Thanks - it is a bit of a monster.
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More details on the Champ. In addition to his briefcase I’ve included the officer’s riding crop (whip) which marks him out as a Cavalry officer as opposed to the Royal Tank Regiment; officers from the latter carried an ashplant (walking-stick). Besides, his beret will eventually be dark navy blue not the black of the RTR.
As it’ll be a long day, both he and his Driver have drawn up “Haversack rations” - replicated by the brown sort of bundles of Milliput on the back seat - in other words a packed lunch. For some reason the pictures show them in an almost orange colour but they are in fact a brown paper hue.
Generations of British soldiers will recognise these, issued in brown paper-bags, and later, white cardboard boxes, all containing not very much that was either appetising or nutritious. Colloquially known as “Horror-Bags”, and the “White Box of Death”, these would contain, more or less across the ages: an apple or orange, a can of fizzy drink (normally from some completely unrecognizable manufacturer), a hard-boiled egg, a packet of potato crisps (again, manufacturer unknown and normally smashed into fragments), and a sandwich, made from Army -issue bread, (which was, in all honesty perfectly edible, made by RAOC bakeries), and spread with sadly, a revolting margarine, the filling being some travesty of processed meat (aka “Pink Death”), or plain cheese. Just what one needs during a busy day in the fresh air on the ranges! To be honest, whilst I have much sympathy for the Army’s cooks, this was not the Army Catering Corps’ finest hour.
Now, I must just add that I have no idea if similar meals were actually available in the mid-late 50s, but they were certainly the case in the late 60s when I joined, so forgive me a bit of historic licence, after all, they’d have to eat something, and rationing hadn’t long ended in post war Britain, so anything more lavish would be unlikely. Returning to the Mess or the Cookhouse would also be unlikely given the pace of such a busy day. The respective unit Quartermaster may have applied for, and received “Range Stew” in an insulated container, but all too often this disappointed and consisted of meagre vegetables, and a toxic gravy mingling with gristle and fat. Yum - not.
The officer has brought along a Thermos flask (which he’ll probably share with his Driver), and the Driver has purchased, from his very meagre wages as a National Serviceman, a glass bottle of lemonade from the NAAFI (Soldiers’ canteen); the alternative would be to utilise his issue water-bottle containing rusty-tasting water, as ’37 pat water-bottles invariably did.
Behind the rear seats is a cardboard box containing a tow-rope on top of 3 x convoy flags, all SOP when operating a military vehicle; the hapless driver will have had to sign for all of this kit, and woe betide him if anything goes missing. To be honest, this piece of detail is almost pointless, as with the canopy in place it can hardly be seen, but I sort of felt better!
I’ve just noticed that I’ve lost the Jerrican cap; this build has been quite a fragile one, and is not over yet. I’ve still to complete the mighty Conq, and the Champ has slowed things down a bit, but then, I had to add these details as I went along.
Just for info I tracked down a lemonade bottle from the www to use as a reference; whilst my bottle shape is wrong, I think I just about managed the label OK. Just.
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Love the details Brian and the history/experience behind it- it adds a realistic and human touch to the interior.
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Thanks - 'glad you found it interesting.
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The Horror Bags sound similar to 1980s pack lunches provided on school trips! Maybe they were MOD surplus 
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My God, it would have taken some salesman to pull that off!
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We got “bag lunches” in the US Army in the 80’s-90’s with almost the exact same menu! We used to call them wish sandwiches because you got two pieces of bread and you wish there was real meat in between.
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It was a pleasant surpise to me, when co-located with the Italians in Iraq, that their rations included a carton of red wine; ditto the French Army when on exercise some years later. But then the French Army had always apparently, looked after their soldiers:
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Whilst inevitably embroiled in the involved construction of the Champ, I have not neglected the mighty Conq and it is now glossed, ready for decals, washes, dry brushing and weathering et al (including the matting down of some details):
The eagle-eyed will note that I’ve accidentally removed one of the rangefinder apertures covers on the Fire Control Turret. Annoyingly, the carpet monster prevailed and I’ll now have to replace it with a scratch-built effort.
Some days, life is, truly, a conspiracy against one!
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I remember getting small bottles of Panda Pops in unfeasibly bright colours which although labelled as certain flavours didn’t necessarily conform to a specific taste.
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Looking very Conqueror like in that shiny deep bronze green Brian. Sorry if I’ve missed it in this thread, but what paint did you use for that green? Looks pretty spot on to me.
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Well, I don’t quite remember getting plastic bottles, just tins of something equally obscure.
I sometimes think that the old adage of the British Army always succumbing to the lowest bidder has no small truth!
Don’t get me started.
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Terry, many thanks; I don’t think I’ve mentioned it in this thread but I normally use Revell Enamel 65 “Matt Bronze Green”. In fact it was Mark Hazzard who tipped me off some years back - use it but with a gloss varnish and I think you’re pretty much there.
I really must dig out an ancient Tamiya Cent I did way back when whereupon I used an actual tin of issue “Deep Bronze Green” - hand painted if you like (!) - and compare.
My wife, in a fit of misplaced zeal - and matrimonial suicide - threw it out during one of her mad fits of “shed clearing”. She’s been on notice ever since I hasten to add - which is only fair.
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Not just the British Army, getting back to your build that colour on your Conqueror is spot on to my eyes and I have a thing for the Austin Champ so it’s great to see one built. There are plenty out there for sale however the long haired Sgt Major won’t release the funds hahah.
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Well, thanks very much. I too have surveyed the availability of the Champ, but I also have a soft spot for the venerable 1/2T Land Rover (what we always referred to as the “Airportable” one); I learnt to drive on one and have loved it ever since - being quite lucky during the TA part of my somewhat extended career - when the MT seemed to possess nothing but this type. The trouble is, as a vintage vehicle, they appear to range from around 8 grand up to 12 - all a bit rich for my taste, but I must admit I’d love to thrash one around over the Plain (which is close by, SPTA that is). Sigh.
Getting sort of back on thread, the Accurate Armour kit is a busy little number but nothing that can’t be dealt with by dedication and patience - that’s probably where I’m going wrong, but it’s not one of those unbuildable resin horrors by any means.
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As it happens Frank I’ve got the Firing Line 1:35 one, but it’s the real thing I hanker after. Just the smell - old oil - discarded ration boxes with mouldy orange peel, tired doss bags, dusty cam nets, crumpled tins of half-empty McEwans, stale fags, and of course the ever present reek of petrol, not least as you were sitting on top of the bloody tanks.
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Been there, mate sold his a year ago in st Helens.
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Coming along beautifully Brian; great job on the conq finish and I love all the details you included in the Champ. Really excellent work!
Your description of the food items issued to you guys had me hysterical 
!
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