Meng Mk. A Whippet

2017-2018 WW1 Group Build. Campaign runs from 11/11/2017 to 11/11/2018. Campaign medals awarded for models completed within those dates.
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Raoul Kunz
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Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Now here's a little something for the Great War build.

I actually still intend to build a far bigger diorama with all kinds of infantry and a sorts of timeline-ish design but I don't know if I can finish that before the centenary of the armistice, so I thought I'd go ahead and do something moderately less substantial, especially since I'll loose at least a month to studying and setting some writing in order ;) .

So.. a Whippet.
The Medium Mk. A was the first incarnation (along with the German LK II though that one did not reach mass production as the war ended before a possible implementation) of what would eventually evolve into the cavalry tank and the cruiser tank of the interbellum.
Appropriately enough it served only in the final (once again mobile) operations of the Great War, entering combat in March '18 in the classical cavalry role of covering the infantry's retreats (think gen. Buford's holding action in the vicinity of Gettysburg in 1863) during Operation Michael's onslaught of German divisions, lavishly reinforced with stormtrooper detachments and utilizing new artillery methods. The Whippet also played the other cavalry role of exploitation during the Amiens Offensive in early August `18 when Whippets exploited the breakthroughs archived by the heavies during the "black day of the German army" (this included the berserker like action by Musical Box, look it up, it's insane ;) ) .
The Whippet saw also action during the Entente intervention on the white side during the Russian Civil War and subsequently on both sides during this vicious conflict (hence Philipp's recently reposted "white" Whippet) as well as in the Anglo-Irish war on the side of RIC and it's auxiliary "Black and Tans" and even with the comparably semi-irregular Freikorps during the chaos of the German Revolution in '18-'19.

Though of course the term "mobility" should be seen in context of a war that had been fairly static on the Western Front for three years - it was a vehicle capable of a whirling speed of a dashing 13km/h or ~8mph.... :lol:

This vehicle here will be one of the ~14-15 Whippets captured during Michael, repainted in an irritatingly "Reichswehr-ish" ( :lol: )camouflage of green and sand over grey. As those where exclusively used in an evaluation and test role it will be evidently engaged in just such a role in the projected tiny vignette that will accompany the tank itself.

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Quality is nice overall and unlike some others I had no problems with the casemate construction.
However....
The four Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié MGs are somewhat underwhelming and I couldn't find any turned barrels to replace them and neither where there any straight replacements of these rather obscure fortress and vehicle MGs available.
At least so I though because apparently I'm something of a demented idiot because back in October last year I reviewed ICM's French weapons set.... which contains a very respectable rendition of this very weapon.... :roll:

Anyway - I went ahead and started with the shot-trap-tastic casemate =>
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Now with chassis =>
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And "suspension" (not sprung... :lol: ), subsequently added to the whole orky contraption ;) =>
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And the aforementioned guns =>
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And here's in colour with an initial couple of modulation effects applied =>
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And the current state of affairs with crosses and varnish =>
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Leaving aside the M1909 debacle this is a hugely enjoyable kit that turned out a really quick build :D .
Also it's surprisingly cheap for a current kit the size of a medium WW2 tank :mrgreen: .


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz


(I'll also have a reply for you tomorrow Steve, I'm just usually horribly slow replying, not always!)
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

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Philipp Gross
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Philipp Gross »

Welcome to the Whippet club :mrgreen:

Excellent choice, work and writeup to go with it :D

Great, now I want to build another one :oops: :lol:

Philipp
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Adam Durrant
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Adam Durrant »

Like you Raoul I had a lot of enjoyment building this kit. The only issue was the tracks, they were either way to tight and sprang apart or too loose. I followed the idea from the build on TMN and shaved down the drive sprocket to get the fit right.

Love the camo scheme!

Adam
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Raoul Kunz
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Thanks Adam (late, I know)!
I followed the hint and shaved down the sprocket and it worked splendidly! - thanks! :D

After the long pause I managed to get some very light dry brushing onto the tank as well as one of the tracks affixed and painted. Now with holidays until the 15th of July I reckon I should be able to get some work done! :D
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The officer and gentleman of this set will be in the micro dio witnessing the assessment of the newest Entente devilry in a scene (loosely) based on the photograph below =>
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Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

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Raoul Kunz
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Raoul Kunz »

(Very) minor progress:

The other track being built =>
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The whole weird platform thingy - mine is infinitely less elegant :lol: , but hey, it's "inspired by reality"...probably in a Michael Bay sort of way :lol: :oops: :lol: .
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Painted and with oil treatment =>
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Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

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Shawn Ramsey
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Shawn Ramsey »

Looking really good Raoul. The camo pattern and colors are great.

Shawn
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Steve Hutchinson
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Super woodwork Raoul
You could be a carpenter ;)
Nice work on the starting piece of your 14-18 GB
Good to see you back
Regards
Steve H
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Raoul Kunz
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Thanks Shawn and Steve! :D

I made some minor progress again - in this tempo this will take forever and then some ... but now I only need to glue the asbestos... err I mean the string representing asbestos... ;) onto the exhausts and matt the whole kit down.... err and of course the whole mini dio thing ;) - I need to buy new plaster, thought I still had some lying around but no... apparently not (I will probably, no -certainly, re-appear once I don`'t need it any more). Also added the weird platform thingy.
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Anyway, the kit lost some handles, surprisingly nothing else, because of this here idiot =>
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Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

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Philipp Gross
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Philipp Gross »

Nice progress Raoul :D

I recommend barbed wire and shrapnel mines against the feline threat :twisted:

Philipp
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Shawn Ramsey
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Re: Meng Mk. A Whippet

Post by Shawn Ramsey »

Alittle progress is better than no progress alone. Am I the only one who hates to apply a Matt coat. For me personally it seems to take away from all that hard work applying the paint. It certainly does what it is supposed to and takes away from the color.

Shawn
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