Help - looking for a Landrover Series 3 FFR in 1/35 or 1/24

[RangerNeil]

Anybody know of a good 1/35 or 1/24 - or larger - scale kit of a Series 3 Landrover in FFR mode??
I've seen Italeri do one in 1/35 marked as such but its a cut-down - so-called "Recce version". (no windscreen, door tops or tilt) with the ubiquitous L37A4 GPMG mounted on the passenger side. It has the TUAAM boxes and the dexion across the rear - but no rear side stalks. Also the kit illustration shows the large bug-eye lenses fitted later in service rather than the smaller gem lights early versions (i.e. mine) had.
Ideally I want a full version to make a replica of my own vehicle. The rear side stalks are easy enough to fabricate - the door tops and tilt are decidedly not. I will also have my work cut out fabricating the 9m mast on the back too.

This basically is what I am looking for in Kit form or as close as possible.

[digger303]

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/retrowi ... 3--1338945

Is a series three I think, but no aerials.


My apologies that's the wrong scale 1/144 can hardly see it ...

[digger303]

I don't think a FFR version exists. This might be of some help though.
http://www.warwheels.net/LandySeries3index.html

[NoelSmith]

Maybe the new Revell kit has conversion possibilities? There is a guy who comes to mind who used to make after market items for truck modellers. I think his name is Howard Whitehead and he changed his business Kitform Services over to making 1/24th scale military vehicle kits and accessories in resin and photo etched a few years ago. He may well have a kit of the type of Land Rover you are looking for as they do make some military varieties. HTH

[RangerNeil]

I don't think a FFR version exists. This might be of some help though.
http://www.warwheels.net/LandySeries3index.html

Thanks Digger - some interesting pointers on there. I suppose another alternative if I can find a 1/24 soft top is to measure up all the bits on mine that make it an FFR, draw them up in CAD and see if I can find somewhere to 3D print them. Probably have to do that for the control boxes as, going by the side lights the Italeri kit is the late version and if so only has the shunt box between the front seats. Mine being the early one it has a dirty great control box in the tub immediately behind the driver and the shunt box is on the opposite side of the tub behind the passenger seat with dual ammeters in the dash. Where the real fun comes is under the dash as two of the six batteries on an FFR sit between the front seats, the other 4 are in a box under the radio table in the back and there is no alternator but a MASSIVE great 24v 90A generator and shielded ignition system. If Italeri haven't replicated that there is a LOT of work in fabricating it!!
Definitely would need to fabricate/get printed the TUAAM boxes on the front wings, the rear internal Dexion for the control boxes and the PRC352, PRC353, 2 x DMU and PRC320 sets in the back of mine, the side stalks and mount brackets and "egg-cup" insulators that go on the antenna leads between the side stalk mounts and the tilt. And then we get on to the 9 metre demountable mast on the back....

Maybe the new Revell kit has conversion possibilities? There is a guy who comes to mind who used to make after market items for truck modellers. I think his name is Howard Whitehead and he changed his business Kitform Services over to making 1/24th scale military vehicle kits and accessories in resin and photo etched a few years ago. He may well have a kit of the type of Land Rover you are looking for as they do make some military varieties. HTH

I did speak to Howard a couple of months ago on this topic - he tells me that once the Bloodhound that KitForm are working on is released he is looking at retirement. The FV622 Stalwart he does/did is based on the one I used to own - 19 ET 90, nicknamed "Little Maud" so I know him reasonably well. The Stolly is in my stash too - got it half price for letting him run a measure over my old girl. My Regiments cap badge back in the day was Mars and Minerva and one of the old members of the regiment drew a caricature of it back in the early 1900's that was called "Mouldy Maud" - Stollys tend to accumulate moss and algae with monotonous regularity and they aren't small so hence the nick-name!!

[RangerNeil]

Just found a couple of clips on YouTube of people who built the 1/24 Italeri FFR kit. Somebody goofed big time on the Italeri side!! Military Series 3's had twin underseat fuel tanks (and don't filling station managers just LOVE it when you open the front door and disappear inside with the filling nozzle!! ) - the kit does not have these but has the civilian rear mounted tank moulded between the chassis rails seen clearly at the 8:17 mark. I don't know if its how the instructions have it or whether its the builders interpretation (I suspect the instructions as both builders did the same) but the radio packs should be side by side, not stacked and the rear number plate should be black and silver, same as the front Unusually for 1/24 scale any engine bay detail seems to be totally lacking apart from 2/3 of the sump viewed from under the chassis. And the TUAAM's on the front wings are square in the kit - should be rectangular.
Contrasted with the new Revell 1/24 Safari details the Revell kit wins hands down for detail and accuracy so I am thinking I might wait and see if next year brings a 109" soft top. A civilian soft top would need to be adapted to Military but the bulk of the details would then be there.

Clip #1


Clip #2

[digger303]

You have it well in hand

[NoelSmith]

Neil, as you know Howard, I think an ex President of IPMS UK, David Jane made many of the masters for Howard's military kits. Howard may well be able to put you in touch if you want any masters made for particular parts. HTH.