Rolls Royce Armoured Car/ Silver Ghost launched today

[jseverett]

Kian,
The smaller painted detailed model shows dual rear wheels on both sides, the Armortek model only shows single wheels. Which is correct?
Will the armored version also have dual wheels on both side at the rear axle?
I think it is a great idea for Armortek to product a 1/6 scale supercharged Merlin V12 aero engine w/ prop. Armortek certainly has shown that they have the capability to produce it. It would be an awesome kit and would likely sell exceptionally well.

[Vince Cutajar]

You mean something like this:

[BBvideo=560,315][/BBvideo]

It is quarter scale though.

Vince

[Armortek]

I love the way the front mudguards jigsaw together but is there a relief under them or are they solid ?

Is that needed to ensure there is enough weight over the front axle for steering ?

Adrian

The mudguards are solid - this is for a couple of reasons - one is as you pointed out, but importantly they would be too weak if they were thinner aluminium pieces.

Kian

[jseverett]

Kian,
Will the Vickers MG come with the armored version of the RR car?

[Armortek]

The smaller painted detailed model shows dual rear wheels on both sides, the Armortek model only shows single wheels. Which is correct?
Will the armored version also have dual wheels on both side at the rear axle?

Well spotted .. in fact got asked the same thing on facebook.
Our prototype only shows single tyres at the back because that was all we had been able to get designed and built in time. The kit will ship with double rear tyres. The design of them is finished and we will be getting the artwork updated for next week. Putting them on the prototype will depend on the production schedule now, but may also be end of next week or the week after.

Will the Vickers MG come with the armored version of the RR car?

Yes it will.

[Robert Reid]

Those of you thinking of buying one of these should now be thinking of hitting the bay and getting hold of the DiD John Coleman Vickers MG before the sellers began to realise their desirability for these models and up the prices. The DiD Vickers is a wee work of art (if you can get past the badly assembled tripod - an easy fix though) so do grab them if you can!

Pete

BTW - absolutely lovely looking model and the engine kit is a lfantastic addition! Ever considered making a Rolls Royce Merlin Engine, or the RR Meteor Engine (a Merlin with the Supercharger removed). I'd love a working model of a Merlin Engine for my desk, with a big ol Wooden propeller attached. I probably wouldn't get much work done, I'd just sit there and spin up the engine all day long!

I already bought one of the Dragon Vickers... and it is, indeed a gem. Plus, the metal (brass) tripod and ammo belts are a nice addition. The tripod is a bit dodgy, but not terrible. And it beats fabricating one from scratch! The armoured cars typically carried a Vickers tripod in back and often either a second Vickers or a Lewis gun, often scrounged off an aircraft. Lawrence was rather enamored of Lewis guns. I will post some pictures of the Dragon gun this weekend. It's worth every penny!

Note, too, that the water can in the Dragon kit is correct for what the cars used for water. Though the gas cans were bigger tin jobs... pre-Jerry can Standard Oil or Shell tin cans.

I also picked up one of these little beauties on eBay. Made in China. But beautifully done. Fully working bolt and parts. Bayonet. Wood and metal, not plastic. The originals had a rifle rack inside the cabin in case things got a might... sporty. Typically two Enfields.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TI-LITE-1-6-Sc ... xyOa9R1VmZ

But definitely can back up what Pete says about the Dragon Vickers. The gun and accessories are just brilliant!

Cheers,

RPR

[Robert Reid]

Here are some pictures of the Vickers and the Enfield.

Background is my Limber for scale...







Nice compliment to the 'gear.' Now if someone would start reproducing Rum Jugs... Any potters out there?

Cheers,

RPR

[Pete Mallett]

One of the legs on the Vickers in on back to front, which is why it doesn't splay so well. it's not enough to reverse it you've also got to do a little bit of dismantling to put it right. It's not a big job abd let's face it, if you're building Armortek tanks you're more than capable of removing a pin, spinning a bar, and re-inserting the pin. See the link below for disassembly guide.

http://www.onesixth.co.uk/vb4forum/show ... s-a-repost

[Armortek]

Below is a link to a fascinating article on "Solving The Mystery of Blue Mist: “Lawrence’s Rolls-Royce”":

http://www.armortek.co.uk/download/51614/

The team team that wrote this also supported us in the research into the RR Armoured Car and Silver Ghost models that we have made.

Kian

[Robert Reid]

Below is a link to a fascinating article on "Solving The Mystery of Blue Mist: “Lawrence’s Rolls-Royce”":

http://www.armortek.co.uk/download/51614/

The team team that wrote this also supported us in the research into the RR Armoured Car and Silver Ghost models that we have made.

Kian

Thanks for sharing that, Kian.

If anyone is interested... I'm one of the four members of that team. And Jim Stejskal, our team's author, will be joining us here soon, as he is ordering a chassis kit. Jim also owns a 1919 Alpine Eagle that is being re-built as a replica of a tender. He is also currently writing a book called Masters of Mayhem, about Lawrence and the origins of Combined Operations while using the armoured cars in the Hejaz. It will come out in summer and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Pardon the shameless plug. His book on Special Forces Berlin (his former unit) is also worth reading.

On a more Armortek-focused subject... we have a tremendous amount of material on the cars and the chassis/engines. Which we are more than happy to share with the builders community. I have been a 'modeler' since before I was 10... since I can remember, in fact. My 'historian' credentials are a direct result of the fun I have had for more than 45 years... building models and learning that the research that goes into them... is as much fun as the building. I became a bit of a Lawrence scholar somewhere along the way as he is the intersection of military history and Rolls-Royce.

I was utterly honored to work with Kian and Marks' team in Otterbourne to provide some small measure of help on the development of the kit. From our initial discussions online in 2016 and 2017 to my visit to the facility last September... to the recent launch, it's been a great experience to see the project come together and to work with such a talented team.

Anyway... I look forward to my build(s) and to offering up any assistance that anyone may want to bring some of these great armoured cars to life!

Cheers,

RPR

[Armortek]

We have now added some more information on the kits on the website:

Rolls Royce Armoured Car : http://www.armortek.co.uk/rolls-royce-armoured-car/
Silver Ghost Chassis & Engine: http://www.armortek.co.uk/silver-ghost- ... nd-engine/
Silver Ghost Engine: http://www.armortek.co.uk/silver-ghost-40-50-hp-engine/

Kian

[William Bath]

I am truly looking forward to seeing this at the weekend

[Armortek]

Out and about yesterday ....

[Armortek]

Now with DOUBLE rear wheels ... anyone else think it looks like a hotrod ?

[Robert E Morey]

Wow that looks so cool with the dual rear wheels! Beautiful spoked wheels! Great job Armortek!
Bob