# Grail Kits



## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Just picked up two of my Grail Kits - or at least kits of two of my Grail Models. I've been wanting to get a Roden Rolls Royce Armoured Car for some time, but have never seen one available. Imagine my joy when I walked into my FLHS and saw a brand new, just-released Meng British R-R Armored (sic) Car Pattern 1914/1920. Fabulous kit, but it seems that the wheels provided for the 1920 Pattern are actually for the 1924 Pattern - the 1920 Pattern seems to have had narrower tires. Nevertheless, it's a superb kit which can be built up as either a WWI or early WWII vehicle. It comes with a Vickers machine gun for both versions and a Lewis Gun and a Boyes Antitank Gun for the WWII iteration.

The other kit is Hobby Boss's Delta Force FAV. I've been wanting an FAV since Dragon announced an FAV kit waaay back in 1992, but sadly never delivered. It too seems to be a fantastic rendering of the subject, but curiously comes with no gear or weapons. I'm going to supply it with a pair of modern plastic water cans and a spade-gripped M-60 machine gun. I've seen photos of the vehicle with no roof and various weapons (M-60's, M2HB's, Mk-19's and 7.62 mini-guns) mounted. I'll display it with Dragon's Delta Force (Somalis, 1993) figures.

O frabjous day, calloo callay! I'm a happy modeller!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

When that thing showed up in the Dragon catalog all those years ago, all I could picture was using it to recreate a Rat Patrol scene with it leaping off a sand dune.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

John P said:


> When that thing showed up in the Dragon catalog all those years ago, all I could picture was using it to recreate a Rat Patrol scene with it leaping off a sand dune.


Well John, 27 years later you can!

I'm wondering how long it will take for some enterprising garage-kit manufacturer to come out with a upgrade kit to turn it into a DPV or LSV. One thing I wish they'd included on the photoetch fret was a Chenowth name plate for the front end, as seen in _Three Kings_.

Anyway, I've got it all built and ready for painting. I added, along with an M60A3 from Trumpeter, a Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher, a pair of AT-4's and a pair of M72A3 LAWS, all from Dragon's Modern Infantry Fire Support Weapons. I got the packs and water cans from Tamiya's Modern US Accessories Set, as well as a bunch of Tamiya 7.62 ammo cans and an Italeri 40mm ammo can for the Mk-19. I repleced the whip antenna with a length of steel wire formed to shape and "tied down" with sewing thread. I left off the roof, engine cover and headlight guards as may photos show them not mounted and built a "roof rack" for the AT-4's and Mk-19. I added a radio set from the Tamiya M-151A2 with Tow Missile Launcher. Thanks to the modelling gawds for Google Images. 

Once I've got it all painted I'll add some four-point harnesses using masking tape and load up the side baskets. I plan to landscape a round cork trivet from the dollar store for a base and add two of the Dragon Delta Force figures.

The FAV model is somewhat overengineered with extremely complex assemblies for the suspension and VW Beetle engine, and extremely tight fit. I lost one of the front suspension shock absorbers and had to replicate it with 1/16" styrene rod and a section of a spring coil from Tamiya's Universal Carrier Mk II's bogie unit. Don'cha just hate the click noise that surgical tweezers make when a plastic cylindre goes flying into the void?


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Well, I got the FAV done and entered in CapCon 2019. I now know the pitfalls of the kit and just saw anther copy for a mere $25.00 CDN so I picked it up. Also in stock was another of my grail kits. I've been wanting a Ram Tank for 40 years now, and Bronco has brought out a 1/35 styrene Canadian Cruiser Tank Ram MkII Early Production! Not a cheap kit at about $60.00 CDN, but not overpriced for the times. No longer do I have to think about butchering an M4A1 Sherman and doing a lot of sculpting. If I could dance a jig, I'd be doni'it now!


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## Warspite (Aug 3, 2013)

Owen E Oulton said:


> Well, I got the FAV done and entered in CapCon 2019. I now know the pitfalls of the kit and just saw anther copy for a mere $25.00 CDN so I picked it up. Also in stock was another of my grail kits. I've been wanting a Ram Tank for 40 years now, and Bronco has brought out a 1/35 styrene Canadian Cruiser Tank Ram MkII Early Production! Not a cheap kit at about $60.00 CDN, but not overpriced for the times. No longer do I have to think about butchering an M4A1 Sherman and doing a lot of sculpting. If I could dance a jig, I'd be doni'it now!



Did you know about Formations Models conversions for the RAM? Take a look here, https://www.formationsmodels.com/index.php/resin/conversion-sets

He is in Fort McMurray Alberta. I have his deluxe Oddball conversion and the casting is fantastic, not one pinhole anywhere.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Owen E Oulton said:


> Well, I got the FAV done and entered in CapCon 2019. I now know the pitfalls of the kit and just saw anther copy for a mere $25.00 CDN so I picked it up. Also in stock was another of my grail kits. I've been wanting a Ram Tank for 40 years now, and Bronco has brought out a 1/35 styrene Canadian Cruiser Tank Ram MkII Early Production! Not a cheap kit at about $60.00 CDN, but not overpriced for the times. No longer do I have to think about butchering an M4A1 Sherman and doing a lot of sculpting. If I could dance a jig, I'd be doni'it now!



Need pics of the Finished FAV!


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Here's one taken at this month's IPMS Ottawa meeting:


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

John P said:


> When that thing showed up in the Dragon catalog all those years ago, all I could picture was using it to recreate a Rat Patrol scene with it leaping off a sand dune.


That was one of my first thoughts. 

When I got my second kit recently, I began modifying it to the later DPV (Desert Patrol Vehicle) with the third seat and extended roll cage above the rear engine. I 'm converting three Tamiya US Modern Infantry figures for the crew; and arming it with a Dragon M2HB on the roof mount and a Dragon Mk 29 automatic grenade launcher forward. I had also picked up Meng's Renault FT which comes with a diorama base that I feel doesn't really suit the tank, but on Saturday while at IPMS Ottawa's monthly build day at the Canadian Air and Space Museum I realised it was perfect for the "Modern Rat Patrol" scene. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the DPY into the transmission (one of the few possible mounting points) and inserted a piece of styrene sprue from the Tamiya figure set. I had some nesting hexagonal tubes from the KS selection at my FLHS, so I cut an 8mm piece which fit nicely over the sprue stub and glued it with cyano. I cut a 25mm (1") piece of the next size up and fixed it into a hole drilled into the Meng base, securing it with cyano and baking soda. Once the cyano was well and truly set, I test fitted and it looks great. It's also easy to put in place and remove it while supporting the DPV securely, meaning it transports safely. The hex mounts are hidden between the rear wheels, and will be painted to match the ground cover.

The Meng base comes with a row of sand bags at the lip of the rise and a series of worn timber trench reinforcements on the edge of the arroyo the vehicle is jumping over (supposed to be a WWI trench in the original kit)...

I needed three seats and the FAV kit only gives you two jeep-style seats, so I scavenged a seat from a 1/32 Corvette ZR-1 and cast three copies to reflect the photos I've downloaded. The one thing I have to do is avail myself of the Ottawa Public Library's laser cutter to make an 010" styrene Chenowth plate for the front end.









The Meng base. Just picture some Afghan War-specific litter at the bottom...


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