Raphael, cracking figure work! What are the base figures?
For the record, the SAS that I recall often used cut-down British Army OG trousers for shorts. These were a very well made item and fastened with a very comfortable cross-over buckle arrangement, as you can see here:
With the buckles on the side there was nothing digging in at the front when one was being active.
If you are modelling these there were 2 x flapped pockets on the rear.
Just for info!
Thanks for sharing some nice photograph John. This will surely help me with the build and the terrain.
Boots, thanks for this crucial information. Very useful as I go a long with the build. Figure was from Miniart DAK figure. I was running out of option. I dont want to use the offering from TaHK for this specific SAS in Oman nor the 3 figure crew for the Pinkie from AC models due to difficulty and the cost of these resin figures. I have to do some modification and sculpting to re-create what I think would be close enough representation of the SAS in Oman. This decision saved me some funds and I have a one of a kind figures for my build.
Those pants are genius! I wish I could get a setup like that for work.
Damn good modelling by any standard. The SAS in Oman also used Omani shemaghs tied in the particlular Omani fashion viz:
The piece at the rear was also affixed rolled-up so the overall effect was a sort of mini-turban (or at least that’s how I wore mine when on Loan Service in the 80s). The configuration also meant that you could also wind another piece over your lower face when driving in the open air (ie Pinkie), thus keeping all the dust at bay even if not out. I imagine the Pinkie crews would also have goggles to hand.
A Google re “SAS Trooper in Oman” also shows a similar use:
This pic is quite well known I believe. The shemagh is a sort of bottle green and black.
You might also note the camouflaged windproof smock, the standard Bergen rucksack from the time, the '44 Pat water-bottle just showing, the M79 grenade launcher, and of course the L42A1 sniper rifle. OG trousers, and DMS Boots (ta dah!) laced with para cord.
Infuriatingly, for your purposes I can’t seem to find a rear pic of the OGs, showing the triangular-ish shaped pocket flaps (buttoned with khaki buttons).
All pics filched from the www for the greater good(!)
We were issued them (and the corresponding “Aertex” shirts) for an exercise in Kenya in around '74; I refused to hand mine in when the exercise was over (and was billed for them) but those trousers were one of the best pieces if British Army kit ever issued.
Very nice shemagh, looks very realistic…nice job
Thanks Boots and Johnny!
Here are some updates of the progress. I’m getting there and the finish line is in sight. After which I will proceed to priming and painting.
Are those fuel tanks behind the seats? If so, that’s alot of fuel. Does the truck have a diesel?
Thanks
Looks outstanding Raphael. Great job so far! Love the detailed scratch building. I have this kit with lots of extras so I’ve been watching.
Impressive detailing work, congrats.
I’m no expert on SAS Land Rovers but I think they must be. It might not be generally known but the normal fuel tanks on this type of Land Rover (petrol) are underneath the driver and passenger seats. When refilling you move the seat out of the way, followed by a protective piece of metal, unscrew the caps and tilt your jerrican/engage fuel pump nozzle accordingly. I kid you not, I’ve seen soldiers do all of this whilst smoking!
Yes they are fuel cells (100 gal in total across four cells on the vehicle). The engine was a petrol rather than a diesel.
Rear seat details. Note I have made the rear seat foldable as per reference. Also scratch built the hand set for the radio.
Area in between the two extended fuel tanks.
Seat folded
Seat back rest deployed
Scratch built handset for the comms.
A dumb question. Which Pink Panther kit is better? Tamiya or ItalerI?
In terms of radios, the Tamiya kit includes an A43 radio, part of the Larkspur comms system, between the front seats (the resin radio you have used is also an A43). It comes in two parts - the ‘manpack’ unit which is obvious and a second unit which sits below it - on the Tamiya kit it is the extra piece moulded to the rear of the ammo boxes. That will date your vehicle to the 1970s - later vehicles were fitted with Clansman units which are different.
A second radio is the extra box on top of the fuel tank (you have this already as a resin item). The Mk 123 radio lived in a wooden box. It was a specialist ‘spy’ type issued to the Diplomatic Corps, intelligence organisations and special forces teams. Lastly, SAS Troopers often carried a personal SARBE (Search And Rescue BEacon) radio - a device commonly carried by pilots in case they had to eject and needed rescuing. It wasn’t unknown for troopers to use them as ersatz ground to air radios to direct ground attack aircraft (eg, the Mirbat fort battle).
Thanks John. So this is the Lakspur system instead of the Clansman, thanks for the correction. Do you have a picture of the radio connected to the second unit below? and do you have a clear picture of both the Lakspur antenna mount and the Mk 123 radio antenna mount also. Thanks so much!
