I have not posted in a while and thought it was time i made more of an effort on here. So i thought i would come back with my recently completed Academy 1/35th warrior converted to an FV 511 Command vehicle. I used the Accurate Armour conversion set but i still had to do a little of my own conversion for the front right corner as AA missed this out. I was building this vehicle as it looked in the summer of 2006 so i also used AA's resin Bowman antenna mounts and new drivers hatch with 3 periscopes. Plus panzerart resin wheels, and RB barrel and Fruiil tracks. A nice build and a nice kit, though i was a little surprised to see that the wheel stations on the right side are the wrong way round. But these were easily covered with dirt.

Vehicle call signs i made myself and the VRN was put together from spare decals. This is the Coy 2i/c's vehicle.













Thanks for looking.

Great work, I like it. I have the same project started quite a while ago, but never finished it... hope your model will provide a push in that direction.

Btw, I edited your post to show the images.

Cheers,
Mario

Thanks, not sure what i did wrong. Will have to re-learn how to use the site.

Hi Martin,

It is very nice work done, congratulates! I have the same kit in my stash, yours is inspiring to build that.

Take care!

Tamás

Well done! What's the significance of the glider patch?

Looks great. Nice and dusty.

What happened to other tube thing (antenna) by the rear hatch?

Arnhem Co.?

Thanks guys.

Paul, the vehcile is fitted to carry 2 8m masts, but on Company Command vehicles only 1 is carried.

Robert, the glider patch is a tactical recignition flash work on the upper right arm. It was originally worn by the Kings Own Royal Border Regt but without the purple edge. The KORBR also named it companys after battle honours, the first rifle coy being Arnhem. Both these were due to one of the antecedent battalions, the 1st Batt Border Regt, being glider Inf in WW2, landing at Scicily and Arnhem.

In June 2006, the KORBR merged with the Kings Regt and the QLR to form the Duke of lancaster Regt of 2 Regular Battalions. The tradition of nameing Company's was carried over into the new Regt, with A Coy 1 Kings becoming Arhnem Coy 2 lancs. The new Regt also adopted the glider TRF, but with a purple edge, the Regt colour.

During my 22 years in the army, i spent 12 years, April 1995 to May 2007 in an Armoured Infantry Battalion based in Catterick. The first 6 years i was in the KORBR in Somme (Support Coy). In 2001 when my batt left, i stayed in Catterick attached to the Kings Regt, assigned to A Coy. I spent the next 6 years, though the merger to form the Duke of lancs until may 2007 as the driver of the Coy 2i/c. This was my vehicle for those 6 years.

The glider flash was taken from one of my jackets.

Looks great! What techniques/products did you use to achieve the dusty look?

Thanks Alexey. I used oil washes and dot filters and AK dust effects but most of the dusty look is done with Mig and AK pigments.

nice to see one this old kit being given some love, you've done a fantastic job on that itv and it's nice see this British vehicle being represented

Very well done Bish.

well done,great paint.your build is great.

Cheers guys.

Can you elaborate on the right side suspension being reversed? First I've heard of that...

Jim

Jim, i had not heard of this error before either, but i think its somthing most people would not notice. I saw there was a problem when i realised that the axle arms were not directly in line with the securing points for the torsion bars on the other side. This means that in the real world, the axle torsion bars are running at an angle across the hull and crossing each other. I found the problem on the right side. This image shows the right and i have pointed out them securing point for the torsion bar.



This should be to the rear of the wheel station, not the front. This image from Prime Portal also shows the right side, and again i have pointed out the securing point.



It would take major surgery to correct all 6 wheel stations. The wheels cover it a bit, but luckly these areas get covevered in a thick layer of mud and dust when in the field.

Wow. Great catch. I only know the torsion bars of the M113 in that much detail but they are secured internally. Looks like Meng got it right.

Since the fit of the roadwheel arms on the Academy is so loose, do you know the proper ride height? From pictures, it looks like the top of the roadwheel axle is in line with the bottom of the hull.

Great work!

Ah, I see. Yes, that would be a pain to correct for sure, short of surface molding them to resin cast and replacing them all. Here's a pic I took that shows the suspension arms from the back to give an idea of the height (unarmoured BATUS one. probably the same one Dan took pics of)





(edited to add left side)

Jim

Thanks Freddy.

Paul, as Jim's pic's shows, the bottom of the hull is above the axle arms. Though of course, once fully loaded, the hull would be lower and with the extra 4 ton's of Chobham, lower still.

The 511's hull sat slightly higher at the back due to it not having the weight of the rear door and hyrolic ram. Though once loaded with radio's and so on the differance is reduced.

The ride height on the acdemy kit looks about right.

Thanks for posting that pic Jim, shows it perfectly.

Thanks Jim! That is a big help.