Our good friends at Mini Art have just sent us details of the latest incarnation of their First World War Austin kit. This one goes by the lengthy title of ‘Austin Armoured Car 1918 Pattern – British Service Dunsterforce’. If you haven’t heard of Dunsterforce, you’re not alone. Early 20th Century isn’t my field of expertise, so I consulted Wikipedia, which tells us: “Dunsterforce was an Allied military force, established in December 1917 and named after its commander, Major-General Lionel Dunsterville. The force comprised fewer than 350 Australian, New Zealand, British and Canadian officers and NCOs, who were drawn from the Western and Mesopotamian fronts. The force was intended to organise local units in northern Iran (Persia) and South Caucasus, to replace the Tsarist army that had fought the Ottoman armies in Armenia. The Russians had also occupied northern Iran in co-operation with the British occupation of southern Iran, to create a cordon to prevent German and Ottoman agents from reaching Central Asia, Afghanistan and India.
Dunsterville and the rest of the force, with reinforcements from the 39th Infantry Brigade, drove in 500 Ford vans* and armoured cars about 220 mi (350 km) from Hamadan across Qajar Iran to Baku. Dunsterforce fought in the Battle of Baku from 26 August to 14 September 1918 and retreated from the city on the night of 14/15 September, to be disbanded two days later”.
*Photos show pick up trucks rather than vans.
As you know, MAFVA is all about furnishing you with information so if you want to read more go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunsterforce Or visit the National Army Museum website page:https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/dunsterforce-caucasus where you can find photographs (Including the Model T Fords and a Rolls Royce Armoured Car involved in the action).
The kit provides markings for four different vehicles and also includes an interior. Although we’ve yet to see the kit itself, it looks impressive from the photos. PE is provided and has tiny details such as the padlocks for the stowage bins. There are excellent representations of the Vickers machine guns complete with ammo belts and ammo cans.
The doors and window flaps can be positioned opened or closed, but quite franckly it would be a shame to hide all the interior details including the twin driving positions. No news as yet on when we can expect to see this kit in the shops but Mini Art kits are stocked by most of the main dealers and no doubt some will be taking advanced orders. I can see this little known subject could well be represented in future model competitions and I look forward to seeing what MAFVA members come up with.