Hi guys

It has been a while since I've been here on Armorama.
For the past 3 years I've been distracted from wheels and tracks and have been engaged in other modelling projects.

I've decided to come back to the fold and post my latest creation. I spent just a few hours here and there over a 7 week period toying around with this small diorama. I had little spare time and it was a quick build but I must admit it was great fun!

In sticking with the theme of my last few build blogs I had a niggling itch to complete a project I'd started back in 2010.
To produce a late Armored Landrover Series III as used in N.Ireland by the British Army, affectionately known to Squaddies as the "Piglet".

When I returned to my Piglet project this year, I had been doing research on & off for almost for 3 years.
Now I'm bursting with ideas for more armored Landrover model builds so I hope to contribute more build blogs here in the future, including completing the blog from 2010.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/155903


I called this Diorama "A Rainy Day in Belfast"

The dio is circa 1978 and based on a photo of a genuine vehicle.



This Landrover is an early Makrolon Armoured vehicle otherwise known as a LANDROVER SERIES III VPK (Vehicle Protection Kit),

This vehicle has been stripped down. There are no doors as I can only assume it was used by Royal Marines or Para's at some point, this being a signature trait of theirs at the time.
The Landy is fitted with a Macrolon VPK kit. This features Armour plating fitted to critical points of the vehicle to reduce exposure and limit the damage inflicted by small and medium sized caliber rounds.
The Armour also provided limited protection from indirect IED blasts which by the mid 1970's was taking a heavy toll on the British Army in Ulster.
Most of the time the vehicle was utilized for Urban and rural Patrols but was no stranger to finding itself in the middle of savage rioting on a weekly if not daily basis.

This Landy is an early fitted VPK variant. The panels being crudely cut by maintenance teams in a hurry prior to deployment. This VPK kit is missing the underside panels and is fitted with the early roof rear door design
Later VPK's which I might add are true "Piglets" were factory fitted with HV VPK Kits (High Velocity Vehicle Protection Kits) and had heavy armored Doors and Windshield.
Later models were very heavy spec vehicles but both VPK and HV VPK Piglets survived in Service as late as the 1990's.

What makes this particular Landrover VPK all the more interesting is that it is fitted with a Claribel Radar.
These are the small boxes which protrude from the vehicle on each side including the roof. The radar "computer" was operated and mounted in the rear of the Landrover.

Claribel was intended for use in detecting a round being fired and being able to confirm its source.
In rural trials the radar appeared quite effective but in an urban setting mounted on moving vehicles the system was a complete and utter failure. (In Europe Denmark and The Netherlands also operated a similar Claribel System)

Only a handful of "Piglets" were ever fitted with this radar and crews were very rarely trained efficiently in its use. I can only assume from this Piglets condition in the photo that it was used very frequently instead as a quick reaction vehicle or even as a standard patrol vehicle due to the pressures on logistics during the period.































The Landrover is the older Testors/Italeri Kit with the Left Hand Drive cab. I reversed this and added Resin Seats.
The Engine bonnet is covered in a sheet of wire mesh similar in appearance to the genuine article, I couldn't believe my luck finding and sourcing the sheet from a shed producer in the UK.

The Wing Cover ("Mud Guards") Armour Plates, Side & Rear Panels, entire Roof section, interior, Rear Doors are all scratch built from plastic card.
Also scratched are the wire cutters, roof hatch, windshield mesh protection, Ariel, registration plates, Claribel sensors, Claribel radar instrument, clansman radio and mount.

The soldiers are a mish mash of figure parts put together and reworked. Flak Jackets are Scultped along with the Officers ponchos. I used Hornet Heads and scratched the clear face shields using small sections cut from zip lock bags. I also scratched the Riot Gun, the 3 Long Plastic Shields and the soldiers baton. I finished the figures with nice Mouse House SLR's

I hope you enjoyed the post.
All comments welcomed, good or bad and I'll try answer any questions too.

For anyone interested in my other N.Ireland "The Troubles" builds here are a few links

British Army Saxon APC in Northern Ireland
http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/152358&page=1

British Army Humber Pig in Northern Ireland
http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/152987&page=1

Great to see you back on Armorama Roy- and a nice dio you've brought with you too! I always thought these older Landies where probably the ugliest- as you said the early versions were basically rush-jobs so I suppose that explains why they don't look so good. The ponchos, flak jackets and helmets help to date the scene and add a nice bit of interest around the landy- plus the base is really excellent (I've used this one myself)- love the rain effects too- particularly the way you have it running down the side of the landy- what did you use to create the rain/wet areas?

(Think this build will give me a kick to shelve a shelf-queen build and get cracking on Black Dog's Snatch Landy!)

Hey Karl, great to see you mate! Thanks for the kind words.

My own model is a bit rough around the edges, it was originally only planned to be a guiney pig kit to try out different methods of scratch work but I got carried away and ended up with this!

In regards to the wet look its the AK INTERACTIVE RAIN EFFECT, amazing stuff and I highly recommend it!

I'm planning on a series of Landrovers, from early series II cars right up to until recent PSNI Tangi's (Including more early and late Piglets, Glover Webb Kits and the infamous Snatch!) I've left nothing but bats in my wallet after recently buying the donar kits and accessories needed!

I've already 4 Series III kits beside me on the bench ready for assembly and uparmouring, I cannot wait to get stuck in later in the week!

Hey Roy. I am also glad you're "back". Nice Piggie!!

It looks great Roy. I'll have to try out that AK rain effects stuff. The shields and the visors are excellent too. Who makes the base?

Roy that looks great. Where did you get the riot sheilds?

Paul

Nice job there Roy,

I always fancied doing either a Simba or a Tangi from my "travels" in N.I., they were grey in my day.

Just a couple of observations if I may, the squaddie with the SLR would have the sling attached to his right wrist and then to the rifle stock - stopped someone snatching the weapon and using it against you. Also I would be tempted to paint the kerbstones, green, white and orange (or red, white and blue) I'm sure you know that this is done to mark specific areas of the city.

Look forward to other variants !

Andy

Pat Keenan - thanks mate, I'll be in touch soon, lots to catch up on!

Pat McGrath - cheers too Pal, I'll get back to you about the base, the name escapes me at present..

Paul - I appreciate your kind words, the shield is scratch built from clear plastic card.

Andy - Ta for the kudos and the tips about the SLR sling, It makes sense! I'll remember this for my next dio. In regards to the Tangi & Simba, I intend to tackle both projects in the future.
You are correct about the Grey (The Simbas were never modernized like the Tangi and stayed Grey their entire lives).

In fact this Grey paint was apparently used as it was easily accessible from H&W ship Builders not far from the RUC Depot Yard. Due to the high number of Riots RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) vehicles encountered, Maintenance crews were constantly respraying vehicles that Battle Ship Grey color, more commonly seen on RN ships of the time

..as for the path edges, you are very correct. These are still very common today, mostly in Unionist areas with red, white & Blue. I pondered with this idea but there was a lot happening on the base already so I decided to keep the idea for a later simpler base.

Pat: That base is from SB Scotia 'SBS35102 Urban Diorama'- its a real nice base for any urban scenes.

Hi Roy,

Great model, as are the others in the links. Don't see many of these around. Excellent work.


Pat, SB Model make the base in their SB Scotia Range. Stuart makes some very cost effective items. The base got reviewed here a while back

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showmaker&makerid=428

SB Models

https://sbmodels.uk.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1

Al

Very nice dio Roy. Landrover looks great and those figures & the poses are excellent!

Sean, Alan, thanks for kind words!
Kudos to Karl for sourcing the base

Roy - I know little more about the background - and certainly the vehicles - than what you've written in the very complete intro. My initial visual reactions to the scene are that it is very well done, but with a couple of comments.

It could look more rainy - perhaps a finish layer of some sort of gloss-coat over everything (or selective), or a couple of small puddles - if you can determine the low-lying areas.

Most of the debris looks reasonable for a riot, although there is a lot of loose stuff in the corner with the can. However, the chunk of brick wall looks unlikely to me, as it isn't something that one would throw, so I don't know how else it got there. There are no signs of a destroyed building or wall nearby, so it looks out of place to me - gratuitous. Perhaps there are alternate methods/reasons for some of the debris to be there other than being thrown. One reply suggests that you are using a commercial base, so maybe you decided to just keep this as is instead of cutting/scraping it off.

Again - these are just initial visual reactions, without historical background.

Hi Charles, thank you for your comments & observations.
In my defence let me explain..

Firstly you are correct, if you read the blog & other comments you'll understand I did use a commercial base. I dramatised the diorama but not without warrant.

Some areas of Belfast & Derry (Londonderry) in particular represented war zones & due to the conflict may have appeared like this for months if not years. The base does not mean to represent the RESULT of a riot, just the dramatisation of the conflict..

I recognise your comments about the wet surfaces but I can assure you they are there, the problem is I'm a amateur photographer so I lack the insight to highlight these features in my photography.

The base is indeed finished in a semi gloss finish, additonal areas of the road surface & the rubble strewn oil drum have an excessive gloss coating to ensure a sporadic wet finish, the inspiration is from a Flickr photo I obtained of a riot in Andersontown in Belast from the same era (I hope to post the photo tomorrow).

There are in fact 2 puddles in the dio. One just aft of the officer in the poncho & another north east of the yellow poster on the ground. I admit hard to recognise in the photos posted so I hope to highlight this better tomorrow for you. Both puddles illustrate pot holes filled with rain water after 15 to 20 layers of Future polish were dropped in daily over a period of 2 weeks.

I'll try post more detailed photos tomorrow

Thanks for the detailed response Roy. As I alluded, I'm aware of "The Troubles", but know few details. Perhaps after reading of the woman being assassinated for merely coming to the aid of a fallen British soldier/policeman, I didn't wish to know the details.

It astounds me that in the 21st century people have nothing better to do with their lives than kill one another due to their religion. In the case of Muslims, it's divergant branches of the same religion. You'd think that someone might realize that if they stopped wasting their time, money and energy, they might not be living in such a backward nation. I just noticed your very applicable quote, "problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them".

I didn't read the whole thread, but saw an early comment by someone who had used the same base. Let me say that you certainly have the skill to create your own bases. One issue I often have with the commercial ones is that they show piles of various objects, but due to the nature of casting there is little or no visual separation between them, so it ends up looking like one solidified stack of mush. I would have to say that this one is in that category.

In model railroading, where I come from, it is often contrived piles of unlikely objects, such as rusting parts of former engines, railroad cars, and other debris; in armor modeling, it is usually the ubiquitous "rubble". Looking at dios I will try to decide if the rubble mass and materials coincide with where it theoretically came from, and most of the time I feel that they don't. If I ever try to do rubble myself, the only method that seems to make sense is to completely build something and then "rubbelize" part of it in situ.

I'm not really interested in looking through pages of photos in Google Images, so accept your word - you clearly have done your background research.

The puddle behind the fellow in the poncho looks more like a crater from a tiny explosive, unless I'm looking at the wrong thing. It's in shadow in the closest shot of it. I see you define them as pot holes, but I think of those as depressions, and I see a raised perimeter around both of them, which conveys another meaning to me.

There's no north arrow on the dio ("north east of the yellow poster" ;-), but I did just spot the one you meant. I see the jagged edges of the pot hole, but no puddle. What I do notice is a flow to the square manhole cover - as if it was a drain.

Your photography is fine (I suspect there aren't any professional photographers here at all - they probably have other hobbies ;-), but I just don't detect any pooling. Perhaps try one of the specific water effect materials instead of the Future? I know it's used to achieve a sheen on airplanes, but is there any documentation of multiple coatings creating depth?

I'm curious about how long you envision it being since the rain has stopped? A large part of why I asked is that I don't detect any wetness on the figures or vehicle. You may well not want to do it to your model, but I'm thinking of something like tiny drops of some material on the windshield (practice elsewhere !). The uniforms give no indication of being wet to me, including the poncho. Perhaps search the web for techniques.

Here's a link to an article about a "micro layout" that I think effectively captures a wet look at one end, but I'm sure the lighting (reflections) helps a lot there.
http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page87/
The puddles are closer to what I think of as a puddle. The article just mentions "gloss overspray", but there's probably more info on the Prof's own site, or he responds to emails (or at least he used to).

I do like your dio, but think that it could be a whole lot wetter - if that's what you want to portray. It's what I expected from the title. Another future possibility is to build some partial structures around it - say at least one floor level. The figures might not stand out as much, but it would put them more in context. A few shops and signs and any audience would know the location and era.

Maybe even a figure running away - or lurking in an alley, "cocktail" in hand. Writing that made me think of this dio (or did remembering the dio cause me to write it?), one of the most chilling and effective that I've seen.



The first time I saw it, it took a minute to figure out the title. Third in small dios at IPMS in 2012 - the first two must have been spectatular, but I can't imagine any concept topping this. The layout ain't too shabby either.

It would take a larger base and a lot more work, but you could create a whole lot more tension in the scene by going beyond the vehicle and "friendly" figures. Your call.

I should mention that I didn't intend this to be nearly so long, but once I get going I keep thinking of other stuff . . . .

Charles

Charles,

I have no problem taking tips or advice, good or bad from anyone.
But you should really try observing my photos a little more & maybe reading a line or 2 in the comments if you intend to be anal about what certain areas you feel the need to be critical about. All your criticism can be answered without my replying...

You say there is no rain effect on the vehicle, look again..
You claim I don't use any rain effects other than Future, read the posts..

I don't know how long it's been raining or who decided to stand out in it & get wet but if you look closely I'm sure you'll find a figure that's wet looking..

In regards to people killing each other & the effects of rubble in a war zone I don't have any opinion on that but I'm sure the world is an easier place to judge when your sitting on your sofa looking out the window in cosy Boston..

Craters or pot holls, who knows, holes in the road, I filled them with future anyway. In regards to your comments about the use of Future. It has many qualities to offer the modeller, It's known to the experienced modeller that you can build up future to portray depth. It's done here too so I've no need to go off & "practice!"

I don't mean to be anymore critical of your posts as you were about my diorama.
But I have a pet hate with people who jump into threads with critisism & might i add a little arrogance.
The niggling thing for me is that you tend to find these people consistently being critical & giving advice but when you tend to look for the critics glorious work it's never there to be found..

Charles the project was FUN for me & produced in a short time as mentioned in the opening of my thread. the model is highlighted in the AFV Forum & i was intending the thread to be more about the vehicle than the base. This is why i talk prinarilly about the landrover.

I'm only here to share my work with fellow modellers, hear their thoughts & read their comments. I enjoy feedback & i do welcome critism but I have no desire to trash out my work in long winded posts from someone who hasn't actually read the thread in it's entirety & has made obvious errors about simple visual facts.

You have taken a lof of time to analyse certain aspects of a simple fun model as if it were a competition standard model, which it is not, nor is it intended to be, that's in the opening comments that the model was a fun project.
With all due respect your a self confessed railroad modeller & I am unable to see the relevance between your hobby & how the many ways you think I can improve my modelling, but I'll certainly take on board your comments Charles, thanks.

Whatever makes you happy.

Roy- have you got that picture to post up, I wouldn't mind a look!
Also, a while ago I was researching helmets being worn by troops in the late 70s and 80s and I came across a website with loads of pictures from these days- you probably know it all already but on the off chance you don't and for anyone else out there looking for pics here it is:

http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/photographs/

!

Hi Karl

Here is a link to the earlier mentioned photo of a riot at Andersontown, Belfast.

You'll see the surface water in the back ground. I treied to achieve this effect and its quite effective but its a matter of catching the base in the light, the FUTURE being much more bright and shiney over the AK water effect. Combining the two gives a great effect. It was fun trying out this process..

What interested me about this photo was that the Squadies are wearing old wet gear, not something photographed too often, they have the older SLR rifle with the natural wood sections ..& for anyone who read the thread earlier regarding an earlier comment left by someone, it does not appear to me that to many of these guys in the snap are wet either (Maybe they stayed in Landy's before the shower )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterdenton/2245627433/sizes/z/in/photostream/


The CAIN link you attached is a regular site I visit for reference, Kudos to you for finding that Karl, I'd safe that link if you can. Here a few more that you might find interesting too..

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult_VPage&VBID=2K1HZOQ7DRXAF8&SMLS=1&RW=1257&RH=553 ..take your time going through these, there are litterally hundreds hidden!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/activearmour/with/7971817264/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=landrover%20piglet%20in%20service

if you ever need anything in particular Karl just let me know, I have hundreds of obscure links and photos that I've kept from 3 years of consistant research, almost anything you will ever need I'm pretty sure I'll have!

Thanks for those links Roy, they should come in very handy as I have the Snatch Landy out of the box and underway- I've been using the 'Active Armour' page myself to get refs.

That reference photo is interesting- as you say the old wet gear was rarely used so it is nice to see it out and about here- obviously this is about the time they were phasing the old wooden stock SLR's out- the two on the right have the black stock version. Plus- is that an old billy club truncheon one of the soldiers with the shield is carrying?

Well Spotted mate, yep there certainly is a mish mash of equipment in there!

..I have recently discovered a few photos of some open top pick up landrovers fitted with basic VPK too, it appears they were used at least in 1979 in Armagh. I do not think they stayed long in service for obvious reasons, 79 being a tough year for anyone in the Border Areas, particulary in Armagh.. However I'm now toying with the idea of adding one of these to my build list

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11406053@N02/8131403326/

Are we going to see this Snatch at next years IMSS show??
(I'm planning two for my sins also)

Roy that open top VPK in Armagh is new to me, I didn't know they ever used them out that way- I had heard the Paras used them in Belfast- I guess in some ways there is a trade off- you can get in and out quicker with the open top (and you can shoot from the vehicle easy) but you've no protection- whereas if you have a hard-top you have protection but its more cramped and slower to get- you also probably couldn't deploy all the weapons from inside via the top-cover or rear doors- I would think there probably wouldn't be room for that, or would there?

I hope it doesn't take me until next year to finish my Landy !

Roy,

I've come to this thread a little late, but I'd still like to congratulate you on a very nice diorama. Between May 1981 and May 1983, I served with 1st Regt RMP, initially being based in North Armagh, working in both East Tyrone (Dunganon) & South Down (Newry), before moving onto Derry City & Strabane. During this time I had the opportunity to drive around in a number of the types of 'Lannies' depicted by your model, as well as covert vehicles, the occassional PIG and on one memorable (and very uncomfortable) occassion, a Shoreland borrowed from the local UDR Battalion. I have a number of images from that time, showing both Mk.III's 'Makroloned' LWB Rovers, as well as armoured 1/2 ton SWB Air Portables. I still have to get them scanned in but if your interested in getting hold of them just let me know.

You may be interested to know that for a short time in the early 1970's, all RMP Landrovers working in Derry had there roof sections painted white, rather than green. This was the result of an incident in which a LCpl Jolliffe RMP, was killed on 1st March 1971, whilst trapped in a landrover that had been petrol bombed and crashed, trapping him inside. It was recorded that the local IRA suggested that the RMP distinguish their vehicles, from other Army vehicles by painting their vehicles that colour, so as to enable them to be recognised as such, as, at the time, the IRA considered the RMP to be neutral, as they had replaced the RUC in the City and were initially patrolling the City unarmed. When I served with 176 Pro Coy RMP in Derry City, I had access to the unit diary, in which there were a number of colour images showing these vehicles painted that way. It would make for an interesting diarama. As would the RMP Rover, which, after being paint bombed coming off duty from a stint at Springfield Road RUC station in 1982, was repainted Pink and Black, (as the unit MT section had run out of IRR Green) and spent the next 24 hour stag bimbling around Belfast in that strange paint scheme (the vehicle commader was an old mate of mine and I saw the pictures he took of the vehicle, I'm just sorry I didn't scrounge one off him). Anyway, ignore the critiscm and more power to your elbow.

Regards,

Gary

Great diorama Roy. I particularly like your plastic shields. Well done.

jPhilips, Thanks for your kind words mate!

Gary, Thank you too, your stories are so interesting and very inspirational might I add, I'll certainly take you up on your offer of those photo's once they become available!

I was unaware of the RMP vehicles having white roofs in Derry (Londonderry). In fact I have been researching RMP subjects for a number of years regarding Operation Banner but the internet has not provided me with much detail that I can use..

I am presently working on another Piglet project here on armorama, its a build blog and if you are not aware of it already you might be interested to know its an RMP Piglet;

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/155903

Military Police subjects are always very close to my heart for personal reasons and I do plan on producing more VPK & HVVPK Piglets, I have just finished my third piglet build, an example from the early 90's (which I hope to post photos of soon), and I have two more on the bench..

I could sit here for an eternity and tell you all about my model ideas and plans for Op Banner vehicles which include many Landies, Series II & III, Long and short wheelbase VPK, HVVPK, LW and LW-VPK vehicles, Shorland AC's, APV's and the venerable Snatch. Not to mention the numerous RUC vehicles and even the Irish Defense Forces vehicles which operated on the other side of the border against dissident activity. All of which are in the stash and will eventually be made (I hope)..

My next plan(s) involve a UDR (Green and Black Camo) from Armagh, but I have been toying with an early 70's RMP variant too..
I've managed to find a few photos of early 70's RMP Landrovers but your recent revelation of the white roof versions are certainly exciting me already! any help would be much appreciated mate

Thanks for taking the time to drop by & share your stories!
Please PM me if anything else pops up you think might help me me.