Takom 1/35 SADF G6 Rhino

[Jakko]

Yeah, Dutch is the root language of Afrikaans. Though, today some say that Flemmish is closer.

“Flemish” just means “the dialects of Dutch spoken in Flanders” anyway A word like hokkie sounds very Hollandic to a Dutch speaker¹ because up there² they form diminutives with -ie like in Afrikaans, rather than -je or -ke like the rest of the Dutch-speaking world. For a Dutch-speaker, 90% of written Afrikaans is very easy to follow, spoken is a bit harder but it shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation as long as the Dutch-speaker avoids the past tense

Apparently that vehicle featured on the then South West African and Angolan border.

I didn’t really know vehicles like this were used there as well, I think. The ones in Rhodesia are (relatively) well-known, of course, and you can bet they inspired this one.

The Mamba which is the descendent of the Buffel/Caspir will be a future build, which will be based on a simplified RG-31 kit.

Do you mean you’re going to build the Mamba in future, or the Buffel/Caspir? Either one would be cool to see, of course.

¹ Well, actually, they’d be more likely to think it’s the sport
² Me being from Zeeland, I consider Holland a faraway land up north where strange people live

 

[Snowman]

Listening to the Dutch speak, it's a lot softer than Afrikaans, especially with the throat clearing, hard "g". Down in the Cape, where I'm originally from, you get the "Malmesbury brei" where they roll the "r" in the back of their throat.

Back to the modelling, it's the Mamba that I will look to recreate. Unfortunately there is currently no 1/35 kit available for the Buffel, Caspir and all the Ratel variants. Baxmodels used to do resin kits, but he is now focused on 3D printed 1/72 kits.
I pray that the likes of Trumpeter and Takom do engage with the rest of the SADF military vehicles as they will sell like hot cakes.

 

[Jakko]

I’d probably buy a plastic Buffel kit¹ right away, the strange look of the vehicle has always appealed to me. So does the G6, TBH, but not quite enough to buy the kit

¹ Of the South African one, that is — in the Dutch army, “Buffel” is the Leopard 2 ARV, of which there is a plastic kit but it’s not an appealing enough vehicle for me to want to build anytime soon.

 

[Snowman]

After half assembling the hull, I had to chuckle because it reminded me of an early ATAT walker from the clone wars, missing a leg.

Anyway, pleased with my progress so far. Though I need to ponder the headlights which too are different to the variant depicted in the kit.

Till the next update!

 

[Snowman]

My research has paid off and I have imagery of the original headlights fitted to the G6 and contrary to my initial assumption they are protected with an armoured housing.

They look like old school Hella fog lamps stacked on top of each other.

Whilst watching this short video I realised that I had misinterpreted the LH turret copula. This as well as the lights will require some surgery.

Till next time!