Finished: 15mm Dutch M113 C&V Recon Platoon

Hi folks,

Another 'catch up' blog post. This time a pair of Dutch M113 C&V Recon vehicles. These are 15mm resin and metal Battlefront models. And dinky little things they are too. 

To quote from the Battlefront website:

"The M113 C&V (Commando & Verkenning) used by the Dutch reconnaissance troops has the same origins as the Canadian Lynx. However, in the 1970s M113 C&V had its machine-gun cupola replaced with a Oerlikon-Bührle GBD-ADA turret fitted with a 25mm KBA cannon. The 25mm cannon allows them to suppress an enemy position before making their escape."

This vehicle was made by the manufacturers of the M113 APC, and was designed as a private venture but took part in the US Army competion to select a new recce and command vehicle. It lost out to the M114, but went on to be exported to both Canada and the Netherlands. Interestingly the M114's selected by the US military were considered to be failures, and were withdrawn from front line service around 1979 (according to Wiki). Whereas these vehicles carried on in service with the Netherlands and Canada into the 1990's. 

I have another 6 of these vehicles to paint, and will be doing them in pairs alongside small troops of Leopard 2s and PTRL AAA tanks. This should then give me enough to field a Dutch Recce force, when combined with Leo 1s or 2s. 

Basing and aerials to my usual standard, BF decals added (but like most Dutch vehicles of the period, there were very few markings). I have continued to pick out lights and indicators, as they provide some small splashed of colour, alongside painting the vision blocks in periscope blue. As usual, these models were weathered using Tamiya weathering powders, which come up oddly on the photos but look much more natural in person.