British Army, Afghanistan, 2006-2012.
The vehicle
“The Snatch Land Rover is a protected patrol vehicle based on the Land Rover Defender 110 chassis. Intended for general patrolling in low-threat areas, the vehicle was developed in 1992 for use in Northern Ireland. It provides a limited degree of small arms protection for occupants and a limited level of protection from Improvised Explosive Devices and off-route mines.
The vehicle has been criticised as occupant deaths have resulted from kinetic attacks which exceeded the level of protection available…
The use of the Snatch in Afghanistan and Iraq has caused troops to name it a “Mobile Coffin”.” [1][2]
The kit
Airfix 1/48 kit [3]. As part of this build I used the Airfix photo etch set (A65001), as well as the “Rhino Armour models” resin wheels (RAM48001). See the details within the link below.
Assembly
This is a model which needed to be assembled, painted and weather internally before the outside was touched. The base colour is AK Interactive Real Colours “NATO Green” (RC886), followed by the other paints shown in the images. Once all was finished what items could be added inside were and the roof attached. Any open spaces – the front and back doors, roof hatch – were masked over. I will say in passing that some of the photo etch assemblies were challenging to me!
Painting
The base colour is AK Interactive Real Colours “NATO Green” (RC886). Looking at reference pictures in the WWP book – linked to below – some of the examples were significantly weathered in the sense that the desert colour had chipped off to reveal the original green colour. Therefore, I sprayed chipping fluid over the entire model. Once dry I sprayed on two layers of AK Interactive Real Colours “Light Stone” (RC868). After an hour, I hacked at the desert colour with stiff brush and toothpick to scratch a decent amount of it off. It looked a bit stark at this stage, but subsequent weathering would be expect to tie it all together. The details were painted in the colours shown.
Weathering
A 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Clear Gloss” (46) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed over the entire model. Decals were applied and a further layer of gloss applied in those areas. The exhaust was painted with a metallic colour – probably one of the AK markers. After this, dilute mixtures of brown acrylic paint were brushed on, almost as a filter to give an impression of wear. The entire model was washed with a dilute mixture of AK Interactive “Starship Filth” oil paint in enamel thinners – the excess being cleaned up with a dry brush. Once all was dry the model was sprayed with a 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Flat Clear” (182) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner. After that a very dilute mixture of Tamiya “Buff” (XF-57) was sprayed over all, particularly the tyres, to give an impression of dust. Once the vehicle was attached to the base – see below – the remaining parts were added. I found that AK Interactive “Crystal Magic Glue” (AK9323) was the best transparency glue that I have used so far – I have had trouble fixing such items in the past.
The base
I cut a base from 4mm thick MDF sheet. AK Interactive “Neutral Texture for Earth” (AK8023) was applied and, once dry, various paint tones. After sealing with a gloss varnish, an oil wash was added. This done, I flattened it all down with matt varnish and then desert colour pigments brushed onto it and the wheels of the vehicle and parts of the insides. I added a man from the Airfix “British Forces Infantry Patrol” (A03701) to give a sense of scale.
I think that this is a long build if you include the photo etch set and pose all the doors, bonnet and roof hatch open! It means that almost the entirety of the model must be painted as almost all of it can be seen from some angle. Looking at it now, I should have replaced the bonnet stay – and possible some of the aerials – with wire, as they are overscale. But I think I had to draw the line somewhere! I am overall happy with how it looks.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snatch_Land_Rover
- “Up-Armoured Landies“, Aleš Kautský and František Kořán, WWP Books, 2014.
- https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a06301-wmik-land-rover-and-snatch-land-rover–100381
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