What year was that photo taken Murdo?

Thanks Mike, your a great help!
I was reading up on the equipment last night, very interesting!
I think the TUAAM was in far fewer numbers though than I was expecting in regard to the Piglet in NI.

I'm trying to do some homework on the Piglet before I start the project and I have a few people on a few cases..

Sorry for the delay guys, been working away.




No mate. I was holding the camera. Too ugly to be allowed in front of it.




Hi Pat, I think it was around 1984.

hi im wonder if you can help me or the Humber Flying Pig an the saxon armoured personnel carrier for sale or where i can build them

Hi,

Accurate Armour is your best best for both kits.
You cannot buy the Flying Pig variant of the Pig or the Patrol variant of the Saxon but they can be converted with some effort!

I had great fun converting both kits & highly recommend them to anyone interested in these vehicles!

..hope this helps

i can just say sweet! this is superb!

Roy
Excellent, I have been interested in making a Diorama of a scene in Northern Ireland for some time. I have some very good white metal British Army figures in riot gear. I don’t remember who produced these; I have had them for years. I had recently been researching on this site for information about operation Motorman. I must say this model is inspirational. How did I miss this until now?

Cookie

Sven, thanks for the kudos man

Paul
Thanks to you also for your kind comments my friend!
It's cool to hear so many people like this model, I'm really humbled by all the responses!
I actually have another British Army conversion from N.I completed here on armorama if your interested? Its of a British Army Saxon Patrol, here's a link

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/152358&page=1

I had stated a third blog, but lost the horn after starting it. The Venerable Land Rover Piglet. I do intend to get back to it, I've a tendency to start projects, get distracted, start something else & come back to the fore mentioned project months later

Your figures might be Firing Line, I had some white metal ones up until recently & ended up trading them!

I have been following your Op Motorman thread, its such an interesting topic! Its another project I have planned. If you get the book Operation Banner, there is good reference material for the Centurian. I plan to eventually buy the Accurate Armour Centurion AVRE Mk-5 which actually has the markings for Op Motorman as you prob already know!

Below are the photos I have as reference for the project, you might have most if not all these already but I was meaning to post them on your site but it slipped my mind!











BTW way I have some more decent photos of Motorman if your interested!would love to see some of that project when you get started too Paul so please stay in touch!

Regarding the figures, Chota Sahib made some excellent Northern Ireland figures back in the mid 80s; sadly, they are now only available on E-Bay. I was fortunate enough to buy several back then and have recently been able to obtain several more, but they will usually cost quite a bit--especially if I am trying to bid on them!! I hope someday these figures might be made available again (do not know if possible since the sculptor, Sid Horton, I understand, passed away several years ago) or perhaps Accurate Armour may create a series of figures to go with their existing and upcoming Northern Ireland vehicles. I realize this may still be a touchy subject in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but I believe their is enough interest in this area that it can be treated as a historical time period without the expression of political views. By the way, this build of the "Pig" is incredible! I doubt mine will be as good, but it sure is a point of inspiration!

Thanks for your kind comments Douglas, I really appreciate it!

..if you could post a picture of some of those figures it would be great!
I'm not at all aware of them or the sculpter & now I'm incredibly intrigued!!
..no pressure if u can't bud

Roy

I will attempt to get the photo of the figure’s over the next couple days. Would love one of the AA kits but they are very expensive. Note that Trumpeter is planning to release a Landrover soon. Might be useful for NI scene.
I haven’t seen the photos you have shown here. I do remember years ago whilst out on the town one night, witnessing a vehicle like the leading one on your second picture trying to avoided parked cars. The driver mounted the grass bank and without realising he managed to crush a parked car. It wasn't mine,I was too young to drive then.

Cookie

Roy, Love the Build, DEAD ONNNNNN!

That's a gas story Cookie!! ..looking forward to those photos
..& waiting eagerly to see these hobbyboss Landy's (would be useful base start for a Glover Webb conversion!)

Dave, cheers man!! Glad u like the model, I'm getting inspiration now to finish my Landrover Piglet!

Mr. Kinsella- the best place I've found for pictures of the Chota Sahib range is the following: lrmminiatures.com ; after getting on the homepage, click on the "vintage figures" box and it will take you to pictures of most of the figures; most of the Northern Ireland figures are pictured, except for the Fusilier; I have an old catalog/flyer with it, but do not have the hardware to copy it. I have also discovered that some of the figures were at some time reworked-such as the Fusilier-as my casting had one arm to be attached while I have seen ones offered on E-Bay with 2 separate arms and with more refined head and leg features. Both had the same stock number though. My favourites are the Bomb Disposal Officer ("Felix") and the female MP in the Flak Jacket--these are very unique and easily identify the time period and place they represent. The newer Fusilier is also a very representative figure. I hope you can find some of these if interested; they are difficult-and expensive-to get over here in the colonies, especially if going through E-Bay. At least they are available and can be obtained if lucky enough--I've been able to get several (as well as Falklands figures), so I cannot complain. You should have better luck living in Ireland! Best Regards!!

Hi Roy

Fantastic builds and stunning itchy scratchy. Just love the details you have added and you capture the look of that pig perfectly.

Fantastic

Nige

Mr. Burch thank you so much for that valuable guide to the Chota Sahib website, infact here's the link for anyone who might be interested too;

http://lrmminiatures.com/Chota%20New.htm

Just when you think you've seen it all then someone points out something like this! I honestly never seen any of these figs before in all my years & I'd never even heard of the producer or the Sculpter (RIP).
After reading your post I was at my Model Club last night & some of the guys knew all about these range of figures. Some of the guys had a few bits too but not the N.Irish Range.
I'll be keeping an eye on ebay over the next few months. Infact there are a few good Chota Sahib figures already there on ebay, but alas not any that I would use! Thanks again for the link Douglas, you've been a great help

Nige; Thanks for the kind words, coming from someone as talented as yourself I'm humbled, love your work & have followed your builds here on armorama, very inspiring, keep up the good work!

I remember Chota Sahib. The French Foreign Legion Figure was the first model I ever bought by mail order - Just bear in mind that the figures are as far as I remember 1/32 scale.
I think someone else picked up the range but I'm not sure who.

Cheers Pat, thinking these figures are quite old now i guess your likely correct about the 1/32 scale, I had'nt thought of that!

..I'm wondering are some of the figures the same ones Firing Line released a few years ago?

The Firing Line figures are a completely different series of figures and are 1/35 scale. They do cover the 70-80s time frame and are also pretty good. There are two dedicated Northern Ireland figures in the range--a standing Fusilier with SLR and a sitting figure (for a Ferret MK2) in a Flak jacket. They also have some very nice, if basic, lightweight 1/2 ton Land Rover models (which probably could be modified with a VPK --hint,hint!) and also a Saracen that would also lend itself to modification. I understand it has a basic interior--I do not have one, just going on information received. Also, the Chota Sahib figures are listed as 54mm, but are very close in size to the Firing Line figures I have--the SLR of my Chota Northern Ireland Paratrooper is the same size as my Firing Line squad leader 's! The Chota Sahib figures are made so that they can be displayed together in a "conference" type scene; if placed next to the "pig" model, the scale difference would not be very noticeable. Might have a bit of trouble if displaying the Firing Line and Chota Fusiliers together though! The bottom line is we need more figures-and vehicles-in this area!! I cannot wait for Accurate Armour's Tangi and Snatch to come out; like I said earlier, hopefully they will come out with some figures to match; they have been very good with this with regard to their Land Rover and Jackal range. In fact, they are the best supplier of 1/35 modern British troops around--but Firing Line does fill in the 70-80s gap. Best Regards to all on this site!!