Willy’s Jeep

[flaming snipers]

I have currently gotten around to building up the tiny 1:72 scale Willy’s Jeep provides as a part of the D-day sea assault gift set and an curious to know what to do with part B21. It appears to be a second option from the stock hood but I have seen no mention of the part throughout the instruction manual and have carefully scoured it with no luck. I’m guessing that it’s a later/older version bur Which one would be the more common/accurate for the D-day era?

Also I wish to do some minor dust/sand weathering for the footwell of the Jeep, are there any tips I should be aware of to help me do a decent job of it and not over do it? 

[Dad Paul B]

I don't have the instructions any more but from memory this sounds like it relates to the twin .303 machine gun mount on the bonnet which is an alternative to the smooth one but will need to be without the glazing. There are also 2 options for the pillar mounted MG and the canvas top. I built the airborne version and some of the options were not listed in the instructions and I am not sure if the omissions are the same in both sets.

As toweathering in the footwells - a dark earth or black wash is good for getting grime into the corners or weathering pigments (which need a spray varnish) are good for general grubbyness - though the limited space in the jeep will make this awkward.

[peebeep]

It's not referenced in the instructions, my guess is it's intended for a future release.

 

You might get some inspiration for weathering here: 

[flaming snipers]

I don't have the instructions any more but from memory this sounds like it relates to the twin .303 machine gun mount on the bonnet which is an alternative to the smooth one but will need to be without the glazing. There are also 2 options for the pillar mounted MG and the canvas top. I built the airborne version and some of the options were not listed in the instructions and I am not sure if the omissions are the same in both sets.

As toweathering in the footwells - a dark earth or black wash is good for getting grime into the corners or weathering pigments (which need a spray varnish) are good for general grubbyness - though the limited space in the jeep will make this awkward.

From what I saw when I looked at the online instructions for the airborne kit they seem to be the same instructions.

for the weathering I think a wash would probably be easier then so I can use enamel thinners to wipe away any unwantEd excess. I’ll dig around and see if I have any for the job.

thanks for the advice.

[flaming snipers]

It's not referenced in the instructions, my guess is it's intended for a future release.

 

You might get some inspiration for weathering here: 

But surely if they did add it for a future release then they would improve the moulding anyway as there were some light sanding work to be done on this kit to remove some seams etc. So surely when They improve the moulding they could just add this new bonnet? Seems all very odd that they stick it in the kit with absolutely no reference ss to what to do with it. All I know is that its a bonnet that seems more detailed. the two large guns don’t slot into it anywhere and something I have just recently discovered, two handheld lmg’s part a13 that are identical and are also not mentioned in the entire kit also don’t  seem to fit anywhere in the hood either. Thought perhaps it could attatch to the hood to serve as a passenger side gun.

[Ratch]

 Airfix's policy is to cut a mould for the basic kit and add parts for alternative versions of the basic model. This can then be sold in different packaging with appropriate instructions, thereby reducing the R&D costs and offering modellers different versions to build without incurring additional cost. They do this with all genres of kits.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Well, a Jeep + twin 0.303" mgs make me think of an LRDG vehicle, which almost 100% certainly wasn't present on D-Day! It would also require a lot of extra storage, like 7 fuel cans on the bonnet, another 8 in 2 racks behind the front seats, crew bags, a tent, a pair of sand channels...

[peebeep]

So surely when They improve the moulding they could just add this new bonnet? Seems all very odd that they stick it in the kit with absolutely no reference ss to what to do with it. 

 

If there's space on the runners and a further release is being planned it's cost effective to add as much as you can before designing a whole new runner. This is common practice with other manufacturers as well as Airfix. If you were to buy kits from AZ, Dragon, Eduard, KP etc you can virtually guarantee finding lots of parts that are 'spare' and intended for future releases. The difference is, these manufacturers provide parts charts that indicate unused parts for the particular kit you have. Even Revell do this and I'm surprised that Airfix haven't followed suit. 

[Kenneth ONeill]

So surely when They improve the moulding they could just add this new bonnet? Seems all very odd that they stick it in the kit with absolutely no reference ss to what to do with it. 

 

If there's space on the runners and a further release is being planned it's cost effective to add as much as you can before designing a whole new runner. This is common practice with other manufacturers as well as Airfix. If you were to buy kits from AZ, Dragon, Eduard, KP etc you can virtually guarantee finding lots of parts that are 'spare' and intended for future releases. The difference is, these manufacturers provide parts charts that indicate unused parts for the particular kit you have. Even Revell do this and I'm surprised that Airfix haven't followed suit. 

I'd cheerfully agree  that current Airfix destructions are lacking in not having sprue charts, even when there are blank pages in the booklet.

[flaming snipers]

That makes sense. Never stopped to think of it from producer side really. Would be nice if they specified that they are spared though Yh. 

From what I’ve resesrched I can’t seem to find a single picture of a willy’s Jeep that has this alternate hood design. Odd.

[Dad Paul B]

There is a small hole on the passenger side of the bonnet which takes a small mounting piece (can't remember the number though I think it is in my spares box) which carries the LMGs. Extra storage would come from either aftermarket of a different runner without the 75 mm howitzer.

[peebeep]

Doing a bit of surfing, it would seem that SAS/LRDG Jeeps were fitted with brackets on the bonnet to fasten webbing for stowage, usually jerrycans.

[flaming snipers]

Ah that makes sense, so if it was only the SAS or LRDG that used it then it would be factually incorrect to use it in a sea assault kit where obviously the SAS wouldn’t be present nor the LRDG. So in Other words I have used the correct, plain bonnet.

probably means they’ll add one as a part of a desert assault group then as there has already been the airborne Jeep kit so an SAS kit would be rather similar to that airborne kit. And to what I’m aware of there isn’t yet a kit with the Willy’s Jeep that’s in a desert setting. I remember there was a Land Rover desert kit with a few figures etc but perhaps they will release a Willy’s Jeep version obvioudly set around 1940’s

[peebeep]

And to what I’m aware of there isn’t yet a kit with the Willy’s Jeep that’s in a desert setting

 

There was the Matchbox 1/76 LRDG set. They provide bonnet stowage for the Jeep, but no detail on the bonnet only straps on the stowage. Also you need to modify the rad grille (the box art is correct, the plastic isn't).

[Kenneth ONeill]

And Airfix have done Landies (1/72 series 2 SWB hard-top with the Bloodhound missile) and I'm pretty sure an LWB Coilie (or Wolf), but not an SAS special that I can remember.