Well, Lads !!!
Let's start with big style: with a rare and unusual vehicle: a cool conversion to inaugurate my new Bunker!
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| AEC Mk II British AC |
I will build an
AEC Mk II version AA, which was built only one unit, for feasibility studies.
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| Prototype AEC Mk II AA -AC |
History:
This version derivated from AEC Mk II mounting a
Crusader AA turret with twin 20mm Oerlikon cannon capable of high elevation to engage enemy aircraft. Did not enter in production due to Allied air superiority in Northern Europe. Only one prototype built. You can see more about AEC ACs
Mk I and
Mk III clicking in the links.
| AEC Mk II AA Armoured Car |
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| Place of origin | UK |
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| Production history |
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| Number built | 01 - early 1944 |
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| Specifications |
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| Weight | 12.7 t |
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| Length | 5.18 m |
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| Width | 2.74 m |
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| Height | 2.52 m |
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| Crew | 4 - driver, 2 loaders and comm. |
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| Armor | 16–65 mm |
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Main
armament | 2 automatic Oerlikon 20mm
450 rounds/min
muzzle velocity :830 m/s
ammo: 600 rds |
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Secondary
armament | Vickers K .303 |
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| Engine | AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil
105-158 hp at 2.000 rpm (78-118 kW) |
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| Power/weight | 12.4 hp/tonne |
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| Suspension | wheel - 4x4 |
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Operational
range | 400 km |
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| Speed | 58–65 km/h |
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The kits:
For this project, I'll use these beauties:
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| AEC Mk. II - Injected by MiniArt |
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| ARMO conversion kit, made in Poland. |
Yesterday, I started the project:
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| The ARMO resin kit. Superb casted... |
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| The Miniart kit. speechless...very, very good !!! |
The turret ARMO is very good, but has a defect, an eaves on the roof, which is absent in the original turret ...
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| No eaves in the Crusader roof... |
The option is cut ! Surgery time !!!
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| The disease !! |
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| The cure !!! |
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| almost done |
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| Corrected. Much better !!! |
The metal guns from ARMO are simple, but honest:
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| Oerlikon L/70 20mm from ARMO - Nicely shaped, but simple ... |
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| The guns ... |
I ordered the excellent barrels from RB Models ... Let's see how long they will take to get here in Brazil ...
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| New technology guns from RB Models. Another level of manufacturing... |
After this little journey in the Resin Land (just to get back in touch), let's build the chassis: the kit Miniart is amazing...
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| Hull - belly view |
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| front suspension |
As the antiaircraft version was a prototype and used a standard Mk II chassis, I kept the racks of ammunition, as poetic license ...
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| Notice the engine... |
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| Nice interior details... |
Gentlemen, start your engines !!!!
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| AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - left side |
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| AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - right side |
Painting the interior and the engine...
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| sub-assembles... |
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| sub-assembles |
Using this pic, I made some wiring in the engine:
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| AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - left side |
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| The engine in his bed !!! |
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| belly view |
I love build the wheels !!! Massive tyres !!!
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| The Dunlop tyres... |
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| The front and rear transmissons and axles... |
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| In place...Notice the details in PE |
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| The "belly" protetcion in place... |
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| Testing the alignement... |
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| warrior bug... |
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| Eyes left !!! |
I built the ARMO Crusader turret but the prototype had the Crusader's most developed turret. See the pic below with inserts...
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| Notice the differences between turrets |
Again, surgery time...very easy...
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Cutting the side shields...
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| rising the side portions of turret.. |
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| Putty... |
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| New side shields... |
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| Almost there... |
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| Almost there... |
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| The aiming device made with copper wire |
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| The aiming device in position |
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| Much better !!! |
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| Testing the turret's collar... |
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| Turret basket.. |
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| The turret fitting... |
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| Done... |
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| Internal weathering and the drive's hatch... |
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| The upper hull "welded" in place... |
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| AEC Mk III and AEC Mk II AA... |
Yesterday, was the day of the heaviest adaptations. James Guld, in
Missing-Lynx, suggested the trimming down in the front armour of the turret, which "lips" is greatly exaggerated in the turret ARMO. With the removal of these flanges, the front bolts must be repositioned, as noticed by Paul Kirchner also in
Missing Lynx.
And Hudy Jatai, in
Webkits, alert to the flatness between the front and rear fenders. Thanks for the tips, boys !!! Let's see the results of the surgeries...First of all, the improvements in the turret. After the front plate was trimmed down, the six studs/bolts will have to be relocated. I remembered the screws of the side armour of the AFV Churchill, that I have in my spare parts box ...
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| Spare parts....Gift of the Gods!! |
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| Same shape and size....Voilááá.. |
Remove children front of the computer.
The following scenes are very shocking...
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| Cutting the bolts... |
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| Done...The resin is so good that the screws could be reused ... |
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| Trimming down the front armour... |
After cutting the lips of armor, I applied putty on the armour surface (on the cuts of the screws) and put it aside to dry (and for my heartbeat back to normal ...). Meanwhile, we study the changes in the fenders and in the side racks ...
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| Planning the cuts... |
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| The side hatch will be sealed... |
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| Starting the modifications... |
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| Drawing the "bridge" between the fenders ... |
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The measurements, in millimeters
(if another crazy want to do the same project ...) |
Warning !!! Shocking images !!!
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| Cutting the fenders !!! No regrets!!! |
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| Madness !!! Madness!!! |
After applying the fenders "bridges" and laminate the side racks (sorry. .. could not shoot ..) with thin plasticard (see the hull in background...), I turned my attention to the turret
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| The bolts places... |
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| Done !!! ufff!!!! |
And the beast, after the plastic surgery:
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| Uops...wrong picture... |
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| almost there... |
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| AEC Mk II AA under construction |
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| left rear view |
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| front view |
More advances: adding details ...
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| left view |
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| front view |
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| rear view |
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| Ready for painting... |
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| Vallejo Olive-Drab primer plus Lifecolor Acrylic |
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| hull ready - right side |
I love operational markings...if the vehicle was operational, she could participate in the Normandy landings...
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| After Future, decals...Satan is born... |
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| AEC Mk II AA - 5th RTR, 7th Armoured Division, Normandy - 1944. |
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| AEC Mk II AA |
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| AEC Mk II AA |
Now, it's expect dry the decal to the beginning of weathering ...
