vehicle. They must have been freezing cold and soaked through to the skin after a few hours on patrol. I wouldn't have thought they were seriously used for recce duties. In Germany at around the same time BRIXMIS was using normal cars for such duties, they ended up with Mercedes G-Wagens and specially modified Opel (Vauxhall) Senators.

..Thats interesting Ken thanks

..I imagine Donegal was alot easier to relax in than Derry a few years later

Roy, I was there between 02 and 04 and it was pretty quiet. We weren't allowed into Derry unless we were working and sadly I wasn't allowed to make the 40 minute journey to see my Gran in the Republic. However I spent most of my weekends and days off in the beautiful countryside of the north coast. I really enjoyed my time out there, most of our work was centred around the ending of Op Banner. Any trouble we did see wasn't really political, people on both sides just used that as an excuse to cause trouble.

I do remember my driver getting us lost in Derry, I wasn't very amused!

Have to agree with you there Ken, most disturbances in Belfast these days on the news are just yobs causing havoc and as you say they claim its in the name of political agendas

..on another note I was reading your chat with Pat keenan on another thread about the armoured landy's, very interesting! If you dont already have it, keep an eye out for a book by an author named David Dunne, "Armoured and Heavy Vehicles of the RUC" you might like it, fantastic work with great reference pics for modelling

Hello lots of interesting comments,i have seen pics of pinkies with slr boxes missing with the green showing through,also andy macnabs book nine troop,has a picture of a pinkie with sand and green outside and pink on the inside.

Roy, the book you mention is on Amazon for about 12 quid, looks interesting. My other hobby is landrovers, so armoured landies really get me going!

I totally agree with Roy about the RUC book. It is DEFINITELY worth every cent the cost. They have one of the best info/photo sections on armoured Landy's that I know of.

Hi all,
I don't know if any of you collect diecast vehicles but I just found a Matchbox new issue of a landrover that it is clearly based on the "Pink Panther" rover Just FYI!!!!!!!!!!!
Gdub

The Australian SASR used the Land Rover IIa for their LRPVs until the mid eighties or so. Quite similar to the Pinky in many respects, but retained the wind screen had the Aus "bash bar" fitted, the spare tires were side mounted and some LRPVs had wind deflectors mounted in front of the door spaces. Unlike the Pinkies there are quite a few pics around and some still in private hands.

I have a Pinky on the to-do shelf that I'm planning on turning into an Aus LRPV with the help of a MouseHouse Aus 109 conversion and a lot of fiddling around.

There are some good pics and info online at: http://www.remlr.com/2Alrpv.html

I'm doing that too! Been wanting to do that for ages, might be doing it soon!