So it’s thanks to you Max I had to do an E-spire course in Windsor before our Bos deployment lol … Thanks 
lol
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A couple of little bits done…
Have added some cabling for the rear of headlights and under the sponson for where it goes into the hull.
I also had a cunning plan about headlight lenses… I thought about using parts from the clear sheet you get in the Tamiya Chally 1 kit and making some…
It was a bit painstaking… But it actually looks ok when they are fitted into the headlights.
I’m painting the inner surface of headlight and will add the clear plastic while paint drys so it bonds.
Have decided on a closed drivers hatch and have done that plus added a scratch hatch return assembly using a bit of the AFV club Scim kit and some spare PE.
And I agree Max … I could happily spend a small fortune on bits from SMM… They have alot of very nice detailed items… I’m getting the tow ropes from them soon.
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You have to admit though Johnny that anything was better than the old II Sight. Thermal imager and laser range finder were long overdue on those wagons. I have the SMM tow ropes, Scimitar turret detail set and bolt on transmission decks on my Scimitar, they make all the difference. They are the only show in town for some of those items, if not all.
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Totally agree Max, that sight was such a big step up and was just like Chally days again for the gunners. And great for silent watch… That and the SWIG as well were game changing. I was distraught when I heard they were canning the CVRTs… I still think it is the biggest mistake they made. CVRTs are in my opinion the single best, bespoke and tailor made close Recce vehicle you can get… They just needed a few little tweaks like sensible slatted armour for deployment and a ECM package. Job done.
Your Scim looks great by the way…those SMM bits look really top notch on it.
And ref your message, yes. That sounds like a cunning plan … I will get onto that shortly.
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Looking great John. Your scratchbuilding is really coming along excellently. Very nice PE work too. Now you’re getting down to the tiny details that really make the model and you’re nailing it! Fantastic work! 
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Love the Scimitar Max you really have it decked out with all the details and the paint job is spot on. The subtle weathering is beautiful. Wonderful finish.
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Hi John,
Excellent progress, the lights look great with the cabling added, 
.
Cheers, ,
G
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Few more little bits done.
Did a partial prime on the rear area as I needed to get the half Chieftain bin fitted to the top baskets.
Also got the wing mirror arms on. Wheels have a base coat of NATO green on, and will be painting the rubber rims on later.
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Hi Johnny
It’s looking good. Have you tried using Mylar sheet (from Crisp or Chocolate wrappers) for the mirrors?
Have used it on my Scorpion periscopes.
Seeing the rear of your Striker, reminded me of these pics. Do you happen to know what the 4 short horizontal fittings - in pairs either side - on the lower rear plate are?
Mal
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Yeah I did know about the mylar from crisp/choc wrappers. I’m just not going to have mirrors fitted on mine. I didn’t always have them fitted on the real wagon so not bothering on this one.
Ref the four oblong strips I am really not sure…I have seen them before but not very often… Maybe Max has a better idea… Maybe an old or new mod ?
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Don’t know about how it is for you guys on that side of the pond, but in the US Army after getting issued the vehicle the first thing the driver does is pull the mirrors off and put them under his seat for the duration because 1) they’ll just get broken off, and 2) we need them to shave in!
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They should have renamed them “crew washing and shaving mirrors” lol
The four horizontal fittings were for a length of applique armour. I remember first seeing it in BATUS where the infantry took great delight in shooting at the rear of Armoured Corps vehicles for a laugh. Usually MBT were shot at (Chieftain’s in my case) but I would imagine the thought of a round penetrating what was in those days a petrol driven (423 litres) vehicle made people think to up armour CVRT. It adds further protection for the fuel bladder as that’s where it is located inside the hull. I think our Iraq wagons had it fitted also along with the Plasan armour and under belly mine protection.
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To the rescue Max… What time frame was that and was it a short lived mod ? Like I said I’ve only seen a few wagons with the mounting strips ?
And as a MedMan participant on Chieftain I can verify the very very bad aiming of the attached infantry… As the Comds bin took several (10+) hits and ruined 3 out of the 4 sleeping bags we had stowed in there !! And also the long side bins and the rear bins !! Bloody infantry !!
Must have been late 80’s when I saw it as I did a Med Man 7 in '87 and a 4 in '91. Funny thing is though is that it seems to be only seen on wagons that can be fitted with a towing pintle and draw bar. My wagon in Bosnia on my '96 tour with IFOR had a towing pintle and carried the draw bar for troop level recovery and it had those mounting points but no extra armour.
On med Man 4 an infantry Leftenant got ripped off the exercise by safety for letting his gunner go wild up the back of one of our tanks. He was in a 432 with a Peak turret and I remember the troop Sgt coming over the net threatening to cut the next 432 in half if his wagon was hit again. Cue safety stopping the exercise and the Leftenant being pulled off his wagon. Didn’t do the troop Sgt any harm as he became our RSM in the early '90’s.
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Interesting, we took our wagons over in Jan 90 when we rerolled from Germany, and none of ours had any armour.
This BATUS talk has made me remember the great times out there… Apart from the white outs and the gag and puke… And Cheetahs … And the Silver Buckle lol
Thanks Johnny & Maximus
I’ve heard about Chiefs being shot up at BATUS, but not Scorpion. Can’t say I’ve ever seen photos of extra armour there, think I’ll be re checking my references. Scorpion in NZ service was a protected species, not allowed to go to Bosnia as it was petrol powered.
Mal
Hi John,
Like the addition of the Chieftain bin, a very nice touch, . Were they bolted or welded on the rear decking?
Cheers, ,
G
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Our Troops long bins were bolted through the Spartan baskets and secured that way. Some had them running along next to the exhaust guard and those were bolted down through onto the sponson and they had a hook or similar secured against the exhaust guard or another hard point on the hull… Stowage bins like these are generally held on with bolts to hard points already in place …
Somehow I keep getting strange mental images when reading this …
Especially after the posts about infantry making a nuisance of themselves and firing at everything …
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