LRDG Jeep (build 1)
From the Italeri Commando Car
The History
The LRDG have utilised many vehicles up until the group was dispanded. During the time, they have collected vehicles and armerments that were discarded by other units and armies, one of which was the Jeep (both Ford and Willys). Initial aquisition of Jeeps by the LRDG where said to be found as discarded by the SAS or the PPA after failed missions or due to damage. The LRDG would bring them back to their HQ, get them running again, strip out non essential equipment such as additional gun mounts (they only had 1 .50 cal MG mounted on the firewall), jerry can holders etc, attached an additional spare tyre holder when necessary, and sand track/tray holders, then loaded them with equipment for whatever mission their orders required.
The jeeps were found to be a good light vehicle for desert use, and were not too prone to being bogged down in sand (but easy to get out when they were). After their use in the desert, and the dispanding of the LRDG into either the soldiers’ original units, or being picked up by either the PPA or the SAS, the Jeeps were one of the few vehicles used by the LRDG that were refitted with a new pait job, more armaments and petrol tanks, then used throughout the rest of the war.
The Model
In this build I have taken the Italeri Commando Car (320) and altered it to what would have been used by the LRDG when they initially adopted these. There are a few issues with this kit, but for the most part they are minimal. The one big bugbear with this kit is the grill. As there was considerable issues found with cutting all the grill slats out as they found they needed the 2 centre slats to support the hood as the hood was used to hold Jerry cans and pioneer equipment, so making it quite un-prototypical to find special forces jeeps with all the slats removed. I had to replace these with a couple of thin strips of plastic. I have also had to scratch build a condenser tank for the froont of the jeep form some round plastic and somes strip, and rather than using the Vickers K MG’s that came with the kit, I’ve used a .50 Cal MG with full barrell shroud from the Academy US Machine Gun set.