El Alamein help needed

cliff · #1 20-07-07, 11:59

I have built a 1/35 scale 1941 Chev Indian Bodied Ambulance which I wish to paint & mark as an Australian vehicle at El Alamein for a model magazine article. Can some one help with the following please?

Would these have been painted in light stone or in the Australian green as shown in the model photo attached?

What Australian units would have been at El Alamein and how should the ambulance be marked? (tac signs etc.)

Thanks
Cliff

Mike K · #2 20-07-07, 13:12

The following Australian medical units served in the Middle East

2/1 AGH
2/6 AGH Gaza Ridge
2/7 AGH Rehovot Palestine and moved to Busseili Egypt where Alamein wounded were treated .

2 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) Egypt -handled Alamein wounded

3 CCS ditto

No1 Air Ambulance Unit RAAF flew Alamein wounded to 2/3 CCS

This info from book : Our Kind of War . The history of the VAD's and AAMWS

Quote . "The highest bed state recorded at 2/7 AGH was twelve hundred and twenty five patients " this was just post the Alamein battles .

Busseili was located 40 miles East of Alexander near Rosetta on the Nile delta .

Mike

cliff · #3 20-07-07, 13:15

Thanks Mike. I can now look up the tac markings for these units.

David Ellery · #4 21-07-07, 02:50

Awesome modelling there Cliff, I love your weathering.

cliff · #5 21-07-07, 08:13

Thanks David. I have found a photo on AWM showing 3 of these ambulances near Alamein belonging to 2/11 field ambulance. One is normal green with the rear body painted completely white with large joined red crosses so I will repaint mine this way. I assume the rear door canvas would be white as well with a red cross on it?

Mike K · #6 21-07-07, 11:59

Apparently the drivers side door panel was a permanent fixture , he had to get in and out via the passengers side door . A chap in QLD has a surviving body that is possibly the Indian pattern . The bodies may have been made by a outside body building concern , then forwarded onto GMH and Ford ....???? Funny , I've not seen any reference relating to GMH or Ford Geelong having ever built these MCP type Indian pattern bodies .. does anyone know who did ?

Mike

Colin Foulkes · #7 21-07-07, 14:59

Behind the 3 ambulances is another Chev.
Is it one of these.

Col.

cliff · #8 21-07-07, 21:55

It has the roof rack fitting of the top vehicle so probably the photographers vehicle like the top vehicle in this photo rather then a mobile film unit like the bottom vehicle.

Both photos from the AWM.

cliff · #9 22-07-07, 13:05

here is progress so far on the repaint. Once it has dried properly (2 days) I will touch it up and then add decals and weathering.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #10 22-07-07, 13:37

Marvellous work, Cliff, I wish I had your talent and patience! I built hundreds, if not thousands of models in my youth, but was never as good as that; nevertheless, I wasn't THAT bad... unfortunately, me mum chucked out the lot one summer I was away working! GRRRR...

I'm sitting here staring at an Italieri box a friend in the States sent me a while back - it's a Priest Kangaroo conversion from August 1944. Italieri buggered up some of the details and certainly the accessories (American instead of Canadian, I am aghast!), but I have the right bits now for the Priest itself, however don't even know where to start! It's been that long.

Anyway, good job!

cliff · #11 22-07-07, 13:42

Thank You Geoff. Take your time with the priest and it's amazing how fast those skills of years gone by will appear once you start.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #12 22-07-07, 13:53

Quote:

Originally posted by cliff
Thank You Geoff. Take your time with the priest and it's amazing how fast those skills of years gone by will appear once you start.

No, I think it's a non-starter, Cliff, sad to say! I have neither the time nor the skills to even approximate some of the work I've seen on the internet. Nice thought, though, maybe one day. Right now I'd be more inclined to simply buy a professional-quality model already built if it's something I wanted on my shelf.

cliff · #13 30-07-07, 22:29

Thought you may want to see a pic of her finished.

cliff · #14 30-07-07, 22:29

pic 2

cliff · #15 30-07-07, 22:30

pic 3

cliff · #16 30-07-07, 22:32

pic 4

A detail shot of the dust removed where the driver gets in and out.

Decals are for the 2/11 Australian Field Ambulance. Army ARN on the bonnet and rear are made up from spare commercial decals cut to suit.

Keith Webb · #17 30-07-07, 23:46

Fantastic job, Cliff!

Colin Foulkes · #18 31-07-07, 03:09

Brilliant Cliff.

How long does a model of this quality take to complete ?
Hands on that is without the research.

Col.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #19 31-07-07, 03:36

Outstanding work, Cliff! I particularly like your weathering job, and the bit with the windscreen and hand prints are a work of genius!!

Well done, my lad!

Jif

cliff · #20 31-07-07, 03:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Colin Foulkes
Brilliant Cliff.

How long does a model of this quality take to complete ?
Hands on that is without the research.

Col.

This one in total with the new paint job and decals etc would take me about 25 to 30 hours without research. This would be spread over about 4 weeks although I did one similar in 7 days as a dare with myself.

If I were to sell this one I'd want at least $700 for it but most folk would laugh and say it was far too much but where are you going to get another unless you make it yourself?

Thanks for your comments I really appreciate them.

Alex van de Wetering · #21 31-07-07, 10:23

Nice work Cliff!

Alex van de Wetering

Mike K · #22 31-07-07, 13:18

The detail in the work is a pleasure to behold . Makes my airfix models look rather amaterish in comparison .

Mike

grant fincher · #23 31-07-07, 14:18

Another masterpiece Cliff.
I'm up your way on Friday and would love to call in and have a look. Will you be around?
Regards
Grant Fincher