Introduction
I came across this model by chance when I was looking around SB Models web site. SB Scotia is, as you now probably know, a range of products produced by Stewart of SB Models.
The Guy FBAX was one of many 3 ton 6 x 4 vehicles produced by the British during WW2. In fact, the 6 x 4 chassis was first produced in the mid 1920s and was a design favoured by the War Office. By the outbreak of WW2 the 6 x 4 was considered to be obsolete, the newer 4 x 4 being favoured, but 6 x 4s remained in production throughout the war. Sometimes referred to as rigid six wheelers, many were used for specialist bodies and for bulk load carrying such as pontoon, bridging and derrick equipment.
The Kit
The kit comes packed in a sturdy box, the contents protected by lots of those tube like polystyrene sausages. On the outside top cover of the box is a picture of the built model with the product and manufacturers details displayed.
Inside are 5 plastic zip bags containing the resin parts and 2 zip bags containing smaller white metal parts. The vehicle parts are cast in a light grey resin, I could see no flaws or damage on them and the smaller fixings come cast in white metal.
Instructions are provided on 4 double sides A4 sheets, the front sheet has a parts listing. Page 2 is blank and page 3 to 6 show the build instructions. Pages 7 & 8 contain 1/35 scale drawings of the vehicle. These are very much an old style of instructions but are clear, logically laid out and should be more than adequate to ensure a good build.
The cab area comes as one cast part with good grill and front plate detail. It will require a little clean up, some flash in the door openings and removal of the pour stub. The cab looks nicely detailed and the basic parts seem present in the white metal fitting.
The cab canvas cover comes cast as one part. The texture looks very good with the support bar detail present on the inside. The canvas has a good texture to it and should paint up well. A very nicely mastered and cast part.
The front fenders and lower engine detail are again one part. These look good with only a small pour stub to remove.
The lower chassis is cast as a whole and will need the film removed from between the chassis structure. Also included in this bag was the rear GS body floor. Both parts look fit for purpose, the floor of the GS body has nice planking wood grain effects cast in and detail on the underside and the chassis looks correct.
The 4 sides of the GS body have good internal and external detail, which appears to match exactly with my reference pictures. Included with these parts was the petrol tank, a stowage box plus a set of fuel cans for underneath the chassis. The doors of the cab were canvas and these come cast as separate bits. All part have good quality.
To complete the resin parts you get 7 very cool looking tyres. The detail is excellent and these look very well done. The hubs and bolts look correct as per the drawing I have. The centre of the tyres will need to be cleaned up a bit as this is where the pour stub has been and there seems to be a little bit of seepage in a few areas, but nothing that won’t clean up well. The spare tyre is also well finished.
The white metal fittings come in 2 separate zip bags. One contains the axels, seats, leaf springs and mud flaps, plus the exhaust box and pipe, drive shaft and some cross members. These parts will require little, if any, clean up. The mud flaps appear to me to be a little thick but that may just be an illusion on my part and they would be easily replaced with some plastic card if you felt it necessary. The double and single leaf spring are nicely done.
The second bag of white metal parts contains the steering wheel, gear and break levers, mirrors, handbrake, steering rack, brackets for the stowage boards, headlights and tow hook. Only a little light filing on the steering wheel will be required here. All the white metal parts look good and fit for purpose,
Conclusion
This looks to be a very good kit. It is well designed and thought out, the detail on the parts is excellent and matches the references I have. I don’t have a detailed diagram of the layout of the inside of the cab but the basics are there. It would have been good if a diagram of the cab interior had been included for reference.
John Nolan re-mastered all the back end, chassis, cab and tilt and the result is impressive.
No decals come with the vehicle nor is any brass wire included for the tilt, but the shape and size of the support poles is shown in the 1/35 scale drawings so these should be easy to add if you wish.
The white metal fittings look good. I have no area of expertise with white metal, only having built a few figures, but it seems an easy medium to work with and the parts are well cast with good detail.
Overall this looks to be a fairly simple model to build, it doesn’t have the glitter of PE and may lack some detail here and there, but I’d bet it builds into a cracking kit of this rather unusual and unique British vehicle.
As a stand alone model or incorporated in to a diorama this kit will certainly add interest. I though the cost was extremely reasonable and provides excellent value for money. This appears to be a simple but very effective kit, one I’m looking forward to building very much.
Additional general infomration on the history of the company can be found here:
Link
References:
British Military Transport by David E Jane
British Military Transport 1829 - 1956 by David Fletcher
