1/6th Light Strike vehicle by Crispy

The Chenowth Light Strike Vehicle

This Light Strike Vehicle started out as a Action Man like toy from Hasbro. Overall the proportions were pretty good but I had issues with the roll cage being the wrong shape (presumably to facilitate access for bulky action figures) and the side bins were undersize and not very well detailed.

So after a little research the bins were completely removed and remade using aluminium tubing, brass rod and steel mesh. The front supports of both the driver and rear gunners roll cage (which were almost vertical on the original toy) were replaced with tubing at a more accurate angle. This meant I had to rebuild the roof of the drivers compartment with more steel mesh, plasticard and scratch build a main weapon mount. The front seats were cut and re positioned in to a more reclined angle. This meant they had to be positioned further forward on the chassis. The rear seat was cut in half and cleaned up.

A GPMG (or M240 for the US) was added to the front passengers position, as yet I haven't added a weapon to the rear mount. The main weapon can be changed from either the Mk19 Grenade launcher to a .50 cal heavy MG. I like the look of the Mk19 but the ammo hopper posed some problems as there isn't room to mount it on the side of the weapon. I bit more research dug up a picture of an Mk19 equipped LSV that had the ammo hopper mounted on the side of the roll cage. An enclosed feed chain then ran from the hopper to the weapon. So as soon as I find something suitable to use for the feed chain I'll use this set up.

The engine of the original toy looks pretty puny but as I'd intended this vehicle to be loaded down with stowage, I decided to hide it with fuel cans and netting rather than rebuild it. There are actually 10 fuel cans dotted around this little buggy which sounds excessive, but the real LSV's suffered from a lack of fuel capacity which is one of the reasons the SAS chose to stick with their Landrovers during the 1991 Gulf War.

The whole vehicle was then painted black and over sprayed with desert tan, just like the real thing. Then it was a matter of filling it up with the sort of stowage and equipment 3 guys would need in the desert for extended patrols.