I don't have any influence on their Release Program, but I do have a direct line to Trumpeter/Hobby Boss.

So, simple question, what would be a good subject(s) in 1/35th scale?

Personally, and I may be wrong in this, but i'm thinking of Toyota pick-ups as there are a hell of a lot in them the News from Libya at the moment?

Obviously they'd have to have a potential for conversion to 'Technicals' and the more common, the better...

Any thoughts?

I would say that Toyota pick ups would be a good bet as they are almost everywhere in one form or another. Maybe even some of the Ford F series pick ups would be good as well?

Just my two cents.

Toyota Hi Lux !!
I don't know if Toyota changed the Hi Lux model the last 10years (i thinks there're at least two versions) but for plastic Hi Lux as seen used by Talibans, US special forces, Iraki's civilians...
i says: GO HB/trump and i'll buy 5 or 6 boxes for sure.
Nissan has too some interresting pick up!

This could be a hot seller but it's not military and i don't know about TM problems.

Other wanted kits:
T80
T72
VBL
VAB
M54 truck
Merkava 3
BMP1/2
...
and the ones that are in progress since so long.

I concur with all the requests but feel even a Mitsubishi would be welcome, I quite like the recent footage of the one minus the roof and fitted with a recoilless rifle. Any larger type would be welcome for conversion to a B6 (armoured SUV) so an Explorer or a look-a-like. Important points would be decent wheels and chassis a generic interior and the possibility for adding roof lights etc

Brian

I agree with Toyota pickups. I would say the T1E1 mine roller in 1/35. It makes for one mean looking beast. Maybe they can use mine, once I'm finished building it. Another want is an Abrams ABV apparrattus in 1/35. Once again, making for a very mean looking beast.

Old Toyota pickups can be seen in Iraq :
Here's a short-bed SR5 from Webshots (2007 picture) :


More info here : http://www.toyoland.com/trucks/tacoma-hilux.html

Frenchy

I'd say a 1/35 Toyota Land Cruiser family:
Fj-40
Fj-55
Fj-60
Fj-62
Fj-80

A Nissan Patrol family would also be nice.

Endless possibilities with these vehicles!


Ryan

I agree with the Toyota/Nissan/Mistubishi pickups, regular and crew cabs. I would also like to see the Land Rover crew cab pickups too. They are all over Africa and the Middle East as well. A civilian car or two would be nice too.

in a hurry cant find a picture of course - but at some point Saddam Hussein bought ALL the pickups in IRAQ made by Toyota that had a factory finish crimson and yellow stripe down the side - and then issued them to his republican guards. Later these vehicles worked their way into the reformed police and other sections of government, and some even became 'technicals". This crimson yellow striped white pick up is very common and is almost clich'ed in its appearance in photos.

So any two wheel drive hilux would be most welcome! 4x4 would be nice as the MIG one fills agap but is difficult to build with some shortcomings (windscreen anyone?)

The old toyota landcruisers would be a treat too, as they been around like 40 - 50 years !

Adam

I would be keen on any of the new armoured mine/IED protected vehicles. MRAP, buffalo and anything along that line. I am not a modern armour fella but I am half way though the Guardian (trumpeter) and I like it.

You mean like these:



They were all over the place there.

Toyota and Nissan trucks seem to be everywhere. Ford F series and Dodge Ram trucks have been modified for special operations, but most photos I have seen seem to come from Mexico's narc war.

For sentimental reasons, I would love anyone who did a nice 1953 Ford F-100.

Both Trumpeter and Hobby Boss have shown a willingness to go their own way and make different subjects over a very broad range of time periods. The M3A1 scout car and new PLA vehicles come to mind. As such, maybe they could consider the WC series of WWII 1/2 ton trucks, especially with a trailer or rockets, which would be very welcome, as would a 4 or 5 ton truck.

Are all the Toyota pick ups in Iraq and Afghanistan Hi Lux? I am not certain but didn't some Toyota's Tacoma's come from the US as well? These would be gas as opposed to diesel and left hand drives. I think any of the fore mentioned pick up trucks (crew cab and extended cabs) some Chevy Suburbans and Land Cruisers would be welcome and long over due.
Good thinking Jim

Toyota, especially Hi-Lux models are definitely at the top of the list

Chevrolet
Ford

Nissan

I don't know about Mitsubishi, but I wouldn't turn one down if they came out.

I'm not worried about Rovers, all variants will eventually be released in styrene I'm sure.

Toyota pick ups, Land Crusiers (short and long wheel base), Land Rover would be nice too. If you have their ear Jim, please tell Santa that I have been a really good boy this year and would LOVE to have a m911 and Talbert Trailer in styrene in the near future. Cheers.

Maybe I missed the intent of the original posting.

I'd love to see the Dodge M880-series pickup. I know the recent resin CUCVs in pickup and Blazer form are filling the more modern US soft-skin vehicle void, and the M880 would span from mid-70s through early 21 century service.

I don't know what model Toyota this is.. but it would make a very nice kit.. and it might lend itself to many other variants??



Also, the Ford F-150 would be nice.

Hisham

FJ's, Hilux, Terrano/Pathfinder, and for sure F-series. And just because I'm a selfish bastard, a Chevy 5/4 ton circa 1979.

You're right.
All of the Tacomas in Afghanistan were purcased by USSF and are indeed US, left hand drive vehicles. The fact that they had very good A/C and CD players may explain why, contrary to a certain company's claim, we used them instead of Hiluxes. If you Google it, you'll find several images of SF dudes with Tacomas, NOT Hiluxes. Most of them, regardless of who posted them or in which forum, were actually taken by me. (At least this was the case for a very long time) Did we ever ride in Hiluxes, or use them? Yes, on rare occasions. Someone even posted a photo recently of me standing next to one with one of our AMF fighters. However, I have never seen one mounted with US weapons, only Soviet Bloc ones. This may have changed later on, but I really doubt it.
History lesson over. Almost...

Unbelievably, in 2002, certain officials with whom I dealt claimed no Hiluxes had ever been legally sold in Afghanistan. The claim was that every Hilux there was originally registered in Pakistan, and stolen. That's why they were all right hand drive. Whether true or not, there were an @$$load of them there. Hilux pickups and Hilux Surf SUVs were the most prevalent, with Mitsubishis and other SUVs following behind. I wouldn't limit this thread to pickups.

In Iraq, the obvious answer is Toyota - but not so fast. Chevys LUVs and other larger Chevys make/made up the bulk of the IP and IBP. And for civilians, older Chevy stepsides were everywhere, and if it wasn't a Chevy, it wasn't necessarily a Toyota either. Great Wall were ubiqiutous as well, with similar, but not identical graphics. I would bet the second photo by Gino is a Great Wall and not a Toyota.

And who could forget the GONOW (ISYN!!) and the Deer. While similar to Great Wall, and also Chinese, I think they're actually different companies. Come to think of it, I'd say between older Chevys and Chinese trucks, Toyota was actually in the minority.

Finally, while not a pickup, it's about time we got a decent UAZ 469. I've driven them in both theaters. They're true beaters, but a lot of fun.

Yup ,,Toyota..Nissan..Mazda ..Mitsubishi and don't forget land Rover 110's ,,those are used all over Africa and even a Land Rover 90 would be useful too .

Phill

i appears I am lacking some reading skills and attention to any sort of detail.

I would have to go with the HI-Lux and the FJ series......they are every where

I'd go with Toyota Hi-Lux, Ford F series, Mitsubishi L200.

A L200 in Iraq

i would vote for toyota hilux (all version), and ford ranger

this one is our very own army version of the hilux...

That's the Land Cruiser II chassis in the form of a pick up. Don't see the Land Cruiser II much, but they keep making the pick ups, plenty of them here in Nicaragua. Things can take a beating and usually come with snorkels for the exhaust. Some one asked if the Hilux has changed in the last 10 years. The design changed about 4 or 5 years ago. Personally I would like to see a fee civilian kits representing PMC vehicles.