Military Model Scene

AFV Club do a lovely range of 1/35 kits, and among them are both early and mid-production variants of the AEC Matador, along with variants on the chassis in the form of the Dorchester ACV (Armoured Command Vehicle).  There is a lot to the model, and it includes a lot of very small detail fittings.  In particular there are the tiny tie down hooks which are fitted down both sides of the body.  There are well over 20 of them and they need to be very carefully removed from the sprues to ensure they don't get dropped and lost on your carpet.

Other small parts include things like door handles and the window winding handles on the cab doors.  The level of detailing on the chassis, let alone the cab and the body, is superb but clearly there is a lot to it so perhaps not a kit I'd recommend to a beginner as it might be just too much to cope with.  For anyone with some modelling experience under their belts, then this would be a good one if you want something with pots of detail.  It was used as an artillery tractor, so the seating for the gun crew is in the rear load bed, with two rows of wooden bench seats at the front of the body.  The space behind would have been used for other equipment and ammunition stowage.  The roof is metal, but the sides were canvas which could be rolled up or down, and AFV Club provide optional parts so you can choose which of the individual panels you want to fit up or down.

The kit provides for two colour and marking options, one in overall sand and the other in Khaki Drab and Black disruptive camouflage as used in NW Europe.

Robin