A bit more work on the wounded. Uniform marking still to add.







Cheers

Al

A start on the Ford ambulance, first 4 parts to clean up and assemble. The vehicle bed slots in tightly to the front frame and then the supports can be added. More later.



Cheers

Al

More progress.







Cheers

Al

Al,

You are not only good at this but also fast!! Do you employ oompa loompas to help out?
J

got diverted doing another review Having a few days off work helps.

So many models and ideas, so little time.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Added the front suspension last night, no major issues. Next will be fitting the track rods and wheel fixings at the correct angle to sit on the base.





Some interesting developments from ICM. As well as WW1 equipment sets for the British, French, Russian and German troops, I see they have new WW1 figure sets scheduled for release again British, French, Russian and German. The British are for 1914 and appear to be a marching set, the French are 1914 and seem to be a standing set whilst the Russians and Germans are 1914 and seem to be advancing/attaching type sets.

I hear that their has been a big improvement in the ICM figure sets so here's hoping they will be good ones.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

A question for anyone whom might know. Would it be reasonable to finish the Ambulance in light grey? I read somewhere that support wagons and transport even artillery were grey during the early years of the war. As the period is 1916 this would have to be a donated ambulance from one of the many organisations that provided medical support to the troops.

I shall continue looking for information.


Any thoughts?

Thanks

Al

Hi folks,

A bit or digging unearthed this footage about the American Field Service. It would appear they started operations in 1915 but were deployed with the French Army particularly around Verdun. So the kit in this format is better suited to a French Scene.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2322903770/

I'll need to look a bit more to see what else comes up and if these Ambulances were operated by other organisations connected to the British and 1916.

Good footage of the Model T Fords in action and a good story of the American Field Ambulance Service deployment.

Cheers

Al

Thanks for sharing the link Alan .

Greets Kurt

Hi Folks,

Kurt, you're welcome. I seems the British had around 19,00 Fords during the course of the war. Still no specific pic of one one the western front, but I'm happy enough to make this one a donated vehicle.

Added the front wheel fixings to align the wheels it seems easier to add the tract rods after (next task).





Still no thoughts on colour?

Cheers

Al

Hi Alan.
Maybe you could check the production of these ambulances.
Manufactured in the USA? Ford company must have some details I suppose, as their base color was black, this vehicle is exceptional so there must be some archive telling you what it was.
Other option is that the paint was done by the War Department. In that case I would go for a grey color. Trains did have such
a grey color.
Nice build so far. You can see the quality of the resin is good.
Maybe I'll take a look at the site and check for something I could use.

Regards,

Robert Jan

Hi RJ,

The Scottish Woman's Hospital seem a good option, they were stationed at Abberville on the East bank of the Somme River and had direct connections with the CCS for 4th Amy so that all seems to link

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/50.html

The War Dairies make for interesting reading.

Will go for something like this.



Looks like Green might be the option.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Have a look at the film in this link, about 3 minutes in is a picture of one of their vehicles.

What do you think the colours might be?

http://scotlandonscreen.org.uk/database/record.php?usi=007-000-000-019-C

Light Grey top, green body, Red stripe???

Thanks

Al

Hmm, no thoughts on the colour!

Anyway added the track rods to the front suspension and started to clean up the house body.








Update on the layout

Concept is some wounded troops returning form the front past an artillery position heading for the CCS. Cable laying activity going on and a Crewe tractor stopped on the tracks awaiting a cleared track. Some sort of food facility/washing area close to the track. CCS which will be signposted off board. Ambulance waiting for stretchered cases with some troops going towards the front with possibly a mounted Officer or Lancer.

The new AFV Camo nets look quite good so the gun position would be under on of those when finished. ICM have some new marching British Troops and if they turn out like the current box picture would work well as Engineers/Pioneers as their order of dress would suit - have to wait and see there.

I've positioned the Crewe tractor further back by removing one of the wagons, so that the vehicles are not too close together. The 3rd wagon can be upturned beside the track. Various stores and personal equipment will get added as things progress. Fortunately for this one both Plus Model and ICM are bring out British personal kit sets so that will help. There will be some stretcher bearers and some chaps standing by a coal burner/stove - Time period late summer/early autumn as that will allow for quite a mixed order of dress. Might manage to get a few slouched hats in this one. There should be some stretchered wounded coming along from Resicast but if not I can convert a few figs.













This seems to be quite a well visited thread but with only a few making comment. So what do you lurkers think so far?

Cheers

Al

Hi Alan.
Rather busy at the spot. But it'a nice display so far.

Regards,

RJ

Hi RJ,

Thanks for the thoughts, busy it will be, especially when the figures start to appear and that's more or less the intention as you often get concentrations of troops and log jams for short periods of time.

Cheers

Al

I'm loving it Al. Very busy.

Coming along brilliantly. Lots of cool stuff to look at for sure. I don't think it is too busy myself.
Don't have a clue about color for the great war stuff,sorry buddy.
As to the lurkers,seems to be pretty common here.
Lots of hits,few comments.
J

Hi Darren,

Thanks for looking in, glad you're enjoying it so far.

Hi Jerry,

Looking at the film I though Light Grey or Buff for the top and green with a Red stripe for the bottom. Not sure colour wise myself. The Scottish Woman's Hospitals seems a good option to link it to the British from what I've read.

I'll need to add some cross beams to the bottom of the upturned wagon I think.

It's good to have a variety of opinions when your building otherwise it defeats the point in posting lol. Sometimes folks need a little encouragement

There are some interesting developments in 1/35 scale WW1 kits, I hope to see a few more builds on line especially this year.

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,

I think you might be right about that colour. It looks like a very dark and maybe gloss colour on the lower section ( maybe blue, green or black?) and a light grey or as you say a tan on the top section. The layout is really coming together well.

Paul

Hi Alan ,

Would vote for the color be a good idea ?

I have a book it's called the trench of death , there are some photos of ambulances that were used in the Belgian army with a black color but that's not the British army of course...

still , i guess if an ambulance was donated to the British army the color would be black also...

Cheers

Kurt

Hi Kurt,

Thanks for the thoughts. The Scottish Woman's Hospitals after initial reservations by the War Office (no woman at the front) worked closely with the Army and became one of the many civilian organizations that became a integral part of the medical chain. As the ambulances would have been close to the front line I'm wondering if by 1916 that would have reflected that in presentation as can be seen on the other picture.

I though the dark gloss line around the mid section might be deep red. Anyway at least I have a few options to dwell on.

Cheers

Al

Alan, this is really impressive!!!
You are doing a brilliant job!!

Thanks for letting us watch!!!

Cheers

Romain

Hey Alan, another epic dio you have going on here. If you use that cart as a hand cart, remove the seat. If you want to use it the way it is, then is army requisitioned like many stuff is. If you can use it, grab it. But any way, this is just as great as the first one; the ambulance and R/R flat bed with the strechers really give this one a tone of the urgency of wounded troops. Being a rear area, it works well with all the componates. Just one of those dio's that make me wish I had come up with. As always, looking forward to more. I have front row tickets for this one too. bob d.

Hi Romain and Bob,

Thanks for looking in and the encouragement, glad you feel it's going in the right direction, thoughts appreciated.

Bob, yes the cart looks like is is meant to be horse drawn, my thoughts were to make it a liberated one, in a faded blue colour. Not 100% sure if I'll use it yet as I could perhaps use that area to greater advantage.

Here are some pictures from IWM archive (reference only) that are helping to shape the build.

For the open area to the left of the tractor perhaps something like this, just s tent make out of blankets providing some food.



or a more permanent shelter for the artillery crew



or temporary option



The stove area idea came form this one:



The wounded wagon is a real plus for diorama builders, they feature in so many pictures of the wounded troops.

This one also helped drive the idea:



Many thanks

Al