MkA Whippet WWI Medium Tank 1918 (German capture)

Thanks Ash. Yes... thinking of a simple base for it.

The only photo I have found, showing the tank with exhaust guards, is the Japanese version above. so maybe British versions were never fitted with them.

However, I decided to 'field fit' some anyway, made from craft wire:

Added some more grousers to the rear.



Also I found these on the web. Cans are $4.99 for nine and the boxes are $9.99 for six. So I've ordered two sets of each.





I'm also dispensing with the above luggage and going with this instead. It's WWII stuff but it looks more period correct to me.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

I got the base colour laid tonight.





Ultimately, it's going to be done in German WWI camo, which is these three colours.............





........... and will hopefully come out looking something like this one:

I'm not sure this is prototypicaly correct but I went ahead and added a couple of 'in field' racks for the camo netting.

Great detailing. I can't imagine hanging any cans, gas, water, anything on the outside where any stray bullet would empty the contents onto the tank. The "wooden blocks" idea makes sense in the muck of that place and time.

This will be a sweet looking tank Al.

Thanks both. Your comments mean a lot.

I dyed some non-stretch ordinary cotton bandage in some tea/coffee to make some camo netting. What do you think? To light?

Looks good physically Al,
I'd just dip it in an acrylic black wash and then wring it out to give a little worn stain effect.

I'm thinking of buying one of these kits now I've been searching images on t'interweb...... So much scope!

Looking Good, AL. Like the camo net.

Thanks both.

I'm thinking of buying one of these kits wrote:

The basic kit is nothing to write home about Colin and all the butt joints and the crappie tracks don't do it any favours either. (A.M. tracks available if you want to pay for them).

BUT it is a great basis for some scratch building. Pretty much anything goes as a lot of 'field modifications' were carried out back then.

Yup! I thought the nets looked too light. After reading you suggestion, I spotted my Tamiya paint jar which contains cellulose thinners I use for brush cleaning. It had about 4mm of mucky grey sludge in it, and the brain cell went into drive mode.

Looks a much better colour now. I took the opportunity to makes some cuts in the net too with the modelling knife. I think it still needs some 'distressing' though.

Next decision. Do I roll the netting neatly, as in there was plenty of time to do so:





OR... stuff it in any old how, as in 'Hey up, quick, die Englisch kommen.?

Looks bang on.

I prefer it a bit rough and ready, I think it depicts the era nicely, maybe tied down with some rope?

Im with Colin, not sure if they would have just dumped it in the carrier way back when, and knowing life, when you take stuff out of a box, you can never get it back the way it was!!

P.s. sludging was a great idea, looks far more realistic

Thanks both. You guys are hard taskmaster to be sure.!!! LOL

How does this look?



I think I have the steel cable sorted too. I haven't been fishing for five years but I remembered something I used for Carp fishing:



It's braid covered lead wire, used to nail down the last yard of line close to the hook bait. The important part is the lead wire inside, when stripped of the braid. It has a pattern on it which I think does a fair representation of steel cable....



.... and of course, being lead, holds a shape well. Just need to figure out some end eyes now!!! Always something, always something!!! LOL

I did the camo tonight. First time doing free hand camo with an airbrush. I think it came out quite 'canny lyke'.





Clear coat and decals applied.





Next up is the messy but fun part... weathering.

Looks good from here.

To-day I made a start on the weathering by adding some rust streaks along the right flank.

Since the Whippet didn't enter active service until December 1917 and WWI ended in November 1918, I think only moderate rusting would have taken place.

Just found out also, of the few the Germans were able to capture, all were used for training purposes during WWI. The only German capture version to see 'active' service was during the German revolution of 1919, when only one ever saw 'combat' However, without a proper gun, it was hopelesly outclassed by the German A7V and quickly dispatched.

In war, as in racing, technology rules and yesterday's top dog can become today's "old dog" in need of new tricks! Thanx for an interesting model few of us here would see otherwise.

Interesting tidbit of History. Looking good Al.

Coming on nicely Al.

As I've said I've been swotting up on these tanks with a view to have a bash, now I'm in no way a rivet counter... But I do like to have things "about right" anyway, it seems that pdf I sent you might have a few inaccuracies , I've come across two military data bases that state the whippet mark A saw operations in March (tank "A321") (tanks-encyclopedia.com, uses Bovington as a source)
Then again, a link from this site states. The June 1917 deadline was not respected, and the first batch of "Whippets" were delivered in October 1917.

Conflicting evidence across the board, with no MOD paperwork archives to access like we can with WW2.

Colin.... this is my source of info.

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/gb/British_medium_Mark-A_whippet.php

In there it states that the Whippets were delivered in October 1917 but that the crews then needed intesive training so the first unit wasn't operational until December.

However, the British army was in a recovery period following the Flanders and Somme offensives, so the Whippet didn't see action until sometime in march 1918.

So I guess that ties in nicely with your own research.

Not that any of that matters when building the kit of course. Just interesting.

Skid, I have been totally uninterested in Armor in the past, but your modeling has raised my appreciation in this genre. Especially the really vintage stuff.
Nice nice work on all of them.

Thanks for the compliment Clay.

but your modeling has raised my appreciation in this genre. wrote:

Ha! ha!!.... you and Johnj should get to-gether.

I think armour would be right up your street, the weathering side shares much in common with your rat rod builds.

Yeah it's interesting how many variations on data are floating around.

Thats the Web page that has a picture of the the A321 tank top left the text below states operations in March 17
Maybe this is a typo?

As you correctly say it's very interesting though, it's a shame not more paperwork is available from reliable sources.

And yes, vintage stuff has so much more about it in my opinion, cars, bikes, armour, aircraft.... All classic designs.

Now stop chatting and get on with your whippet....... I'm eager to see the end result.