British Army MAN HX RMMV

[Leadmill]

One of the more noticable absences from modern military and railway modelling is the MAN HX series of trucks currently in use by the British Army and other armed forces. The only other modern(ish) kit out there is the now OOP JB Models/Airfix Bedford MK. The MAN HX has a wide variety of subclasses ranging from 4 to 16 wheelers in many configurations. I've been after some for my layout for a long time now and I am suprised a company like Oxford has not looked into it. Even Shapeways only has N gauge offerings.

 

Modern military vehicles are a little niche but companies like Oxford LOVE niche so hopefully this is something they might consider.

 

[Wheatley]

Is this any good ?

 

http://www.kingfisherminiatures.co.uk/uk-man-hx77-heavy-support-vehicle-16ton-8x8-cargo-i289.htm

 

Revell do the older version in 1/72, not sure there's much in common beyond the basic shape though.

[alastairq]

.....except, if I recall correctly [as a one time military instructor on these vehicles].....the British military refer to them as ''15' tonners, rather than '16?'

 

Not that it makes any difference.

The main thing to watch for if using a 'generic' MAN vehicle is the type of suspension.

 

In the main, the general purpose vehicles bought for the UK armed forces was the 'cheap' option.....leaf springs, and a bogie for the rear end on the 9 & 15 tonners....and very different layout visible behind the cab.

 

The more expensive versions[sold to German Army, for example]....had coil sprung suspension, with the engine not actually 'underneath' the cab, unlike the cheap options.

 

The UK Army had to purchase the full monty version for the recovery vehicle...the add-ons weren't available with the cheap chassis [of the 15 tonner, and it's derivatives, like EPLS]

 

A 9 tonner cannot be easily converted to a 6 tonner, since the latter is quite a bit lower than the former.......which made life a lot easier for an auld fahrt to climb in & out of the cab.....there may have been a consideration for providing us auld fahrts with a Stannah lift, to assist entry and egress.....but I digress....

[alastairq]

The 'up=armoured' version of the above would make an interesting mod....etched bar armour, for example?  Also, window lines were altered...

Whatever one does ,however, if one is to tilt the cab, then, FFS disconnect the steering first.....

[Leadmill]

It was a shame Oxford never did the 4-Tonner tbh, but I managed to get a fair few JB models kits before the got rare.

[Catkins]

I understand that Airfix now own the moulds to the JB range of 1:76 vehicles.

If the kits are re-introduced is a different matter, with the recent management appointments at Oxford and Hornby.

[Ouroborus]

Revell 1:72 Scale Man 7t Milgl https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0040RJ0FA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3hOhCb6QBEDBB

 

I've built a couple of these. They build into a really nice model

[sandsmodels]

i am in the process of mastering quite a few of the man gb truck, both hx & sx types.

the first 2 are a 4x4 & 6x6 gs models but and 8x8 gs and a wrecker are planned for 2022.

i know this is an old post but no one else seems to be doing them in 1/72 scale so far.

we already make 4x4, 6x6 & 8x8 west german man kat1 trucks.

[JCB 3C no.2]

Apparently MAN can control the engine management systems on these vehicles from Munich !

Edited February 27, 2022 by JCB 3C no.2

[sandsmodels]

4 gs versions now finised a 4x4 hx, 6x6 hx & 8x8 hx as well as a 6x6 sx.

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by sandsmodels

[sandsmodels]

[quicksilvercoaches]

Reviving this old thread as I bought one of the S&S recovery vehicle kits and finished it in civvy colours.

 

 

 

 

 

A little simplified to make it suitable for wargaming but it captures the impressive bulk of these machines. After finishing it I discovered Feather 3D Printing, who do it with open windows in both 1/72 and 1/76 scales. I've bought one of theirs for comparison with the S&S offering but as they're printed to order it hasn't arrived yet.

[sandsmodels]

fab job on that, we do get the odd pic of civy versions of models but as that is still a rare vehicle in civy hands looks good in that scheme.

would it be possible to use a pic or 2 for the webshop?

thanks

[quicksilvercoaches]

7 hours ago, sandsmodels said:

fab job on that, we do get the odd pic of civy versions of models but as that is still a rare vehicle in civy hands looks good in that scheme.

would it be possible to use a pic or 2 for the webshop?

thanks

Glad you like it. I've been wanting to see what one might look like in civvy colours but as far as I know no recovery firm in the UK has one - have any been sold by the MOD yet? I could imagine Adam Crouch buying one and painting it in his bright orange.

Feel free to use the pics. I've just finished the Unimog in the same colours so I'll get some pics of that too next week.

[sandsmodels]

hi

thanks for that, a few have been sold at auction by the main mod auctioners, can't remember the name at present.

crouch  have an ex us army oshkosh m1070 done as a wrecker and i have just finished both the gb & usa versions of the het's.

i wish i could post pics!

thanks again and looking forward to the mog as well

shaun

[quicksilvercoaches]

Here's the @sandsmodels Unimog. Perhaps an unlikely thing to find in UK civvy hands as it's an Australian army vehicle, but that's the beauty of a fictional fleet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi all,

 

Some MAN British Army trucks are starting to appear in 1/76 scale....

 

This seller on eBay is one source.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/feather3dprinting

 

Not sure what the range is - I've messaged asking but no reply yet - I note eBay say he is away at present though.

 

Phil H

Edited September 30, 2023 by Scottish Modeller

[quicksilvercoaches]

On 30/09/2023 at 21:23, Scottish Modeller said:

Hi all,

 

Some MAN British Army trucks are starting to appear in 1/76 scale....

 

This seller on eBay is one source.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/feather3dprinting

 

Not sure what the range is - I've messaged asking but no reply yet - I note eBay say he is away at present though.

 

Phil H

I've got one of the Feather MANs which should be finished this week. It's very different from the S&S version. According to his Facebook page, he's going to be doing the Foden 6x6 wrecker, which is one I'm looking forward to.

[sandsmodels]

the mog looks great, sold more in the uk than in oz? lol

i hope to do a foden also at some point when i get some spare time!

if only i had more time.

oh well

thanks for showing

[quicksilvercoaches]

Here's the Feather 3D MAN wrecker. It's completely different and much chunkier than the S&S version and I suspect may be based on a non-UK type as it's LHD.

 

 

 

 

There's something odd with the dimensions though. The Feather was ordered as 1/76 but is noticeably bigger than the 1/72 S&S. I don't know which is more accurate as I haven't found any dimensions for the real thing, but they don't sit well together.

 

 

[RANGERS]

All those wrecker in the fleet suggests you need to spend less on those and more on maintaining the rest of the fleet?

[quicksilvercoaches]

4 hours ago, RANGERS said:

All those wrecker in the fleet suggests you need to spend less on those and more on maintaining the rest of the fleet?

Our fleet don't break down! The wreckers are there to recover other operators' vehicles and the income from them funds the maintenance of the coach fleet.

[sandsmodels]

nice model, but mine is as near 1/72 as i could get it, imho if you compare it to the revell man cabs which is what they are based on., wheels look a lot bigger, i have bought and seen several supposed scaled 3d prints and most are not the scale they are stated as sadly.

[quicksilvercoaches]

Here's another @sandsmodels product, the newly-released M60 recovery conversion kit for the US Army M35 cargo truck. The base model is a cheap but surprisingly good snap-together Chinese plastic kit.

 

[sandsmodels]

that does look good, i found those chinese m35's a while ago and are ideal for gaming and conversions, the only thing that does not look right is the cab roof a sort of halfway between a hard top and soft top one.

i did the wrecker conversion a long time ago and really forgot about it for ages.

i did speak to a yank who said they did not like them in service as they were under powered for towing.

i must admit i have a laugh when i see them pictured on ebay as who ever builds them does tend to get the wheels wrong!

thanks for the pic.