Tuesday 24 December 2013

A history of Airfix HO/OO AFV kits - part 11 - 1969

It's that time of year again, and so back to the next year of Airfix releases.  For those of you who've not seen the earlier posts in this series, scroll down to the label list on the right and click 'History of Airfix'.
Anyway, back to 1969 and the year's two new releases.
First up was the M3 Lee/Grant tank.  I remember building one of these at an early (too early really) age with fairly dismal results.  With a bit more experience and care it can be mad in to a decent enough representation of the Lee, but the Grant turret is a bit of a stinker.  I have several of these models - three Grants for North African service, at least three US Lees and another pair in Soviet markings.  The 'grave for seven comrades' as the Sovs called it, which seems to imply less than total confidence.
 Grant and Lee.  
The Grant has had it's original turret replaced with a rather nicer resin version.

The RAF Emergency Set contained two kits - the Austin K-2 ambulance and the Austin K-6 fire tender. For many years the RAF sets were the only source of lorries in this scale, and as a result these kits infest the wargames tables of the world in vast quantities, not least because of their conversion possibilities.  I have built many versions of this kit but I do not own a K-6 tender built as Airfix intended!
Thanks to Paul at Plastic Warriors for this photo.
The pair of K-2 I completed earlier this year.
A rather higher mileage K-2
A typical conversion of the K-6


10 comments:

The Dancing Cake Tin said...

A Lee (or Grant, it was a while ago) was one of my first models. My Mother proved the Soviet grave theory when she crushed it underfoot.

Tim Gow said...

Dancing Cake Tin
Many a good man (and tank) has met such a fate.

Arquinsiel said...

The Grant turret is a rather sad little affair alright. I haven't had the heart to finish mine, nor have I bothered to find a better replacement.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Oh man I loved the Lee Grant model... I had 2 or 3 of them in Grant mode for Western Desert games... I wouldn't have known any netter then so what was the issue with the supplied turret, too small??

Tim Gow said...

Arquinsiel
Best finish it as a Lee then!

Tim Gow said...

Steve the Wargamer
Way too small, but if I hadn't come across the resin versions I'd just have put up with the kit parts.

Birdy said...

I have just completed the RAF duo over on my blog! Nice Review

Paul Foster said...

"I like the artwork better than the Tanks"

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC


He was quite right!

Tim Gow said...

Harry's Wargaming blog
I think yours are rather smarter then mine Harry!

Tim Gow said...

Paul Foster
Monty said that? The scallywag.