Hi Mark, firstly, thanks for looking.
Secondly the AFV kit it´s good(of course ALWAYS could be better
) I had some problems in the rear hull, and the worst part are the wheels. All of them. I´m thinking for that reason AFV released an upgrade set of wheels later. I don´t know if that wheels set it´s the same sprue parts of this kit, I hope not.
The other downside is the missing mantlet cover. I´ve tried to find the AFV one (ref 35001) and that was impossible. Finally I decide to move on without it (I did not scratch it because the shape it´s rather complicated). Okuno´s M41 and Skybow´s M41 have the mantlet cover included in the kit, but AFV apparently discontinued it. I´m not pretty sure but those two brands are out of bussiness.
However, these lacks are quite minimum if you think that the kit could be builded fast, and certainly a "tamiya´s quality fit".
I recomend the Eduard´s PE ref. 35504. And of course the AFV Workable links ref. 35046. These two things are very good and increase the details of the model.
Later, about the ref. material. As you know it´s very difficult to find original photos, and the few that exist doesn´t help much.
You could find two photos in Samer Kassis 30 years of military vehicles in Lebanon. I guess these are in olive drab scheme, from Kataeb party, with the cedar logo in the turret sides and rear hull.
Also you´ll find the Mig Jimenez M41 in the Steelmasters n°69 issue and there´s an original photo of two former lebanese army Bulldogs, in sand scheme, with arab writtings over the turret´s sides.
Afterwards, Archer´s transfers has a reference for arab vehicles and there you can find two or three "usable" slogans to put in the Bulldog.
I used the Arab Social party slogan.
In the internet, I´ve found a useful thread in colleurs de plastique;
Very interesting. The olive green´s photos are when the Lebanese Army received the bulldogs. The other two are from the civil war, with a sand scheme. Sadly I cannot post links yet, because I´m new here.
And finally, here a couple of pics of my model in a very very very first weathering stage. Some modulation and oil wash only. Now I´m chipping the turret and applying some AK products.
I put them in that way to make an easier paintjob. I´ll put these in the right way (perhaps without tools?). What do you think?
