Cheap "futuristic" 1/43 armoured vehicles

[Rob_Jedi]

Oh excellent I remember those kits being available long ago here in Australia too. I did up one for my Arbites and always meant to do up 2 of the tank ones I'd gotten and shortened the barrels on.

http://robjedi.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/aegis-defence-line-arbite-thin-blue.html

My APC from the missile version is in the back here. I'd forgotten who made the kit.

[Klingsor]

The Old Crow website is not open for business so I cannot link to them. It is a great set, two mounts with a choice of three weapons for each, a gun, with metal barrel, missile launcher and something else. I magnetised them easily enough so I can swap them around. They are perfect for an APC, the gun is big enough to be a canon, somewhere around 20 or 30mm, but as it is SF can be whatever you want. I think it is quite possibly their most useful set but I might be biased.

It is a few years since I last messed about with these kits but I know there are a couple partially converted ones lying around and a pile of bits for others. I took a dislike to some of the moulded on detail on the hulls and removed it. Ordinary filler, Squadron I think, seemed to like the plastic well enough but Humbrol liquid cement seemed to have a problem with it. I did not use superglue as I dislike using it and think plastic cement a better glue for plastics – if you can fin done that bites.

The hole in the top for the turret was enlarged on one to take a GW sized turret, the Rhino one as it looks nice and I had a couple of extra ones. It was also a useful standard size to work to for turret swapping. The other was to be a 4 × 4 APC so was to get the Old Crow small remote mount.

They should end up on the table with some Pig Iron militia figures, eventually!

[Predatorpt]

Rob_Jedi - that idea of gluing the top panel on the APC is great, I'll have to copy that.

Klingsor - the turrets that I'm using are these ones:



If liquid cement doesn't do the trick, I'll go for the superglue

[Cosmotiger]

Nice idea, Rob. Looks great as a riot control vehicle-- I can see it working well with the Copplestone cops.
Now I suppose if I find one of these on Ebay, I'll be bidding against half the people on this forum.  

[Predatorpt]

Ok, the seller I had seen some time ago is back and selling lots of Airfix Junior stuff on Ebay.co.uk. Just search for "Airfix Junior "Gladiator" light tank" or "Airfix Junior "Eclipse" light missile tank". 

Just a warning - UK only auctions 

[Daeothar]

No no; back off; I'm watching those...  

[Klingsor]

You are safe from me, I have a drawer full of them. Good luck chaps but there might be enough to go round.

[Daeothar]

I was of course kidding good sir, but I must admit they have piqued my interest...

[Elwood P Dowd]

I already have sufficiant to my needs  but the £3.00 starting price is about what I'd normally spend on one .  What else can you get for that price ?


Scotia Grendel  do some nice tank equipment , turret hatches and machine gun ball mounts , if you want to dress them up a bit .

It still works out far cheaper and more believable than a Rhino  

[Daeothar]

Well, I hope it wasn't my cheeky comment up there chasing people off, but I just won all three of those Gladiators for GBP 3,- a piece! 

I suppose now I actually have to find a use for them too...

[Predatorpt]

Finally took the photos with the Old Crow turrets:

With the Slingshot turret (without the additional add-ons):




And with a Crossfire turret. This one has to be raised or else there's no way the turret can clear the rear deck and sides - I didn't use the bottom part of the turret, that should do the trick, but I'll check it another day:




I also tried a Predator turret, adding the top plate of a Rhino/Predator so it can be raised a bit:



The figures you (barely) see on the "badly taken with a mobile" photo are (from L to R): a Void Marine, a Infinity figure and a Pig Iron Kolony trooper

I've also took a photo with the rear hatch open:



Another option to consider is this turret, but I don't know its name, so I can't email Old Crow to buy it, .



All in all, I really prefer the first turret - it does look the proper size. If I can buy some more, I'll definitely use them in my APCs.

[mcfonz]

You can indeed buy some more, just email him using the email on the current old crow site.

[Dr.Falkenhayn]

looking good  The Turret you're looking for is the support Turret to fit with the Lancer and the Claymore APC Vehicles 

[chromedog]

Oh excellent I remember those kits being available long ago here in Australia too. I did up one for my Arbites and always meant to do up 2 of the tank ones I'd gotten and shortened the barrels on.

http://robjedi.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/aegis-defence-line-arbite-thin-blue.html

My APC from the missile version is in the back here. I'd forgotten who made the kit.

Indeed they were.  I had a mate get me 4 or 5 back in the late 90s.  I was using them for my IG chimeras for a while.
I only have one of them left (somewhere).  But if I can find them again, I'll definitely pass on the info to my local gaming mates.

[Grimmnar]

Indeed they were.  I had a mate get me 4 or 5 back in the late 90s.  I was using them for my IG chimeras for a while.
I only have one of them left (somewhere).  But if I can find them again, I'll definitely pass on the info to my local gaming mates.

Ok, so a wee little bit of threadomancy. Anyone have an ointment for it?
Thanks to the ODB posting this on another forum i found a new source and i wanted to pass it along.
This, the ODB doesn't tell me about directly. Made me work for it.
Anyway....
http://www.hlj.com/product/HEL52041/Mil
http://www.hlj.com/product/HEL52040/Mil

Under $7 a pop and decent shipping and In Stock to boot thought someone might be interested.

Grimm