This is a conversion set using the AFV Club Scorpion as a base.
Scorpions served alongside Scimitars (CK3545) during Operation Desert Storm (17 January 1991 to 28 February1991) in response to Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait. The British Army was one of 35 coalition nations under US leadership.
By this time, the Scorpion was coming towards the end of it’s service life. Over the years, much of the Scorpion’s and Scimitar’s stowage arrangements had become standardised, though there were still differences. Most turrets had ‘RAF Regiment’ turret bins on both turret sides and the rear (modification instruction No.341 for Turret External Stowage, Feb 1989). The rear turret bin was the wider and angled type for carrying the OTIS thermal sight. On the right side of the rear bin (sometimes both sides) was a Chieftain grease gun bin. Without the ‘RAF’ bins fitted on the sides, Chieftain grease gun bins or large ammo boxes could also be seen on Scorpions in GW1. An OTIS ring mount was standard on top of the commander’s periscope. Extra smoke grenade boxes appeared at various locations round the turret.
The large turret bins helped a lot when going to war, but more stowage space was still needed. On the hull, the rear boot bin remained the same. The left side hull box (driver’s bin) was wider and deeper, thanks to the removal of the float screens many years before, probably introduced at the same time as the ‘RAF’ turret bins. In front of the driver’s bin was a half-length Chieftain tool bin fitted under the driver’s hatch, bolted onto the sponson. Welding was impossible due to the aluminium construction of the vehicle.
The right side of hull had a second half Chieftain tool bin bolted onto the trackguard in front of the exhaust. The hull front had a half-length Chieftain bin, made shallower by cutting it just below the centre pressed rib, with a new bottom welded in place so it sat in line with the top of the hull front. 7.62 mm ammo boxes were bolted either side of the Chieftain bin. Jerrycans were very important, particularly water. These were bolted to the ends of the boot bin, some vertical, some angled, in a variety of different frame styles. Three styles of frame are included in this set. A shovel was usually carried on the boot bin.
To the end of their service, all Scorpions were still equipped with 3-pot smoke launchers*. All of them had the bolted transmission cover* and the original Armstrong suspension system* (SMM3509) was only just starting to be replaced at this time. (*None of these are included in the AFV Club kit.) Idlers and sprockets had certainly been updated in line with Scimitars. Clansman was the standard radio fit (SMM3527).
Of course there were variations depending on the whims of the crews or the units fitting the additional stowage. Refer to your own reference if you want to build a particular vehicle. We have tried to cover most of the bases to give you a representative model.(Thanks to Des Burgess, ex-1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards who served during GW1, for some of the above info.)
(Thanks to Des Burgess, ex-1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards who served during GW1, for some of the above info.)