Darren Baker takes a look at SKP Models multi-media model of the ACV Dorchester in DAK service.

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Thanks!

Thank you for getting this published so quickly James. I hope it encourages more people to take a look at the models SKP Model make as I was pleasantly surprised with the content.

Good review Darren. Has all the info I think is important ... the rest I have the net for.
The vehicle itself is quite appealing ... I can imagine weathering this one ... a good camo and all those panels and rivets, make for a great canvass.

Thanks for the review and insight.

Funnily enough, I have Cromwell models 'very limited' run of the Dorchester with interior. He also supplied additional parts to alter it to the captured German vehicles version with painting and markings informations on the instructions.

Everything I have looked at in the sprues and parts windows looks remarkably similar if not attached identcally!

A good kit but I wonder if AFV Club will come out with a smaller conversion kit later....

Keith.

Frank: Thank you I am pleased this review met your needs.

Keith: I suspect that the AFV Club kit will be at least the same price if not slightly more and so if an interior is of no importance to the modeller I believe this kit to be the better option. Injection moulded plastic has never been able to convey all the detail to the same crisp quality as resin and the multi-media nature of this model gives you the detail on the outside which is where it matters the most to the most.

Darren, I sgree with most of your review but as a man who has access to a Matador I thought there might have been a couple of measurements. This vehicle uses the same chassis as the Matador so therefore the wheelsize would have been a start as the SKP wheels have the correct width but not the correct diameter. When the kit first came out it was discussed at length on M-L & it was found to be undersized. According to the Data book of wheeled vehicles which was issued by the Ministry of Supply during the war the sizes are as follows length 20'0" width 8'6" height 9'6",as you will see when you measure the kit it is very undersized. I have two of these kits myself & have made one which has made a good looking model but I can't put it with anything else in a diorama.
It is a shame that this has happened because the people at SKP are very nice when replying to emails & the service is very good.
Sorry to go on a bit,
Howard

Howard thank you for your comments. I do not doubt what you have said but one thing I will add is that in war nothing is set in stone when it comes to spares and repairs. Even when we strip down the 25pdrs we find things that the crews have done themselves in all periods of their service lives. That said I will make a point of checking the tyres against the data and see what comes up.

Darren, while what you say is pretty much true, changing tire sizes on a vehicle could only be an emergency thing in the field. It changes how the suspension works and could make the vehicle dangerous to drive. So, while a single vehicle might have had an incorrect set of tires, you're not going to see more than one of them and, from a modelling standpoint, you had better have a photos of the very nonstandard configuration if you want to consider accuracy.

The other, and more serious point, that Howard makes is the the entire model is seriously undersized, not just the tires.

Paul

Paul thank you for your input. Perhaps when I get around to building the model my opinion will change. I do not have ref material for the Matador and as such I went on the quality of the model parts and pictures of the real vehicle and such as it is it looked ok to me. I will try to find out what vehicle was measured for the model and see what I can find.

thanks Darren
you have a dream job for armor modellers with access to the bits at 1 to 1 scale ..Re the Matador on reading through the instructions those pegs are rivets that have to be added to the short nose engine front panels with the use of a very fine drill shouldnt be to hard just boring(pun intended).Should keep the rivet counters happy but they might be the wrong diameter or something.Been modelling since 1958 and work on if its the only kit available its better than no kit at all.The airfix BT-K spit was a horror but it was the first plastic kit i built and still have it.
I model for my enjoyment not anyone else.Nice review thanks

Thank you for your comments Gerald.