Definitely meant 8-wheeled - the trouble with profile pics(!) - and these days a less than agile brain.
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Put the three main hull parts together, and once they were dry, I cut a piece of 1 mm plastic sheet to make a new roof:
It’s still loose here, as is the AFV Club turret ring, but this is the position I will put it in. Piranha turrets tend to be offset to the left because the engine is on the right, and overhang the hull side a little if they’re more than very small, so that’s what I’ll do here too. It won’t be as big as on the trials vehicle, because I suspect that’s a standard Piranha that Mowag had at hand, fitted with an adapter for the YPR turret. A purpose-built version would probably have a bit smaller adapter ring.
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Primer has had to be put on hold as I’ve added a few more details: small station-keeping lights (ET Models) which arrived today; I’d forgotten I’d ordered them. The tank identification light – facing rearwards on the turret rear, an antennae and mount, some small handles where I thought appropriate and last of all, a liberal application of model railway flock; this will represent mud once painted, after all, this is a prototype vehicle and will have been ragged over the training area, which is what I’m trying to represent. All wiring, where visible from either copper fuse wire or lead wire.
I was hoping to have it all finished for the show at Abingdon this coming Saturday, but I’m in danger of rushing it all (a relative term for me!) so tomorrow, primer and that’ll be that. I’ll still take it as a Work In Progress so it will hopefully, still generate a bit of interest from the modelling public.
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I like those odd 8-wheelers! Got a Boxer somewhere in the warehouse - I mean small stash, in case SWMBO is looking - that may need built soon. The turret does look like an exercise in destabilisation to me! I wonder why they weren’t pursued?..
And Brian that Russkie beast looks intimidating!
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Cool looking project. Look forward to seeing your progress.
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The bible of Dutch post-war military vehicles, Wiel en Rups: Voertuigen van de Landmacht 1945-2015 by Sander Ruys, has some paragraphs about the trials and the reasons for them, as well as background on the other APCs used previously.
Dutch infantry had been equipped with the AMX-pri (the Dutch version of the AMX-VTT/VCI) since the early 60s, but because those were expensive and somewhat complicated to maintain, the decision was taken to adopt the cheaper and simpler wheeled YP 408 for more than half the infantry battalions instead. By the early 80s, the YPR 765 had replaced the AMX-pri, largely because of the AMX’s technical problems (my father was a conscript sergeant-tank mechanic in the late 60s, and has pretty much no good word to say about the whole AMX family).
Shortly after deciding on the YPR 765, the Army started looking into replacing the YP 408, and in 1976 evaluated seventeen candidates on paper, which lead to shortlisting the YPR 765, XM2 (Bradley-to-be), Marder, Piranha 8×8 and Fuchs 8×8 for further investigation. The XM2 and Marder were decided against because of their high cost, but the Piranha and Fuchs were trialled in the first three months of 1981, comparing them against both the YP and the YPR.
The Piranha was actually the first to be discarded, largely because it was too small inside: it simply didn’t have enough room to carry all the equipment of an armoured infantry group (UK: section/US: squad) or a platoon command group, it was too lightly armoured, and it was too cramped for soldiers taller than about 1.80 m to sit comfortably. Its amphibious capabilities were better than those of the Fuchs 8×8, but that seems to have been the only area where it was better, other than perhaps overall size.
Both the Piranha and Fuchs, BTW, rocked back and forth with every shot of the 25 mm gun — badly enough that the gunner would have wait for the motion to stop before being able to aim properly again.
In the end, the choice was made to replace the YP by more YPRs rather than by a new wheeled vehicle, largely for reasons of standardisation, but also because they could be delivered sooner and would (should?) be somewhat less expensive to buy overall.
I guess that in the universe in which it did get adopted, Mowag put in a significantly lower bid than anyone else, because if there’s one thing that will sway Dutch politicians, it’s being able to save a few cents.
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Better watch mate - those Russkies have invaded your kitchen!
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These days they get everywhere.
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…except Kyiv. 
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Ooh - that FV4005 looks fun! Didn’t they just restore the real one that stood as gate guard at Bovington for ages? IIRC it was running at the most recent event…
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Yep, restored, repainted and it participated under its own power at Tank Day
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There’s one I’ve been thinking of building as a what-if, too. It’ll be interesting to see your take on it.
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A nice coat of green now applied and I’ll give it a couple of days to settle down; next stop a gloss varnish I think.
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Suspension installed:
This wasn’t too easy, because the part with the suspension arms for the front two axles doesn’t fit overly well. I got it nicely in place using some clamps and a bit of wood, but it would probably have been easier if I hadn’t glued the hull halves together already, because there would have been a bit more flex in the lower hull then.
The turret is just the main parts, the details still need to be added.
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Are you going to give it white fender edges for a parade dress? I think that’d add some character…
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That’s shaping up, Jakko!
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Not with all that clag scattered all over; however, a parade finish for a Soviet tank is always a good look - though I’ve never actually done one.
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I’m actually getting out of sequence regarding the finishing of the model; the next stop is not gloss. I had to check a list I’d squirreled away for just such a time when my memory fades - as it clearly has(!) - so the next phase(s) will be as per the list:
Paint details
Gloss (this will secure the base colour and details, enable decals and facilitate washes etc)
Decals
Chipping – if necessary
Wash – including pin washes
Dry brush
Matt varnish – re-gloss where necessary; if gloss finish then matt details
Add antennae/light lenses – latter can be affixed before but will need masking
Weather – paint/pastels
Blend to base if using one eg Tamiya Buff etc
Exhaust pastels if appropriate
As there’s not that many details on the model I should, with a fair wind, have this completed by the end of the week. Should……
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