EMHAR makes this nice 1/72 plastic model of the British MK IV WWI tank.This
particular model depicts the female version, with two Hotchkiss MGs mounted
in each side sponson. An additional MG was located in the front of the crew
compartment.
What was initially designated by its code name "Water Carrier for
Mesopotamia" revealed itself to be the first "landship" used
in battle. In September 1916 forty-nine Mk I "Tanks" (the shortened
code name) took part in the fighting around Flers-Courcellette, part of
the Somme offensive. The rhomboid shape with tracks around the entire outer
edge was designed for crossing the trenches so characteristic of WWI ground
warfare.
AIRFIX released their version of the "Male" tank, which was armed with two 6 pdr. naval guns. However, it had several inaccuracies and actually reflected a Mk I/Mk II "hybrid". The kit on display here combines the Airfix model with a more accurate conversion kit by MATADOR MODELS, and reflects the "Female" version, which carried two mgs in each side sponson (if you choose you can finish the kit with the original Airfix Male sponsons).
EMHAR makes this nice 1/72 plastic model of the British MK IV WWI tank.This
particular model depicts the female version, with two Hotchkiss MGs mounted
in each side sponson. An additional MG was located in the front of the crew
compartment.
The model comes with the unditching rails along the top of the vehicle, but I had to add a scratchbuilt unditching beam. The chains holding it in place are from Verlinden Products (the "small tow chain"). I assembled the guns with the ability to elevate by gluing small pieces of plastic to the inside of the turrets to hold the guns in place (making the turrets themselves traversable would be a more intricate project).
There is uncertainty as to the proper color of British WWI tanks; some sources state an overall green scheme, others indicate that a brown color was more accurate. I compromised by using Floquil's Olive Drab, which has a heavy brown tint in it. I added a coat of mud to the vehicle's bottom areas by applying some semi-dried up paints, which contain some nice chunks to simulate bits of dirt.
This model depicts the WWI British light tank "Whippet", designed
to follow the Mark IVs after breaches had been achieved in the enemy lines.
It was not as heavy but faster than the larger tanks, serving to exploit
gaps in the German defenses rather than create them. The Whippet carried
a crew of 3 or 4 and was armed with 3 or 4 Hotchkiss 0.303 inch MGs. Armor
was up to 14mm thick and the vehicle weighed 14 tons. The layout was to
have the engines forward of the crew compartment. There were two engines,
one for each track unit, and the tank could reach a speed of 8 mph and had
a traveling range on the road of 80 miles.
EMHAR made this kit, which is real easy to build with only 22 parts that fit together perfectly. Detail is great and washing/highlighting really brings it out. My kit is unmodified except for the viewports that I scribed into the driver's and port gunner's positions.
Instructions are well illustrated with historical info, and decals are included for six different vehicles (including a Whippet captured by the Germans and given a different paint job). The white/red/white service stripes looked good, but I was concerned decals would not settle into the hull details so I painted the stripes. What I might do is take a knife or marker and scribe or draw the gaps between individual track links on the track sides.
Here's A REVIRESCO 1/72 metal model which depicts the British Rolls Royce armored car (1914, Admiralty Turreted Pattern) that served in England with the home guard, with the Army in France, Egypt, German South-West Africa, and Gallipoli, and even in Russia with the Royal Naval Air Service. These cars were based on the "Silver Ghost" 1908 automobile.
The kit can also be completed with an additional cupola atop the turret to protect the commander. I gave it a three-tone splinter camouflage pattern (not sure how accurate the selection of colors is), which really breaks up the vehicle's silhouette (so I photographed it from a hard profile view). I added some tarps as stowage slung to the running boards and thrown in the cargo compartment.
This 1/72 metal REVIRESCO kit depicts a British WWI Lanchester Armored Car (1915 Admiralty pattern) in the Royal Naval Air Service, and sports a Royal Navy Jack flying atop a staff mounted on the turret. The top speed was about 50 mph, with a three or four-man crew, and the car was armed with a Vickers-Maxim MG. At least 36 cars were built by 1915, and served in France and Belgium. Some were also sent to the Russian front. The Lanchesters were rugged cars and mechanically reliable, but were not as common as the Rolls Royce armored car.
The only modification to the kit was filing down the fender thickness. Decals, some stowage, and the flag staff came from the spares box. The flag itself is paper and was included.
You can e-mail me at Contact the Curator:
Back to the AFV museum opening page.