The story begins with the purchase of the D-Day Miniature figures.
I was looking for an original staging to stage them. The famous Chevrolet LRDG trucks have been seen many times, so I opted for a Roll Royce pattern 1920 but I have not found any historical photos proving their use in an "irregular" unit.
And then looking on the internet, I came across this picture :
Realized by Masaya Saito it does not seem to be there any historical reality but I found the retro side with LRDG equipments on very attractive.
According to my research, it has simply never existed.
Either it could have belonged to Paddy Mayne (one of the creators of the SAS) or one of his close friends (a history of car won in poker dragged here and there on internet).
The name of Vladimir Peniakoff, aka Popski, an atypical figure of the LRDG who created his famous "Private Army" also circulates.
Anyway I researched this vehicle and it is a Bentley 1930 Blower 4.5l which I hastened to look at my favorite scale. I came across this model in Diecast :
Even not afraid of the Diecast, my experience with this type of model for my zombie diorama was rather good. The model chosen seems quite detailed even if well on the Diecast has its limits in the smallest details. It is moreover on the plastic parts that this seems the coarsest.
Concerning the vehicle itself, one of the reasons that also could not have existed is the poor performance of this automobile, in particular an excessive consumption of fuel, incompatible with use in a desert environment. In pure speed, it nevertheless won a few records.
On the other hand, there were already at that time vehicles much better performing for this kind of use.
What does that hold, coupled with the Black Dog LRDG kit for jeep, it should give a small model pretty nice.
So now, place to stripping the model and already several questions comes :
- How to work white metal? I am not necessarily equipped to drill, sand, etch and / or dig if necessary.
- I really have to invest in a Puch & Die set because I have a few rivets to make.
- I will have to get rid of spokes wheels that could match, or at least make "as if that". Because those of the diecast model are full.
- I will have to rebuild the floor (nonexistent) and the rear tank (too coarse).
See you soon for the assembly of a small dio named "Butcher & Bolt" Legend.
Thank you for your attention !