So… long story short. I bought an old 1:32 resin airplanekit a few weeks ago.
It was probably one of the most expensive kits I ever bought. Never heard of the manufacturer and I hope I never will again… It was awful. Lots of parts missing and I think the amount of detail easily could have been achieved even better if it was made out of cheese…
So, I got the thing built anyway but after that I needed something better to lay my hands on.
About 25 years ago I bought an Accurate Armour-kit of a Saxon APC. I never started it though so it was about time now.
Just wanted to share it with you. I am no historian and the Saxon seem to be a difficult vehicle to get good info on. So I made it OOB with the hope of getting some stowage and figures for it.
I was thinking about making a diorama even. Northern Ireland maybe.
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You could set it up as an IFOR or SFOR vehicle in Bosnia in the 90’s. They could have an IFOR or SFOR marking or just a coalition type inverted V.
Northern Ireland Saxons generally had a large bull bar on the front and sometimes fold away screens on the side, not always though. In terms of decals it would be easier for a Bosnia wagon as NI vehicles would generally have the confidential hotline numbers on the side.
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Nice looking model. The Saxon was utilised by the Brits as amoured transport for the reinforcement battalions due to deploy in Europe, ie Mechanised Infantry not Armoured Infantry .
So, it was nearly always a presence on the larger FTXs (Formation/Field Training Exercises) that took place in BAOR. It wasn’t liked by all and had only limited armour - designed to be proof against small arms fire and splinters, but as an Infantryman friend of mine succinctly commented, “It’s better than walking”.
It also saw service in Bosnia within the auspices of UNPROFOR.
Hailing from an original Internal Security design it was also used in Northern Ireland but with extensive modifications.
That’s great job there Per! Looks like a great build but your finish is excellent. Love the boxy armored cars.
That was its only good point lol … crappy ride, zero comfort and enjoyed the occasional rollover lol
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I recall there was a fatality in Boz when one rolled off a cliff; I might have the details wrong - pretty sure it was Goradze way. I wasn’t there at the time but subsequently went to a memorial service out in the kuds. I’d been invited as by then I was within the same capbadge - albeit a TA Battalion - as the poor guy who’d died.
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It was in '94. I was there as part of UNPROFOR in Gornji Vakuf when it happened. They stopped Saxons being used for a week or so but then had to start again as there was nothing else available in sufficient numbers. It happened more than once.
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I think you’ve done a fine job of the kit- the colors and details look spot on.
As @Maximus8425 pointed out the Saxons used here in the north of Ireland usually had a few different bits and bobs like mesh over the windows, the confidential phone line and the bull bars. I believe the riot screens could be removed if needed. I didn’t see them much on the streets as a kid (I was born in 1986). The riot screens did come in handy in the narrow terraced streets- in the smallest streets one Saxon with the doors out could block the whole road as cars were usually parked on both sides. A few roadblocks could be set up fairly quickly.
Or, to keep it current, the U.K. Government sold 75 of them to Ukraine in 2013, a move described by a former Chief of the General Staff, Richard Dannatt, as “immoral” and the vehicle as “useless” (in a real war); but a couple of years later the Ukraine went on to purchase another 200 on the open market. In the current conflict two are known to have been destroyed while the Russians have captured nine or ten.
Regards,
M
As for Saxons in Bosnia, at least one was “taken” from UNPROFOR by Serb forces, finding its way, after Dayton peace agreement, in Serbian Ministry of Interior - Gendarmerie. A number of pics of that vihicle, with added rubber protection exists.
I didn’t think it would be possible to make the Saxon even more uglier. … I was wrong lol
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Quite shocking how many vehicles were taken from UNPROFOR. We usually found it was Mitsubishi Pajero’s and Shoguns used by civilian UN staff. On at least two occasions we stole them back, even going as far as being taught how to hotwire them by one of our more enterprising full screws from Rotherham!!
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Looks like something out of a Mad Max movie- love it!
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