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ATENÇÃO:
A publicação de qualquer imagem ou informação referentes ao nazismo, fascismo ou quaisquer outros regimes totalitários deve ser entendida como reprodução do rigor histórico e não como apologia a estes regimes, líderes ou símbolos.

AEC Mk II AA Armoured Car prototype - 1/35 - case report

Well, Lads !!!
      Let's start with big style: with a rare and unusual vehicle: a cool conversion to inaugurate my new Bunker!
AEC Mk II  British AC
      I will build an AEC Mk II version AA, which was built only one unit, for feasibility studies.
Prototype AEC Mk II AA -AC
History:  
      This version derivated from AEC Mk II mounting a Crusader AA turret with twin 20mm Oerlikon cannon capable of high elevation to engage enemy aircraft. Did not enter in production due to Allied air superiority in Northern Europe. Only one prototype built. You can see more about AEC ACs Mk I and Mk III clicking in the links.

Specs:
AEC Mk II AA  Armoured Car
Place of origin          UK
Production history
Number built01 - early 1944
Specifications
Weight12.7 t 
Length5.18 m 
Width2.74 m
Height2.52 m 
Crew4 - driver, 2 loaders and  comm.

Armor16–65 mm 
Main
armament
2 automatic Oerlikon 20mm
450 rounds/min
muzzle velocity :830 m/s
ammo: 600 rds
Secondary
armament
Vickers K .303
EngineAEC 197 diesel - 6 cil
105-158 hp at 2.000 rpm (78-118 kW)
Power/weight12.4 hp/tonne
Suspensionwheel - 4x4
Operational
range
400 km 
Speed58–65 km/h

The kits:
      For this project, I'll use these beauties:
AEC Mk. II - Injected by MiniArt
ARMO conversion kit, made in Poland.

      Yesterday, I started the project:
The ARMO resin kit. Superb casted...
The Miniart kit. speechless...very, very good !!!
      The turret ARMO is very good, but has a defect, an eaves on the roof, which is absent in the original turret ...
No eaves in the Crusader roof...
       The option is cut !  Surgery time !!!
The disease !!
The cure !!!
almost done

Corrected. Much better !!!
      The metal guns from ARMO are simple, but honest:
Oerlikon L/70 20mm from ARMO - Nicely shaped, but simple ...
The guns ...
       I ordered the excellent barrels from RB Models ... Let's see how long they will take to get here in Brazil ...
New technology guns from RB Models. Another level of manufacturing...
       After this little journey in the Resin Land (just to get back in touch), let's build the chassis: the kit Miniart is amazing...
Hull - belly view

front suspension
      As the antiaircraft version was a prototype and used a standard Mk II chassis, I kept the racks of ammunition, as poetic license ...
Notice the engine...
Nice interior details...

       Gentlemen, start your engines !!!!
AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - left side

AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - right side

       Painting the interior and the engine...
sub-assembles...

sub-assembles

       Using this pic, I made some wiring in the engine:
AEC 197 diesel - 6 cil engine - left side

The engine in his bed !!!
belly view

       I love build the wheels !!!  Massive tyres !!!
The Dunlop tyres...
The front and rear transmissons and axles...
In place...Notice the details in PE
The "belly" protetcion in place...
Testing the alignement...
warrior bug...

Eyes left !!!
With her sister, the Mk III from Accurate
I built the ARMO Crusader turret but the prototype had the Crusader's most developed turret. See the pic below with inserts...
Notice the differences between turrets
       Again, surgery time...very easy...
Cutting the side shields...

rising the side portions of turret..
Putty...
New side shields...
Almost there...
Almost there...

The aiming device made with copper wire
The aiming device in position

Much better !!!
Testing the turret's collar...
Turret basket..
The turret fitting...
Done...
Internal weathering and the drive's hatch...
The upper hull "welded" in place...
AEC Mk III and AEC Mk II AA...
      Yesterday, was the day of the heaviest adaptations. James Guld, in Missing-Lynx, suggested the trimming down in the front armour of the turret, which "lips" is greatly exaggerated in the turret ARMO. With the removal of these flanges, the front bolts must be repositioned, as noticed by Paul Kirchner also in Missing Lynx.
      And Hudy Jatai, in Webkits, alert to the flatness between the front and rear fenders. Thanks for the tips, boys !!!  Let's see the results of the surgeries...First of all, the improvements in the turret. After the front plate was trimmed down, the six studs/bolts will have to be relocated. I remembered the screws of the side armour of the AFV Churchill, that I have in my spare parts box ...
Spare parts....Gift of the Gods!!
Same shape and size....Voilááá..
Warning ...
Remove children front of the computer.
The following scenes are very shocking...
Cutting the bolts...
Done...The resin is so good that the screws could be reused ...
Trimming down the front armour...
       After cutting the lips of armor, I applied putty on the armour surface (on the cuts of the screws)  and put it aside to dry (and for my heartbeat back to normal ...). Meanwhile, we study the changes in the fenders and in the side racks ...
Planning the cuts...
The side hatch will be sealed...
Starting the modifications...
Drawing the "bridge" between the fenders ...
The measurements,  in millimeters
(if another crazy want to do the same project ...)
 Warning !!! Shocking images !!!
Cutting the fenders !!!  No regrets!!!
Madness !!!  Madness!!!
       After applying the fenders  "bridges" and laminate the side racks (sorry. .. could not shoot ..) with thin plasticard (see the hull in background...), I turned my attention to the turret
The bolts places...
Done !!!   ufff!!!!
      And the beast, after the plastic surgery:
Uops...wrong picture...
almost there...

AEC Mk II AA under construction

left rear view

front view

 More advances: adding details ...
left view

front view

rear view

Ready for painting...
Vallejo Olive-Drab primer plus Lifecolor Acrylic
hull ready - right side
      I love operational markings...if the vehicle was operational, she could participate in the Normandy landings...
After Future, decals...Satan is born...
AEC Mk II AA - 5th RTR, 7th Armoured Division, Normandy - 1944.
AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA

       Now, it's expect dry the decal to the beginning of weathering ...
 I also finished this young, by St. George!!  I did the final detailing with the Soviet S-51 ...I like to do it this way to save time (I have so many virgins kits in my closet, yet ...). Let's go:
The metal guns from RBModels finally arrived...
Dont forget; buy two sets !!!
Notice the differences...
The guns in the turret...
close view

       And after the weathering ( prototype...the vehicle was not very worn ...)
AEC Mk II AA  "Satan"- 5th RTR, 7th Armoured Division, Normandy - 1944
AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA - left side
AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA - right side
AEC Mk II AA
AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA  "Satan" with Kojak, for size comparison
AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA

AEC Mk II AA "Satan" - 5th RTR, 7th Armoured Division, Normandy - 1944
       My last projects, side by side...
S-51 SPG and AEC Mk II AA
Kojak approves !!!

      See you, soon, Lads !!!