British Army kits

Ian M

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I have an issue regarding the lack of things British in the model kit manufactures listings. OK things are looking up. Mirror Models are doing a great job filling lots of holes in the truck department. And I have started to write them regarding others they may wish to take on.
A thing that amazes me is that we often get the truck but not the ordinance it was the prime mover for, or we get the ordinance and nothing to pull it with. I am talking 1/35 scale. Plastic and affordable.
We have the 40mm Bofors that was widely used throughout WWII. but only the Bedford truck that was used at the end of the war and only in Europe... What about the Morris CDWS that was the main heavy hauler for the bofors or the 4x2 Morris cs8 15 cwt? You can get a resin one of both, but at insane prices. (€150 for a 1/35 scale truck....seriously?)
We have the Scammell in various forms, and even from two companies, We have the early and late Matador trucks, where are the 3.7 heavy AA gun, the 4.5 and 5.5 guns and the 7.2 inch howitzer.
Why are there so few RAF support vehicles in 1/48? Pretty much the go to scale for many aircraft modellers but where are the bomb suppliers, the fuel trucks, fire trucks cranes, all that go to make a great diorama in a scale that can be handled in a sensible amount of space.
I can only hope that others that also have this affliction, start e-mailing the manufactures and suggesting thing that they feel are really missing from our hobby.
Either that or we can all clap our hands with joy (ironically) at yet another Tiger/Panther/Spitfire/Messers smidt und Fokker.
 

MikeC

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Ian,
I fully agree, the British military seem to always have been poor cousin as far as manufacturers were concerned. And it appeared that to make it into the market you first had to produce the Tiger, followed by - yet another Panther.
But when you are catering to the masses, the $£ speak volumns, as was once explained to me by one of the early editors of Military Modelling during a discussion about the self same subject.
On a different subject. You recently arranged all of my tutorial posts on resin casting into one heading. Would you be kind enought to do the same with my Centurion ARV Mk2. posts, even I got lost looking.
Cheers, MikeC.
 
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Fenlander

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It is a sad truth that what sells well will determine the new releases and lets face it, that is German WWII and Sherman tanks. It is one of the reasons I have given up in armour modelling.

Sadly, it affects figures too. The number of British figures available compared to German is way off balance. In earlier periods the same applies. Tons of American Civil War stuff available. Try building a collection of English Civil War and you will not be able to spend much money.

While ever people keep buying tigers and panthers, me 109s and spitfires, the big companies will keep re tweaking them and selling them again, it keeps their CEOs rich. (Cynical? Me?)
 

scottie3158

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I agree I would love to build some of the smaller trucks and vehicles but without resorting to resin you don't get a lot of choice.

Scottie
 

Jakko

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This is probably not going to be voicing a popular opinion, but I’m still going to claim that you’ve never had it so good. There are plastic kits of all kinds of vehicles (of the British Army of the Second World War and of lost of others) that I for one would never have expected to see fifteen or twenty years ago. Cromwells? Valentines? Comets? Light Tank Mk. VIs? CMP trucks in all shapes and sizes? Scammels and Diamond T tank transporters? Resin and metal, sure, but if you’d have told me back then those would all be available in plastic, I’d probably have laughed and said, “You wish.”

But this thread is no different than what we read back then in the letters’ pages of magazines like Military Modelling, except the names of what’s asked for have changed.
 

scottie3158

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This is probably not going to be voicing a popular opinion, but I’m still going to claim that you’ve never had it so good. There are plastic kits of all kinds of vehicles (of the British Army of the Second World War and of lost of others) that I for one would never have expected to see fifteen or twenty years ago. Cromwells? Valentines? Comets? Light Tank Mk. VIs? CMP trucks in all shapes and sizes? Scammels and Diamond T tank transporters? Resin and metal, sure, but if you’d have told me back then those would all be available in plastic, I’d probably have laughed and said, “You wish.”

But this thread is no different than what we read back then in the letters’ pages of magazines like Military Modelling, except the names of what’s asked for have changed.
Jakko,

Firstly I do agree with you the choices for British equipment is the best it's ever been. But from a personal choice and that is all it is, it would be nice to see the smaller vehicles. But unfortunately you cant please everyone all the time and they are a smaller interest than the armour of all nations. Maybe in another 15 years eh:smiling4:
Scottie
 

bazers

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It is a sad truth that what sells well will determine the new releases and lets face it, that is German WWII and Sherman tanks. It is one of the reasons I have given up in armour modelling.

Sadly, it affects figures too. The number of British figures available compared to German is way off balance. In earlier periods the same applies. Tons of American Civil War stuff available. Try building a collection of English Civil War and you will not be able to spend much money.

While ever people keep buying tigers and panthers, me 109s and spitfires, the big companies will keep re tweaking them and selling them again, it keeps their CEOs rich. (Cynical? Me?)

Hi Graham you should try modellng armour in 1 72 scale I scratch build and convert kits into armour you can't get in my scale but I love , I have sixty in my collection and there is not a tiger or a panther amongst them ,but I get the same feeling when browsing the mags, more tigers and Panthers!.
 
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Bobby Dale

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Hi All
Bronco did offer in their catalogue to release a Morris CS8 tractor for the 17 lb'r but it has failed to materialize as yet ? i think Wespe or Lead Sled did the Morris Bofors tractor in 1/35 . and there has been an announcement from ICM of a Ford Wot 6 GS truck . who also did the Bedford QL range
Bobby
 
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tanktrack

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I only build british armour and i have built up a nice stash ,it is getting better all the time
 
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