AKULA’s After the Bomb project 1980s imagination - pg31 Police Vans

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

We hated them - during the firemen's strike.  They were unstable and a nightmare cornering at any speed as the water tank did not have baffles so the water sloshed around. Several slid off the road.

Your model looks great and the base should keep it stable going around corners!

I seem to remember they had 40mph speed limiters on them?

[dadlamassu]

I seem to remember they had 40mph speed limiters on them?

I don't remember ever getting up to 40mph!  So maybe. 

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

I don't remember ever getting up to 40mph!  So maybe.

 

[AKULA]

A brief update while I wait for other stuff to dry...

I really liked the anecdote (below) that JF posted a while back on the thread, and it inspired me to add a Vauxhall Chevette to my project. Regrettably it’s not an estate version, but perhaps it’s the Base Commander’s runabout 

If you're interested, the RAF's 'cars of choice' during the 1980s were the Mini and the Vauxhall Chevette (bloody awful things); all painted gloss black, with roundels front and rear.  Right up until the 21st Century, whenever you walked into MT Control on any RAF Station, you'd see a road safety notice board that was invariably covered with horrific photos of mashed Minis and Chevettes from the 70s and 80s!

The building is by Chris from TaskForce Terrain



I had time to add another RAF Officer...this one based upon a Crooked Dice figure...I didn’t want him holding the walkie talkie that he came with, so I bodged a sling for him...perhaps  he was driving a Chevette when he broke his arm.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice conversion on the figure.

[bluewillow]

Nice

[Jemima Fawr]

 

Fantastic!!!  I'm so proud!   

I'm pretty confident that yours is quite possibly the only wargames Vauxhall Chevette in existence. 

[Jemima Fawr]

Oh and I don't remember the estate version.  All the ones I saw (including the one I did my first MT check-ride in to get my military driving licence) were the two-door saloon version like yours.  They were used as general station runabouts for whoever needed them.  'Harry Staish' (the Stn Cdr) would have something a bit better such as a Vauxhall Royale (same as the Opel Senator), with a pennant on the front.

[CapnJim]

Okay.  Now that's cool. 

If I can only find a suitable Chrylser K-Car (the US military's equivalent in the 80s, painted an awful mintish/pea greenish green....It looked like they made the paint with a mixture of McDonald's Shamrock Shakes and canned peas)...ugh...

[has.been]

I'm pretty confident that yours is quite possibly the only wargames Vauxhall Chevette in existence. 

Whilst not including a Chevette, my AK47 army transport does boast:-
Morris 1100, Vauxhall Victor 101, Austin A60,
Vauxhall Cresta Estate, Vauxhall Viva & an Austin 1800.
What can I say, the warm, inviting & peace loving people of Zumri
look after & love their cars.

[swiftnick]

Are these HO model railway cars?

[Jemima Fawr]

Whilst not including a Chevette, my AK47 army transport does boast:-
Morris 1100, Vauxhall Victor 101, Austin A60,
Vauxhall Cresta Estate, Vauxhall Viva & an Austin 1800.
What can I say, the warm, inviting & peace loving people of Zumri
look after & love their cars.

Good grief... War is hell...

[has.been]

Are these HO model railway cars?

Yup. Many many years ago my youngest brother used a lot
of his pocket money to buy me a birthday present.
He knew I liked model railways, so bought me a Tri-ang
car transporter wagon. I was only interested in pre-WW2
GWR. I therefore couldn't use it & I didn't feel like I could
get rid of it, then along came AK47 with its. 'A Tank is a
Tank is a Tank' mentality. Cue a lightbulb moment. That
means I can use the cars as trucks. Many fun games since.

[AKULA]

Nice job on those cars, perfect for gaming, and they certainly add a touch of colour to the battlefield

 

Quick update: today I finished some flight stands



They are mdf ceiling roses...which conveniently have a 5mm hole drilled through the centre (perfect given I’m using 5mm acrylic rods).

[AKULA]

Flight stands... a good sign (if needed) that my project is spiralling out of control 

One thing I don’t really enjoy is making plastic models...the following were not built/painted by myself, and they look all the better for it.

Almost by luck I ended up with the Royal Navy supplying the bulk of my lift capability...the rationale being that most of the British Army’s helos would be on the continent, and the RN helos could either be stationed in the UK, or possibly minus their parent ship by this point.

Purists might object to the range of colour schemes, but I can’t resist shiny toys.













and the obligatory group shot