1:35 Alvis FV622 Stalwart - Exterior Interior Set (3D-Printed / for Airfix Kits)

A six-wheeler that could swim

The Alvis Stalwart came about from a requirement to get a load to places an ordinary truck cannot reach. All three axles were driven, the wheels turned in independent swinging arms, and the vehicle could be taken straight down into water, where waterjets at the rear propelled it. The British Army put it into service in the mid-1960s and the soldiers quickly found a nickname of their own for it. Its work was thankless: carrying ammunition and fuel across muddy terrain right up to artillery positions.

What the set adds

The combination of exterior and interior elements targets the two places where an injection molded kit runs out of breath. On the outside these are the small fittings, handles and protrusions that a mold rounds off. Inside it is the cab, more of which is visible through the glazing than a modeler would wish, and an empty molded interior gives it away at once.

Notes on building

First lay the whole set out and match it to the places on the kit, because some of the parts are fitted before the hull is glued up and later you will no longer get to them. Finish and paint the cab separately, and only then close it up. Insert the glazing at the very end. Rinse the castings, which rids them of printing residue on which paint would hold unreliably.

It is worth recalling that the amphibious capability did not stay on paper. The vehicle drove into water under its own power, swam at walking pace and was propelled by a pair of waterjets at the rear, which made it a real exception in the British vehicle fleet. A build with the doors open and a worked-out cab will show this unusual design far better than a closed-up model.