Takom’s latest WWII tank in 35th scale
MK A Whippit
Kit# 2025
1/35th
scale
Movable tracks
Easy assemble links
Opening doors
Photo etch parts
included
8 marking choices..
Takom’s latest kit available of the British Mk.A Whippet
infantry support tank is coming very soon to a modelling desk near you. One of
the most popular tanks during the WWI.
Ehmar have already made this in 35th a looong time ago and
it was rather crudely detailed and even so hard to get nowadays - so Takom
making a 21st century moulding of this kit is great news. Expect to see decals and colours from
British, Russians, German, the Freikorps and Japan. Takom have some other
information including colour swabs for this kit - eight different versions in all.
The initial slow tanks first designed by the Western Allies
in WWI were not fast enough to exploit the gaps in the German lines
effectively. What they needed was a faster tank to act as an armoured cavalry -
result was the Medium Mark A
"Whippet" - or, as it was initially known, after its designer:
"The Tritton Chaser".
Work started in October 1916, and the prototype made its
debut on February 3, 1917. Full running trial was completed on February 11,
1917. This was the Oldbury version, with a smaller/shorter superstructure. It
housed a fully rotating Austin armoured car turret, located on the left side of
the vehicle. It had no exhaust, and no engine vents, on either side of the
engine housing. Another distinct feature was the rear, unarmoured, round petrol
tank. The suspension had five mud chutes and 16 wheel supports on either side.
After the first few prototypes, to facilitate speedy production, the turret was
abandoned and it was instead given a fixed crew compartment that could house 3
or 4 men manning Hotchkiss MGs in 3 out of the 4 positions provided. The fourth
and fifth mud chute were combined leaving the final design with just four mud
chutes, wheel supports were decreased to 6, exhaust and ventilation openings
were cut into the engine compartment, and the petrol tank was moved to the
front and armoured. An order for 200 vehicles was placed, and production
started in December 1917.
The Germans captured several Whippets, two of which were in
running condition. They were kept exclusively for tests and training during the
war, but one of them saw action afterwards with the Freikorps in the German
Revolution of 1918–1919. The Germans gave them the designation Beutepanzer A
After the war, Whippets were sent to Ireland during the
Anglo-Irish War as part of the British forces there, serving with 17th
Battalion, Royal Tank Corps. Seventeen were sent with the Expedition Forces
in support of the Whites against Soviet Russia. The Red Army captured twelve,
using them until the 1930s, and fitted at least one vehicle with a French 37 mm
Puteaux gun. The Soviets, incorrectly assuming that the name of the engine was
"Taylor" instead of "Tylor" (a mistake many sources still
make) called the tank the Tyeilor. A few (perhaps six) were exported to
Japan, where they remained in service until around 1930.
Eight different profiles and colour maps are provided by Mig' Ammo brand along with decals for each.
Stay tuned – as more
details about this tank will come soon – expect it to be available from Takom’s
Distributors very soon