Daimler Armoured Car

[KevinT]

Sadly not in plastic ....yet.
This is the old Sovereign 2000 Daimler Armoured Car Mk I. A solid resin hull, open turret but no interior detail, axles, part suspension, barrel, wheel arches / mud guards, exhaust and various bits are white metal making this small kit very heavy.

Cheers

Kevin

[REME 245]

Are there any decent Daimler Armoured Car Model kits currently in production?

[KevinT]

Hi,

The only ones that i have heard of from various sites are:-

Airfix in 1/32nd - personally I have never seen this kit

Sovereign 2000 in 1/35th - not currently showing on their site but many be available on some sites

Friendship Models in 1/48th - currently showing as in stock on their site

Bandai Models in 1/48th - this is another old kit so not sure of availability

Cheers

Kevin 

[simon king]

As it seems to be on every “want” list across the web, I do find it bizarre that nobody has yet stepped up to the plate and offered a new state of the art (or indeed any)  injection moulded 1/35th model of the DAC.

Surely someone must offer one eventually. Then perhaps we can shift our hopes onto the Humber LRC and Morris LRC

It is a significant gap, especially as it has been in military service for the last 80 years. It remains in service with the Qatari Army as far as I am aware.

I put my jeep in 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry markings about 40 years ago on the strength of a photo of a 2DY DAC under fire in AAPs D-Day to Berlin, (or it might have been British Tank Names and Markings) and I’ve been waiting for a 1/35th scale DAC ever since....

Edited November 13, 2020 by simon king

[KevinT]

9 minutes ago, simon king said:

As it seems to be on every “want” list across the web, I do find it bizarre that nobody has yet stepped up to the plate and offered a new state of the art (or indeed any)  injection moulded 1/35th model of the DAC.

Surely someone must offer one eventually. Then perhaps we can shift our hopes onto the Humber LRC and Morris LRC

It is a significant gap, especially as it has been in military service for the last 80 years. It remains in service with the Qatari Army as far as I am aware

Hi Simon,

Yes I entirely agree that it seems strange that no one has taken up the challenge. This has been a much wanted vehicle kit for years. I am happy to add drawings, photos, census numbers and vehicle names to any model company who is going to release this in 1/35th scale.

As you say the Humber and Morris LRC's are also missing and much needed.

Sadly though it seems that many of the model companies are happy to just churn out Tigers and Panthers month after month. It wouldn't surprise me if there are more Tiger kits than actual Tigers made.

Cheers

Kevin

[simon king]

Luckily there are a number of younger companies who seem happy to think outside the box. Can only hope that one of them thinks it is worthwhile bringing a DAC to the marketplace....

It was equally bizarre that no one had come up with a fresh Crusader in 1/35th scale to replace the Italeri offerings until Border Models announced theirs recently. It all the more strange since Tamiya must have done all the necessary research for their 1/48th scale offerings.

A Covenanter and A30 Challenger would complete the set (hint hint somebody)

[Ex-boy]

Not a model but the real thing that I was lucky enough to work on in Tidworth 50 years ago. I am the short one, second left. Apologies for the poor quality.

[KevinT]

13 hours ago, Ex-boy said:

Not a model but the real thing that I was lucky enough to work on in Tidworth 50 years ago. I am the short one, second left. Apologies for the poor quality.

Thanks for those. 

I can see that it is a B sqn but could not make out the div sign.

Cheers

Kevin

[REME 245]

Any ideal where it is now?

[Ex-boy]

It was rescued (stolen) from a range (probably Lulworth) and the resultant hooha smoothed over by the old boy net. This was The Royal Hussars in Bhurtpore Bks Tidworth circa 1971. It was renovated for an open day, then put on a plinth whilst the regiment was in Tidworth. What happened to it later I have no idea.
It was painted to represent a vehicle of 11th Hussars with 8th army if I remember correctly and has the 7 Armd Div desert rat logo.

[REME 245]

If it was the one that ended up at their Museum in Winchester it was subsequently given away or swaped and a gutted hull was put back in its place.   The RWY also aqurired one off a Range and I believe ended up with the same owner who aquired the Winchester one.

[Oh Five]

Accurate Armour have 1/35th scale models of Daimler MkI and Mk11 Armoured Cars.

https://accurate-armour.com/search?terms=daimler

[REME 245]

Looks a lot better than others out their but a lot of money for someone not used to current model prices.

[Richard Farrant]

Gone are the days of the 'two bob' Airfix kits in Woolworths 😉

[KevinT]

51 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said:

Gone are the days of the 'two bob' Airfix kits in Woolworths 😉

Yes that's where many a weeks pocket money went, Airfix and Woolies. Ah memories.

Cheers

Kevin 

[10FM68]

On 11/14/2020 at 12:54 PM, Ex-boy said:

It was rescued (stolen) from a range (probably Lulworth) and the resultant hooha smoothed over by the old boy net. This was The Royal Hussars in Bhurtpore Bks Tidworth circa 1971. It was renovated for an open day, then put on a plinth whilst the regiment was in Tidworth. What happened to it later I have no idea.
It was painted to represent a vehicle of 11th Hussars with 8th army if I remember correctly and has the 7 Armd Div desert rat logo.

If it was rescued in about 1971 by a unit in Tidworth, then it probably came off Salisbury Plain.  I spent a lot of weekends up there in my youth and frequently wandered into the impact area when the red flags were down, simply following my Dad's advice (and common sense) to watch where I put my feet and not to touch unexploded shells - of which there were huge numbers lying around in those days.  There were dozens of old armoured vehicles set out there then, both as targets and for use as reference points, including a number of DACs.  Where they were lying away from the public road they were usually in excellent condition with little damage from vandalism and, if they hadn't been hit, from anything else.  Engines would be complete, as would instruments, seats and internal fittings, though, of course, anything removable would have been taken off.  I have a photo of me in the turret of one of them at around that time.  I'll see if I can find it. I can remember rotating the turret using the little handle - it still worked perfectly smoothly.   One wood was stuffed with Conquerors straight from service and still in very fine condition.  They were there for months before they were towed onto the range and positioned individually as targets.  But the majority were Comets, Churchills, Cromwells and Shermans.  I remember one old gun which had been dug in had wooden spoked wheels and I am sure there was a German 88 up there somewhere as well.  Sadly, Salisbury Plain isn't what it was then - it was still wild and largely undisturbed.  Now, there are specially-built military roads everywhere and much of the public access has been ended.  In the 60s the soldiers were always happy to encourage interest from small boys and I was given several rides - in Centurions, Saladins and FV432s.  I even got to fire the coax in a Cent one afternoon - something of a highlight for a boy interested in the Army!  Still - the recruiting pitch worked - they got nearly 40 years service out of me!

[Ex-boy]

You may well be right about the origins of the vehicle, and it was a long time ago for my memory. You are definitely correct that it was in amazingly good condition, which is probably why it was chosen. We only had a few weeks to get it ready for the open day, so no time to strip the gearbox out and the decision was taken for it to be a static exhibit. We did a top overhaul and the engine ran as sweet as a nut and radios etc were sourced from various places. I believe a tube was made to replace the gun, which had been cut short. On the day, someone decided to drive it from the hangar and the brake bands disintegrated, so static it remained. Great days.

[10FM68]

I said I would look out the photo of the DAC on Salisbury Plain in the 1960s.  I reckon this will be about 1968.  The other photos show a Conqueror and a 155mm SP How at "The Round" on the road between the Bustard and Market Lavington at around the same time, I should think judging by my size.  Pleased to see Dad wearing a jacket and tie for a trip in the country at that time!

10 68

[Adrian Barrell]

M40 SP 155mm gun, rather than howitzer. There was one at Battlesbury Bowl, likely that one.

 

[10FM68]

11 hours ago, Adrian Barrell said:

M40 SP 155mm gun, rather than howitzer. There was one at Battlesbury Bowl, likely that one.

 

Very unlikely.  It was the wrong side of the A360 for the Imber ranges.  The vehicles stored at "the Round" went out onto the Westdown and Larkhill Impact Areas for the RSA.  The School of Infantry usually kept their doomed fleet at the top of Sack Hill. 

[Adrian Barrell]

You might be right, just never saw an M40 on the Larkhill side of the range but it's a big area!

[G506]

On 11/13/2020 at 10:29 AM, REME 245 said:

Are there any decent Daimler Armoured Car Model kits currently in production?

Hi REME,

Hasegawa models are still showing a 1/72nd DAC on their website. I'm sure I built this kit years ago.

Knowing their AFV range it's probably still inexpensive. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by G506

[simon king]

Coming soon from Gecko Models.

Mk I first to be followed by “1945” and “Post War” (=Malaya / Canal   Zone / Korea / Libya) boxings of Mk II and Mk I SOD

 

[Baz48]

The Daimler Mk-1 shown is just after its arrival at Duxford Summer of 74. It came from storage complete except for the stock and trigger for the main armament. Its interior everything was painted silver drivers instruments included but came to life after a few hours of TLC a tyre change and was and suppose still would be a lovely drive. This vehicle is mentioned in a Daimler web page as being recovered from the ranges as a wreck and the author states was rebuilt at Duxford. It never was a wreck and never a ground up restoration even though it has had several repaints/reworks in it time with the museum and one of my all-time favourite vehicles to drive and crew