Land Rover sIII RAF Police, the 80's

Mark
The boys who, when my motorbike was stolen circa 1981, refused to investigate it as anything other than an insurance scam! Not the brightest folk I've ever met. I'll try not to hold that against your model Sergio, but can't promise. 🙂

Sergio Ordonez
🤣🤣🤣
Mark: I've been an AF Para back during my conscription. I really do not love those MP monkeys....
But I selected this one as there are some decals available and there are some parts that must be built from scratch. This will be a preparation for my next Landie: a British Amy EOD one.
Hope your motorbike was not a Royal Enfield or a Triumph or a Norton: this would be a great loss.

Mark
Yamaha XT250. Absolutely loved that bike. It's been cars and bicycles since that was knicked. If I win the lottery tomorrow, I'll buy this: facebook.com/marketp..25539498668014/?ref=

You probably know that the RAF Police wear a blue beret, but I see the chap in image #6 is wearing a red beret like the Royal Military Police (Army).

Sergio Ordonez
Yes, I know: this one was a prototipe, it is my second time using Magic Sculpt and I'm still too green.
As you see, the figure is far from being perfect.

Mark
The figure looks fine from here Sergio. 👍

Sergio Ordonez
Thank you very much, Mike, but is a little bot oversized and the mix of green stuff and Magic Sculpt proved to be not as addequate as needed.
I have been modifying figures of the old Italery "british tank troops" box to get cold war british soldiers (as these figures are a little bit smaller than others). I'm afraid 1:35 references for 70-80's british troopers are very limited, so this encouraged me to try modelling. The second try would be better.

Mark
Mike? 😮

Sergio Ordonez
I am terrible sorry, Mark: this stupid grammar corrector (is configured for Spanish, not for English). Sorry, I should check better before sending.

Sergio Ordonez
Regarding the XT250, if you are looking for one, there are easy to obtain here in Spain under 3000€, and several are for sale. I think import taxes in Britain are around 12% plus VAT and, knowing that your MOT is a logical thing when compared to our ITV system would be relatively easy for you to get a license plate.
I know that Norton well, as there was one in the family. There were a lot of Norton bikes in Northern Spain in the 70s and 80s, but bought second hand from Canary Islands and Gibraltar. Very neglected, as spare parts were scarce. The Govt subsidies for new cars and bikes destroyed the rest and there are few to none survivors now.
Now I am working on getting a Land Rover Wolf from Britain (ex-MoD) for my farming operation. Hope to get one (or at least, pay less on taxes than on buying the Landie). 🤣

Mark
No problem Sergio, I've lost count of the number of times I've got a name wrong online. 🙂

Mark
Thanks for the tip on the XT250. I've used these sites for modelling research and they may help you find a good landie at a good price:
modsurplus.com/
army-uk.com/sub-equi..p?SID=16&SID2=16
modlandrover.com/

Sergio Ordonez
Thank you very much, Mark! I did know the first one, but no clue about the others!
I have one question for you, as you served the RAF in these times... Those guys of the RAF Police, usually have helmets in their vehicles? I mean, back in the 80s (with all this means for good rock music).

Mark
Re helmets, I'd say probably not Sergio. The banner picture you use at the top of the project made me laugh at first - never seen RAF Plods running unless running to the mess! 🙂 And very odd to see them with SLRs.

If you didn't do helmets and kitted them with 9mm pistols or SMGs, nobody could argue that it wasn't authentic (* always depending on place/scene). DPM (disruptive pattern material) and ballistic vests as per your banner picture would be correct for Germany and Northern Ireland, but for most of UK mainland I'd expect to see them in RAF blue. UK Bloodhound sites and nuclear bomber sites, are probably best treated as for Germany. There are a lot of variables. Are you modelling any specific place/scene?

Sergio Ordonez
I was thinking on RAF Brüggen or RAF Güntersloh. That photo I think was taken on Güntersloh, 1985, when some RAF Police troops try to capture a beer six pack.
Well, also I could change to RAF Blue uniforms (I think the wear caps instead berets, but also they usually patrol on Leyland Sherpa instead Landies).
Regarding the SLR, I found in photographs that whereas Royal Military Police usually appear using Sterling SMGs, RAF Police usually carry SLRs. And in most of photos, RAF monkeys wear INIBA vests. Maybe I should research a little bit more.

Mark
"some RAF Police troops try to capture a beer six pack." 😄 😄 😄 Yes, I can see them running for that!

But that photo is a good reference for you - taken where/when you want to set your scene. If anybody argued about the authenticity of your model, you just show them that photo! Anyway our models are our creations and don't have to please anyone but ourself. 👍

Sergio Ordonez
Well, in fact, I'll be unable to build an authentic license plate, so you are completely right, Mark. Let's see what we get from here. The RE and the BDU ones will be better, but we need to start from here.
Thanks, Mark!

Mark
👍

Rui S
Looking good 👍

Sergio Ordonez
Thank you, mate. Now seems closer to the end. This model is not fit for weathering, as some veterans told me RAFP Landies were neat and cleaned every week, so only small touches will be added, so, apart from some final assembly, this will remain more or less like this.

Sergio Ordonez
Mark: I think these guys are ready to look for your motorcycle...

Mark
It looks more like they're ready for tea break! 😄 Seriously though, I'm getting goose bumps from photo 33 onward - takes me right back in time. 👍

Sergio Ordonez
Well, next one maybe will be an EOD RE one... Breaks are not for tea! 🤣 🤣 🤣
Thank you for your help, Mark. You and other veterans gave me ideas and the impulse to finish this one. After the WK Kafer I thought I had lost my mojo...

Mark
👍

Mark
Looking fwd to the REME build...

Sergio Ordonez
Well, the REME EOD team build will be a kind of imagination: I'll mix again some different photographs for the final product. And I just realized that there is no Bowman Radio set available in 1:35 scale, but, let us try. 🤣