Bren Gun carrier with 6 pdr anti-Tank gun

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Adding to the AFV builds (previously posted reports on a Vintage Classic Sherman, and an equally Vintage and classic Tiger), I’ve now finished the Bren Gun Carrier and 6 pounder Anti-Tank gun which I will slip in to the planned diorama somewhere.

The box had a sticker on it claiming that it was a D-Day 50^th Anniversary release (which makes it a 1994 release) but when it was originally moulded, I’m not sure (though I bet someone will know). It was a straightforward if occasionally fiddly build – some of the parts simply didn’t fit without filing or sanding, and as they were very small, there was not much margin for error.

I did make an executive decision to remove most of the front side pieces – some Bren (or ‘Universal’) carriers had them, some didn’t, and as they were thick enough in this iteration to stop an 88mm round, I decided to dispense with them. That was another issue generally actually – the sides of the body-work, and the shield on the gun were massively thick in terms of scale. I suppose I could have tried to replace them with plasticard, but I like to build as originally as possible.

I did add some crates and scratch-built jerricans in the back of the carrier, and a couple of rolled up tarpauilins.

I also painted the driver and gun crew members, but that brought another problem to light – the two gun-servers were massively out of scale, the driver slightly so (legless and relatively armless as he was…) and only the ‘officer’ seemed more or less 1/76 scale. When it all goes into the diorama, there will also be infantry from the Vintage Classic WWII British Infantry set, which are another scale altogether – it says 1/76 on the box, but again, who knows?

The model was painted using brushes, and the Olive Drab paint came from the A.Mig British 1939-45 ETO Colors set, with the rest of the model (tracks etc) and a bit of weathering coming out of my Vallejo collection.

Anyway, the friend who challenged me to try building a tank or two thinks he’s won, and truth to tell, now I’ve got used to the size and scale issues, I’m actually quite enjoying the challenge. 

Thanks for taking a look.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Yeah; I could never understand why Airfix issued this kit as a "Bren gun" carrier, since the Bren is conspicuous by its absence, so it would be more accurate to call it a "Universal carrier".

[Paulus66]

Very nice build though with or without Bren.

[Ratch]

This kit was originally issued in 1964.