Miniart have released some slight detail on their second release in their Austin Armoured Car series. This time it is the Austin Armoured Car 1918 Pattern. British Service with markings for the Western Front in WWI. We have some pictures of the real thing and the kit in our preview...
Preview: MiniArt's 35th scale Austin Armoured Car 1918 Pattern. British Service - Western Front
Austin Armoured Car 1918 Pattern. British Service. Western Front.
Full Interior Kit
From MiniArt
Kit No #39009
The Subject: Austin Armoured Car - 1918 Pattern
The Austin Motor Company of Longbridge, England, made three different types of armoured car in The Great War; the Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3. The Series 3 armoured cars were improved in response to feedback from Russia, and a 1918 version was made. Series 1, 2, and the first version of the Series 3 went to Russia and were not used by the British Army.
The improved Series 3 (often called the 1918 Pattern) was not shipped due to Russia (70 were on order) due to the October Revolution. The completed cars were absorbed by the British government. Instead, those 40 vehicles, already built, were taken from Cardiff docks, where they were ready to be despatched, and used by Dunsterforce in the Middle East, and the 17th Battalion of the Tank Corps in France and Ireland. Dunsterforce got 24 cars, and the 17th took the remaining 16.
The 1918 pattern Austin Armoured car can be fairly easily recognized by the tell-tale double roadwheel rear-wheel drive on the rear of the car. This, along with a strengthened chassis to counter the extra weight are the main changes of this variant.
The British Army was the largest user of this type. With them seeing use on the Western front. Between Cardiff docks and "The Front" the cars destined for the 17th Battalion had the mountings changed to accept the Hotchkiss machine-gun instead of the Vickers, the cars for Dunsterforce, however, retained the Vickers machine-guns.
In action, these armoured cars were mentioned in not only the allied armies but in German dispatches. Every one of the cars were hit and some of them many times, and yet the total losses in killed in action throughout this period was only one officer and four other ranks. At the cost of these five men and seven cars totally destroyed, this battalion must have inflicted scores if not hundreds of casualties on the enemy. They were a complete success in this front.
Some of this model series were then acquired by the Japanese Army which used them into the 1930s.
The kit from MiniArt
This new armoured car from MiniArt features the additions from the earlier models in an extra set of roadwheels and axles and the British twin Hotchkiss machine guns. Obviously, there are extra markings from the British service of this vehicle also included in the box.
Kit Features
Box Contains Model Of Armored Car With Full Interior
Driver Compartment And Interior Of Turrets Accurately Represented.
Highly Detailed Engine
All Hatches Can Be Assembled In Open Or Closed Position.
Clear Plastic Parts Included
6 Marking Options
Photo-etch Parts Are Included
That is all we know about this kit so far, See more about all of MiniArt's kits on their website...