Airborne Jeep - a quick mojo restorer.

[Windy]

Morning all. I've been stuck in the doldrums for several months but have finally dragged myself back to the bench. I've got the Airfix airborne jeep in my stash (more of that later), but for a quick mojo restorer I thought I'd rebuild a broken Matchbox jeep which has been in a box of bits for years. I also forked out for some AB figures to crew it.

Here's all the bits before I got the brushes out. I've made a start on the figures so more pics to come.

 

[papa 695]

Looks like it’s been through the wars, some nice figures though.

 

[Windy]

It has a bit! It's all there though. First two figures done - driver and commander - and a couple more undercoated. Haven't decided which commander figure to use yet - either Sten gun or map-case. I'll have to wait and see how they look.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Blimey..... Quick work on the figures there !!
Looking good mate,I do love a nice jeep

 

[Windy]

Getting there! Looks a wee bit better than it did this morning. Needs the tools adding, decals, a wash and a bit of weathering. And I've two bods for the back to paint yet too.

 

[Jakko]

Nice new Humbrol you have there

 

[Windy]

Ah yes. Had that one a wee while!

 

[Tim Marlow]

MC01 British scarlet?
Sorry, got sidetracked…..good looking jeep, how were the ABs to clean up? Not bought any for ages so wondered how the moulds are holding up…..

 

[Windy]

MC01 British scarlet?
Sorry, got sidetracked…..good looking jeep, how were the ABs to clean up? Not bought any for ages so wondered how the moulds are holding up…..

Close! MC5 British Crimson. And ta. It's getting there. The ABs are nice and crisp, got them from Eureka Minis and hardly any cleaning up needed at all.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Cracking painting there, Gromit!

 

[Windy]

I was sort of working from home today so I cracked on and finished. Nearly went mad making the AOS signs (had to turn 79 into 67), bod number 4 wouldn't fit so there are only three crew now, and the census numbers should technically be blue.

It required a wee bit of surgery to convert to an airborne jeep - the front bumper was trimmed, then I removed the offside foot-board, the grab handles, mounting points for spare wheel and jerrican and the steps from the rear bumper. The jerrican was relocated to between the front seats and the spare wheel to the front bumper. Windscreen cover was made from tissue soaked in white glue, and the straps for the tools are strips of masking tape.

Fun little restoration though. Finished as a vehicle of the 12th Devons, 6th Airlanding Brigade in Normandy.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

That's really looking the bee's knees mate
Lovely paintwork for sure!!
Andy

 

[Tim Marlow]

Lovely stuff. A real jewel of a restoration.

 

[Jakko]

I know the census numbers should technically be blue

They should? I don’t recall seeing them as much else than white, and IIRC scans of original British Army painting instructions in one of Mike Starmer’s books also show them as white.

 

[Windy]

They were light blue for airborne units, black for vehicles in desert cam and white for everything else.

 

[Mini Me]

Nice job on the jeep and the lads Alex. Looks good with just the "three"........four might have been a wee bit crowded.

 

[Jakko]

They were light blue for airborne units, black for vehicles in desert cam and white for everything else.

Ah, didn’t know that

 

[Windy]

Ah, didn’t know that

Neither did I until I bought the Airfix version! It comes with blue decals for both jeep and trailer.