LVT-4 Water Buffalo (Buffalo IV)

Some Arrowhead models of the LVT-4 Water Buffalo (or as the British called it the Buffalo IV). I have been itching to get these since they were released but have resisted as I have plenty of other things to do, but finally succumbed in a recent order.

A very nice model, but needs a little bit of care putting together. It comes as a top and bottom piece, the two sides and the rear door. After a bit of experimentation I found it is best to glue the top and bottom together then the sides need filing until they slot in. Some off the top and a bit off the bottom; just do a bit at a time and keep trying to fit the piece in until it fits just right. Thing to remember is to put the rear door in before the final side is glued on as it slots into two holes in each of the side pieces. After a bit of thought I decided to glue the rear door closed. The kit comes with a variety of machine gun options, but for some variety on the final one I used some Pendraken roof top machine guns (I found photos with this type of machine gun being used).

Markings wise I did as a British vehicle with a regimental number on the front (saw one in a museum photo with 67 on the front) and a squadron marking on the rear.

It is a big old thing and quite heavy in metal for a vehicle in this scale.

The one with some Pendraken roof top MGs

I also got a LVT (A) Mark 1 as I fancied making it - I have no need of it so already sold on ebay. It does give a useful size comparison and the LVT 4 is a larger vehicle, particularly on height (ignoring the turret on the LVT (A))

I have some LVT 2 from Gramodels which are 1/150 scale. Noticeably smaller than the LVT 4 but some of that is the actual size difference in the real vehicles. The comparison with the Arrowhead LVT (A) shows that other than on length they are broadly the same size.

I found this on line and as long as the link is still working it provide some useful scale drawings of the various variants to compare sizes: LVT size comparison