Introduction

Arms Corps Models is an Australian aftermarket company specialized in producing 1/35 scale high quality resin vehicle conversions and upgrade kits. Although mostly oriented towards upgrading modern Aussie vehicles, Arms Corps Models released several smaller resin sets which can be used to improve many Western vehicles as well.

This review covers Arms Corps Models' 1/35 scale resin Radio Antenna Base MX-6707/VRC (ACM35871), a set which offers a significant revamp to antenna bases on most plastic models depicting US-made vehicles from the Cold War till today.

Review

The set is packed in a clear plastic blister box with the resin pieces additionally secured in a zip-lock bag. The front of the box features Arms Corps Models logo and identifies the set as 1/35th Antenna base MX-6707/VRC (ACM35871). The set contains two identical resin carriers with 5 antenna bases each… totaling to 10 antenna bases in the set.

The set represents MX-6707/VRC Antenna Base, a part of the AS-1729/VRC Vehicular Antenna System. The AS-1729/VRC is a center-fed whip antenna that operates in the 30-76 MHz frequency range in 10 band segments which can be manually selected on the antenna base assembly. The AS-1729/VRC is used with many US/NATO vehicular radio sets and can also be utilized to extend the communication range on portable radio transceivers operating in the 30-76 MHz frequency range. The overall length of the AS-1729/VRC is 10-1/2 feet (3-1/4 meters).
The MX-6707/VRC is a sturdy antenna base complete with a heavy duty flexible spring which enables bending and prevents breakage (tie-down kit allows antenna to be bent and tied to vehicle). It is interfaced to the vehicle with four bolts. Base unit electrical connections consist of an RF input connector for connecting transmitter/transceiver, band switching control and a ground stud which electrically grounds the base unit to the vehicle.

The resin pieces in this set look great; there are no casting imperfections and the details are extremely sharp, very faithfully reproduced in scale. Every antenna base features four vehicle mounting bolts on reinforced base cover, six smaller bolts and tiny identification plate on spring base support, and really nicely rendered spring coils. 6 antenna bases are portrayed upright, while 4 bases are depicted with their heavy duty springs bent, thus representing tied down antennas. The resin antenna bases are very easy to mount on any 1/35 scale vehicle. By using small diameter wire, one can go the extra mile and additionally detail the lower base unit by connecting it to vehicle radio set. The only problem with these antenna bases could be extremely careful drilling of a miniature hole in the spring top to insert and firmly secure the whip aerial… which has to be added using stretched sprue, piano wire, thin brass rod or even carbon fiber.

Conclusion

Antenna bases are usually poorly represented in plastic vehicle kits... with inadequate details and seam lines almost impossible to clean from base springs, plastic antenna mounts definitely need a resin revamp.

Arms Corps Models' set of Radio Antenna Bases offer 10 resin vehicle antenna bases in 1/35 scale, suitable for any US-made vehicle from the 1960s onwards. 6 antenna bases are depicted upright, while 4 bases are depicted with their heavy duty springs bent (thus representing tied down antennas). The resin cast is perfect and the details really nicely reproduced in scale. Arms Corps antenna mounts should be fairly easy to install and definitely provide a very welcomed upgrade to many modern vehicle kits.

References

Hill Top army radios
Associated industries