MiniArt Bantam BRC-40

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

My latest build is a subject I keep going back to between longer builds; another jeep. I am currently working on the MiniArt Bantam BRC-40 (Bantam Reconnaissance Car- model 1940).

I am building it as a US Army vehicle in the early years of the war.

Some history on the Bantam BRC-40:

After successfully meeting all of the Army’s requirements for a reconnaissance car, the BRC-40 was accepted as the first version of the “jeep”, eventually totaling an estimated 2,605 built. They were produced from March 31 through December 6, 1941. Bantam’s inability to keep up with the rapid production of wartime vehicles, as well as their limited design and production facilities, led to the US Army’s decision to recruit Willys to provide a vehicle similar to Bantam’s design, the Willys MB. The BRC-40 was then no longer required by the US Army as it was ‘non-standard’. The Bantams already in service were passed to the British and Russian armies under the terms of the Lend-Lease Act.

This is one of the original issue kits from 2008, which does not have any PE. The newer issue (2017) comes with a small PE fret. I found it wasn’t really needed. I did add a couple PE brackets in the engine compartment from some scrap PE. The rest of the kit is really nice, with fine details and no flash. I have had no issues so far.

The only other additions I am making to it are the Def Models Early Jeep tires, as seen on the BRC-40 below. These were very early pattern tires which were later replaced with the ubiquitous multi-directional tread worn by most US military vehicles since. These are very nice resin items with a very clean tread pattern and drum brake details on the rear side.

And Archer instrument and placard decals for it.

Here it is so far.

The engine , exhaust, and other details. I will be adding wiring and hoses to the engine compartment.

Seats

Thanks for looking and all comments are welcomed.

2

Looks like a nice kit. Will follow along.

I think you can about count surviving examples on one hand.

3

Thanks goldhammer. You are correct, there are not many of these left.

4

Nice looking kit. I got an armored Jeep by Dragon in a trade a bit ago, other than that, it’s the “old” (wow 20 years almost) Tamiya Jeep.

5

Thanks Rob. It is a nice kit. The Tamiya MB may be almost 20 years old, but it is still the best MB kit on the market. The Dragon MBs have some issues.

6

Wow, that is super cool. Definately watching.

BK

7

I Still Likum tho!

8

The Takom jeep is pretty good. Lots of small parts, but the fit is good.

9

Thanks guys. I am still working on it today as my job closed today for the hurricane that wasn’t here in the Tampa area. Just a bit of wind and rain.

I forgot about the two new ones recently released. Both Takom and Meng now have Willys MBs as well. I haven’t built either, but they do look good. They may be better than the Tamiya MB, but I don’t know for myself.

10

True, I can’t comment on the Tamiya version since I haven’t built that one, but in general I love most Tamiya stuff.

Be safe there. It’s been a pretty busy season in the Southeast for weather.

11

I have completed the Bantam BRC-40. I painted it with Testors Model Master OD Green. I then gave it a light wash of a dirt brown color, then a drybrush of Armor Sand. The seats are painted Field Drab, then heavily drybrushed with the Armor Sand.

I have marked with a unit that they could have been with for early maneuvers in '41-'42. It is typical for the time with the stars with circles and blue drab serial numbers.

Here it is.

Here is a close up of the Archer instrument decals. They are very nice.

Here is the completed engine compartment. I added spark plug wires, coil wire, and wires from the battery. I cut apart all the smaller parts such as the air cleaner, coil, distributor, radiator hose, etc. MiniArt has them all connected as one unit with thin bars, which isn’t correct. I separate them and placed them where they all should be. I also added the oil filler tube.

12

HA, nicely done little piece of history.

13

Thanks goldhammer. It was an enjoyable build. I like how it cme out as well.

14

Now See!

If they still built them that simple, more folks would have one. Very, Very Nice Job!!

15

Thanks Tank-Builder. I would love to have a 1:1 old Jeep. I would go for a CJ-3B myself. I really like the high-hood.

CJ-3B

16

Beautiful job on the BRC!!

I have a 1:1 '42 MB and MBT trailer thats marked for the 6th Cav 28 Recon, the first Army unit to arrive initially in N. Ireland. Very nice you picked up on the blue drab lettering, but my understanding was that the circled star was a D-day and after marking. Didn’t realize it was used during the early manouvers also.

17

Thanks Willys MB. Yup, the star with circle was an early marking, pre '43.

From the WWII marking reg.:

“Army regulation AR-850-5 issued August 1942 ordered a plain white five pointed star, as the national symbol, it was seen in all theatres from 1943 and by 1944 was the most common national identification sign.”

18

Great work, those Archer decals are a very nice touch.

19

Thanks. The Archer decals are especially needed since the kit supplies no decals at all, let alone instrument decals. Later boxings of the kit have instrument and placard decals, go figure.

20

The plain star yes, but the circled star I thought was post D-day only. The Army was trying out all kinds of interesting camo and markings during the Loisiana and other manouvers, so it’s not impossible.