Dear All,
My wife has picked up AFV-Club’s ( someone said Skybow??? ) US 3/4 ton 4x4.
This is a welcome back to the hobby gift, and I love here for it [:D]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkkL_aDrIyU
The kit looks, great but I have some concerns regading the scale accuracy.
Here you can see the main frame in the front, in the back you have MiniArt’s Bantam.
That is 25% bigger!
Is this realistic, does anyone have any experience of this kit?
Kind Regards
Utoshita
There’s nothing wrong. The Bantam was a 1/4 ton utility Jeep. Patton’s Dodge car was a WC-57 Command/Staff car – much larger, much larger capacity. The only similarity it had with the Bantam was that both had four wheels (although the Dodge’s were much larger).
In my opiinion, the AFV Club/Skybow Dodge kits are some of the best engineered softskin models extant. You’ll enjoy it.
I’ve been eye’ballin’ these on Ebay lately.
I’ve taken a liking to military vehicles without tracks.
Softskins have MANY fewer roadwheels than your typical tank. Good diversion. But the downside is that you’ve got to detail the inside and out. Frankly a 3/4 ton Dodge is HARDER than a Sherman tank, IMHO. For a truck/softskin or halftrack, everything is exposed and needs detailing (working on my THIRD DML Half track, right now – every one of them fully tweaked. Can I get a shout out from the rivet counters out there?)
Roy - You speak the truth…just finished the T19 HT…that was a bunch of work!!!
Love the AFV kits…well made and thought out with good detail’
Rounds Complete!!
I agree with Roy. This kit is a really good kit. It has lots of details specially on the underside… It was formerly by Skybow but I suppose it went under and the the mold was bought by AFV. I have this kit which I built as a Skybow. I preferred to keep my built clean and neat just as Blood and Guts would want it. Enjoy the build!
Noli
Dear all,
It looks as this is going to be a one on one;
Miniarts Bantam vs AFV/Skybow’s WC56/57.
Should be fun 
Kind Regards
Utoshita
Haven’t seen on eof these built up, so it should be cool.
Dear all,
I only came arround to start MiniArt’s Bantam today and have to report a slight setback on the offering [:O]
I managed to assemble the drive shaft (small box) to high which means that it is in conflict with the protective cover (B1, big box).
This was probably me not beeing careful with dry fitting the parts but concidering the next issue care should be taken here.
For the second problem I would like to ask for your support;
The drawing step 7 tells you to assemble the chook absorbers (B13 & B15) inside the leaf springs (B10 & B17)
.
But the later steps show them assembled on the outside of the springs.
I would appreciate your advice, and comments are wellcome as usual [:D]
Kind Regards
Utoshita
This pic shows them on them outside of the spring. The rear wheel looks out of whack though.
Looks outside here too.
It was on the outside on the Willys MB and Ford GPW as well, which the Bantan BRC 40 design led to.
Hi Utoshita,
I have got the US version in the stash but no drawing [:S], lost somewhere…
This picture is not 100% but could it be inside on the front wheels?
Svenne
The picture above of the one having the wheel cocked out shows one of the four-wheel steer models of which I think they made 100, and dropped it for being too complex, if I remember right from my $1 copy of Ballantine’s WWII Weapons book on the Jeep. The Willys Quad led to the MA, then the MB. Ford produced the GP, then was brought in when the MB was selected as the final design. There’s was designated the GPW with subtle differences between the GPW and the MB. Ford contributed the trademark stamped steel grille to save time compared to manufacturing the MB’s original welded slat grille.