Before it went into production the prototypes were fielded against Soviet & Cuban backed forces in the then not so Cold War, conflict on the border of the then South West Africa (Namibia) and Angola. This indigenously developed 155mm mobile artillery shares dna with the current German Panzerhaubitzer 2000 fielded in the Ukraine. The 52 calibre variant of the G6 has a world record ballistic range of about 76km.
Anyway, this will be the early version that served on the border.
For a 90km/h, 6 wheeled, behemoth, this is not a small vehicle.
You have to remember that this is one of Takom’s first kits, released in around 2015 only a couple years after they started. So the flash and/or knockout pin marks shouldn’t be that surprising as it is an older kit, considering how many they’ve released since then. And they haven’t been doing it nearly as long as Tamiya, Dragon, etc.
I have started on the drivers cab and decided it needs to be manned as it “open” with its armoured glass screens. I chose the driver from MiniArt’s British AFV crew who will require some adjustment.
Reading about it’s epic deployment as a prototype and that it drove 2400km to reach the Angolan border, I’m pondering building an early prototype variant which will require ditching some feature included in the kit.
An amazing vehicle, so futuristic (it brings my imagination to the space Marines tactical vehicle deployed in the second chapter of the Alien saga).
Good choice of a subject, I’ll stay tuned
Thanks for all the input with regards to colour, but I’ve based my colour selection on Hataka’s SADF colour set and the brown they have is BS dark earth.
Not being able to cost effectively aquire their colour set, I opted for Vallejo’s BS dark earth at a fraction of the price. This is a close match to what I remember.
I did my Rooikat in that colour and I was very pleased with it.
Fitted the rear deck, all I’m missing is a deck chair, tread plates, flood light and rear access door, right rear quarter. Positioned the storage / electronics module on the left rear quarter to get a feel for it position and spacing.
The main gun mount is a bit of a pickle as it will require a massive mod to simplify the housing.
I may have to scratch build it to mimic the mount used on G62C circa 1987. See earlier pic of prototype G6.
A small diversion, showing off some of the peculiar “ingenious” border battle field mods. The vehicle below is named “die telefoonhokkie”, which roughly translates to the telephone box. This is a mofified Ford F250.
