Grabbed the dog of an Italeri kit off the second-hand shelf of the LHS in RI before they went out of business. Added resin wheels. I’ve managed to produce as good an example of overdone weathering as you’re likely to find. Practice has not yet made perfect…
Wow! That is a very nice job on a really interesting vehicle. Seeing the complete vehicle and its setup highlights how well prepared, in some ways, the Italian forces were for desert warfare. This looks diorama worthy too….
Wow I’m impressed since mine met the wall at the speed of sound years ago… 
I’ll bet the LRDG would have liked to have these over their chevys.
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, the Italians seemed to be well-prepared. The reference photos I saw showed quite a bit more stowage than came in the box, but I couldn’t muster the motivation…
I really don’t think the weathering is over-done Mark. To me it looks suitably done for what would be a particularly harsh environment- the jerry cans and the top edges of the vehicle sides are how I would expect sand and element battered items to look.
Thanks, Karl!
Very nice. I like it a lot. Desert vehicles that survived for any length of time were beat up pretty bad. All that effects painting gives the model a lot of character. It is genuinely well done. Congratulations for finishing a fine model!
Thank you, Doug!
You underestimate yourself Mark! I wouldn’t berate that model at all. I don’t think it’s over-weathered. Desert vehicles got worn down to bare metal in places and got run until they quit running. A veteran desert vehicle should portray that beat to crap look and you’ve pulled it off in grand style. Your finishing is excellent and I think this is a wonderful model.
Please can you submit this as a feature?
I really like this! You refer to the kit as a dog, could you elaborate? I have one in my stash somewhere and would like to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Wayne
Very nicely done indeed. Excellent weathering and well worn but not abused. While the vehicle itself is shows the effects of hard use and the elements, the crew has shown care in keeping the gun clean and in good working order. 
Beautiful model, and I love the weathering!
Re “dog of a kit”: I built this thing years ago and in my build report asked how the rear wheels were fixed. The AS 42’s drive train was taken over from the AB 41, but without that vehicle’s steering rear wheels; Italeri used their AB 41 molds and just instructed the modeler to leave off the rear steering linkage. Can you imagine how these wheels would act without any guidance?
The AB 41 had a fuel filler neck in front of its left door, but I haven’t seen anything comparable in any AS 42 prototype picture, let alone in the kit. Another unanswered question.
Can anyone explain?
I would suggest that depending how you want to portray it, it’s under weathered. Regardless, it really looks great in my eyes. I’ve never bought this kit but I’m interested in building one. You say it’s a dog of a kit? I still want to buily it, tell me what I’m getting myself in for?
I love it.
Model looks really good, and I agree with others that the weathering looks very appropriate for the desert.
This was the kit that got me back into model making 15 or more years ago, an impulse buy in a local toy shop. I don’t recall any major issues in terms of fitting it together. I think the front lights are on stalks that don’t have very definite location points on the body. The tyres are soft, which everyone will have their own views on, but have decent looking detail. The grille at the lower rear (not shown in any of these photos) I think is not quite right and should possibly be a flat slatted louvre rather than bars. I recollect the etched metal frames around the cans mounted on the front were quite tricky, but was my first ever attempt with etched metal, so maybe put it down to experience.
Makes a nice model of an unusual, well, totally unique vehicle.
Great build Mark, it’s one of those vehicles that looks so unusual that it becomes fascinating. You’ve done an outstanding job of building and weathering, 
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G, .
@SSGToms Thanks for the kind words, Tom!
I think its awesome Mark. Love dessert vehicles and this one is certainly unique. The paint job and weathering look excellent to me.
