AFV Club 1/35th Scimitar Op Corporate

[Bish]

The Falklands War isn't known for the wealth of armour, most modelling subjects are aircraft and ships. The Argentinians did have some armour which mainly stuck to the hard roads of Stanley. The British did not have that luxury and what could be used on the soft peat ground was limited. They did take 9 CVR(t)'s of the Blues and Royals. 4 Scorpions, 4 Scimitars and a Sampson recovery vehicle. I have been wanting to do a vehicle for some time but was not sure of what modifications would be needed. Then a few years back i came across a UK site calle Scvorpion Miniature, and as they name suggests they mainly deal in CVR(t) subjects, both selling AFV Club kits and AM sets, some under their own label and other from HK Creation Miniatures. One of their sets was a Falklands War Conversion, so that was it, i was straight in their, buying the AFV Club Scimitar.



And buying 4 of their AM sets. Clockwise from top left is a backdate set, i don't nee all of this. This is under the HK label but Scorpion sell sections of it seperatly under their own label. Next, the Falklands conversions which can be used on both Scorpion and Scimitar. The second 2 were later additions to their range and i got those as i saw them. A new stowage bin for the rear huill and a turret with the correct shape.



They have recently brance out into other subjects none CVR(t) relkate and have some nice stuff, including a Gulf War Stowage set which includes the correct webbing and backbacks for the Falklands. Now going to order 2 of those.

I also got a set of AFV Club indy liny tracks.



I made a start a few night ago on the running gear. The back date set replaces all the axle arms as well as ading bump stops and other parts.





And then onto the upper hull. This involve cutting out the later hinged forward engine deck and replaceing it with the earlier boted type. Also ade the bolt heads with some hex rob that i have to now cut down to size.



The Scorpion site also has lots of great info on CVR(t) including photos of vehicles in 82, both on Ascenion Island where all the extra stowage was fite and training took place and on the Falklands themselves, so i will be useing that a lot for referance.

[Stikpusher]

This should be good! I’m with you on wanting to add one of those vehicle to the collection.

[Bish]

Thanks Carlos. Its not somthing you see often. There are a few other variants it would be nice to see in plastic, only option is the resin kits from Accurate Armour.

[Bish]

The Scimitar has come along reall well After 5 evenings work it was all reay for the spray booth. The fit of the resin has been really nice with very little excess to remove.

The bolt heads were trimmed down and most of the parts ae to the hull.





I also got to work on the turret. This has the correct shape that the kit one does not but it does have the later additions introduce afer the falklands including a larger rear bin and large side bins, the same as the kit turret. The backdate set includes a small section of sprue from the AFV Scorpion kit which include the smaller rear bin, commanders set and a few other bit correct for an early Scimitar. As the smaller rear bin is designed for the different shape of the AFV kit it needed some re-working to fit this turret. The raised sections on the turret side are for the large side bins, these have to be sanded away.





And everything else added. The falklands conversion includes the covered barel trough but has you cut down the kit supplied metal barrel. The backdate set has the covered trough and a resin barrel with covered muzzle. Most photo's from the war show the muzzles uncovered, but the kit muzzle was rather poor, to thick and a poor shape, certainly nothing like the RB models barrel i used on my Warrior. So i went for the resin barrel.





And the final bits added to the hul and she is all ready for priming. The turret is not glued on just yet.







Its already had the primer and green base colour. Just got to let it dry for anotehr day and can mask before adding the black.

Last weekend i ordered a couple of sets of the Gulf War stowage set that Scorpion Miniatures recently released. It includes the older wedding and backpacks that were used in 82, before PLCE was introduced, so it will come in very useful. But i also contacted them about a couple of parts i had lost, including one of the resin rear idlers. I asked if i could buy replacments, but Michael Shackleton replied saying he would put the parts in with my order, and they arrived on Thurs. Surperb customer service i must say.

[Duke Maddog]

This is excellent and a great new subject. I am going to be watching this.

I always wondered about the operation of these light tanks on the Falkland and whether they encountered any Argentinian armor.

[Bish]

Thank Duke.

No, there is no mention of it. Argentinian armour confined itself to the hard roads of Stanely. The CVR(t)'s were used as support vehicles in the attacks on Wireless Ridge and Mount Tumbeldown. The surrender took place the day after.

[Duke Maddog]

Good to know. I never knew this as all the histories I read never mentioned the participation of any CVR(t)'s during those battles. I was always left to wonder if they ever even fired their guns! Thanks for clearing that up.

[Bish]

There is not much referance to it. After landing at San carls, they were used to ferry supplies as well as dug in to protect the landing zones. They didn't see action until Bluff Cove . The scorpions are said to have averaged 60 rounds each and the Scimitars 100.

[Medicman71]

It's looking very cool Bish!

[Bish]

Cheers Mike.