Takom 1/35 SADF G6 Rhino

[Snowman]

I kind of would expect it to be plain white, not cream white, but trying to find pictures of the inside of a G6 is proving a bit difficult. I did find that the glass has a very clear green hue to it, though, undoubtedly because of its thickness:


(from a walkaround on Armorama)

I guess if you also incorporate that, then the exact shade of white for the interior is not that important anymore :smiling3:

Yes, an interesting point there. Why cremeweiss and not just plain white?
Anyway, that is a small point.
Till next time.

[Snowman]

Well, I have been tinkering with the turret and almighty 44 calibre 155mm main gun.
Removed to top storage rail that I had initially fitted, removed the bush bar mounting detail around smoke launchers.

Fitter rear access door and decking, just missing a deck chair...

Mounted rear flood light and tread plates and trial fitted the rear storage/electronics module.


The main gun mount is proving to be a pickle and may require scratch building to simplify to look similar to the prototype.

The storage boxes were not there...

Anyway, some more pondering to do.

Till next time

[Snowman]

Here is something different. When land mines are a constant menace, you get inventive.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1334352976643803/permalink/7013008545444856/

A converted Ford F250, nicknamed " telefoonhokkie " which is the telephone box in English.

[Guest]

Was this in Namibia or Angola, or is it a South Rhodesian vehicle? As they had similar ones in service in the 1970s. Telefoonhokkie makes it sound like it’s from Amsterdam, though

[Snowman]

Was this in Namibia or Angola, or is it a South Rhodesian vehicle? As they had similar ones in service in the 1970s. Telefoonhokkie makes it sound like it’s from Amsterdam, though

Yeah, Dutch is the root language of Afrikaans. Though, today some say that Flemmish is closer. Apparently that vehicle featured on the then South West African and Angolan border. Necessity is mother of invention. They had similar beasties in the then Rhodesia that featured water filled tyres and a circular roll cage to counter the plague of landmines. These all predated what we commonly refer to as the modern MRAP, that are follow on's from the SADF Mamba that was made under licence in the USA. The Mamba which is the descendent of the Buffel/Caspir will be a future build, which will be based on a simplified RG-31 kit.

[Guest]

Yeah, Dutch is the root language of Afrikaans. Though, today some say that Flemmish is closer.

“Flemish” just means “the dialects of Dutch spoken in Flanders” anyway :smiling3: A word like hokkie sounds very Hollandic to a Dutch speaker¹ because up there² they form diminutives with -ie like in Afrikaans, rather than -je or -ke like the rest of the Dutch-speaking world. For a Dutch-speaker, 90% of written Afrikaans is very easy to follow, spoken is a bit harder but it shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation as long as the Dutch-speaker avoids the past tense :smiling3:

Apparently that vehicle featured on the then South West African and Angolan border.

I didn’t really know vehicles like this were used there as well, I think. The ones in Rhodesia are (relatively) well-known, of course, and you can bet they inspired this one.

The Mamba which is the descendent of the Buffel/Caspir will be a future build, which will be based on a simplified RG-31 kit.

Do you mean you’re going to build the Mamba in future, or the Buffel/Caspir? Either one would be cool to see, of course.

¹ Well, actually, they’d be more likely to think it’s the sport
² Me being from Zeeland, I consider Holland a faraway land up north where strange people live

[Snowman]

Listening to the Dutch speak, it's a lot softer than Afrikaans, especially with the throat clearing, hard "g". Down in the Cape, where I'm originally from, you get the "Malmesbury brei" where they roll the "r" in the back of their throat.

Back to the modelling, it's the Mamba that I will look to recreate. Unfortunately there is currently no 1/35 kit available for the Buffel, Caspir and all the Ratel variants. Baxmodels used to do resin kits, but he is now focused on 3D printed 1/72 kits.
I pray that the likes of Trumpeter and Takom do engage with the rest of the SADF military vehicles as they will sell like hot cakes.

[Guest]

I’d probably buy a plastic Buffel kit¹ right away, the strange look of the vehicle has always appealed to me. So does the G6, TBH, but not quite enough to buy the kit

¹ Of the South African one, that is — in the Dutch army, “Buffel” is the Leopard 2 ARV, of which there is a plastic kit but it’s not an appealing enough vehicle for me to want to build anytime soon.

[Snowman]

After half assembling the hull, I had to chuckle because it reminded me of an early ATAT walker from the clone wars, missing a leg.

Anyway, pleased with my progress so far. Though I need to ponder the headlights which too are different to the variant depicted in the kit.

Till the next update!

[Snowman]

My research has paid off and I have imagery of the original headlights fitted to the G6 and contrary to my initial assumption they are protected with an armoured housing.


They look like old school Hella fog lamps stacked on top of each other.

Whilst watching this short video I realised that I had misinterpreted the LH turret copula. This as well as the lights will require some surgery.

Till next time!

[Snowman]

It's been a while, doing research and asking questions. It turns out that I needed to rotate the gunner copula by 90 degs and simplify the upper deck.

I'll look to replace all plastic grab holds with wire.
Still chipping away.

Till next time.

[A_J_Rimmer]

Just caught up this - what an interesting subject and some nice progress!

[Snowman]

Well the wire grab handles look much better and more robust. I had to use a harder wire for the long grab handle above the door as the copper was too soft.

The next tricky task is to remodel the headlights, thankfully I have unearthed some really good photos to base my work on.

Till the next update.

[Tworrs]

I never did see this vehicle, it was after my time on the border.

[Snowman]

I never did see this vehicle, it was after my time on the border.

Yeah, it was 1987, Ops Modular if I recall correctly.