Daimler Armoured Car Timewarp

Found a pair of Daimler Armoured Car kits in the garage. The Daimler saw action in WW2 and served in Territorial Army units well into the 1960's. Those not sold or scrapped may have been laid up in sheds around the country and could become available to our Winter of 79 protagonists with at least some work.

I fancy them as rebel Trade Union armour. I have a sneeking fondness for the Daimler, partly I think due to the enduring comic image of Tom Courtenay heroically riding atop one in 'Billy Liar'.You can just imagine Arthur Scargill leading the Yorkshire Miners from the turret can't you.

Expediency in times of national emergency or crisis is a wondeful thing. So what other readily available WW2 armour can we bing to the party without things getting silly. I'm tempted by the Britannia Miniatures' Dingo Scout car as a one off. Whilst the Humber Scout and A-34 Comet could also make an appearance somewhere down the line. Perhaps converted with differet turrets or additional makeshift armour and weapons.

I wonder if I can shoehorn the mantlet and gun from an Airfix Scorpion/Scimitar kit onto the Daimler? That would make a very suitable 1979 upgrade methinks. Off now to try..............

Cheers
Mark

Today, I Am Mostly...... Constructing A Housing Estate

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Finally got the impetus to make up my Dapol houses and get on with my urban housing estate. 10 houses  (2 more on the way) plus 3 shops. I'm just not quite happy with how they are turning out.

 Dapol OO Scale Semi-Detached House

The Detached House is the easiest kit to bulid. Fits together nicely, the walls also have a textured surface. Only real complaint are the sheer number of windows - too many. If I hadn't had my head down trying to get as many done  as I could yesterday, I would have changed the two side walls for plasticard and saved the spare window frames for scratchbuilding projects.

 "We're doing a promotion in your area"

The Semi-Detached is a lovely model. The front doors are useless, but other than that, a good solid model with a big footprint on the table. Some flash and poorly moulded windows. Happy to buy more of these.

Right Mrs Jones. Thats 2 Gold Top, 1 Ski Yogurt 

and a box of hand grenades

The Shop - whereas it took an hour to put together the walls of all 10 of the buildings above, it took an equal time to do the three shops due to the amount of flash, and that the front and back walls were distorted. Again, too many windows, especially for a shop this size. I'm giving them a shuttered/boarded - looted - appearance with graffiti on the shutters to add further character.

If I'd chosen to build these kits straight from box, I would have finished within the day - as it is construction is dragging - needs perhaps two more days of effort, partly because the corrugated iron plasticard I'm using as boarding has little surface area to attach to the models, so I'm having to use PVA, which needs to dry before moving onto next element.

UPDATE:

Took a fresh look at them this morning and happier with how they look, so pushing on.

 mmm, maybe too distressed?

Cheers
Mark
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Tales from the Coo Shed

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On the way into work every morning the train passes a stretch of windswept farmland on the coastal cliff edge. The farmer has kindly provided his cows with corrugated iron cow shelters and each day I make a mental note that they would look great on my Winter of '79 tabletop.

Using one sheet of Wills OO/HO Corrugated Plasticard (£2.50 for 4 sheets) and seven matches I knocked up the following Coo' shed.

It's simple to score the plasticard and snap it on the table edge. The matches are there not only to add detail but strengthen the joins at the corners.

Simple but effective I think. The shed could be further detailed with additional sheets of corrugated iron laid across the roof, maybe a couple of wooden beams or rocks holding the roof down. I'm keeping this one simple but will finish it off by mounting on a scenic base.

Right. Off to build another!

Cheers
Mark
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