BISON DECALS


BD-35092, Daimler Dingo Scout Car. 1/35th-scale water-slide decals with instructions.





The recent release by MiniArt of a series of newly-tooled Daimler Dingo Scout Cars has made fans of this diminutive AFV quite happy. The basic kits are quite well-done and the vehicle saw wide-spread service beginning in 1940. If the Mk.Ib kit that I have reviewed here at MLs ToT has any major deficiency, it would have to be the markings, which are either in-accurate for the specific sub-type in the box, or in-complete.. So, an after-market sheet would seem to have a place.

There are enough markings for ten complete vehicles on this sheet, plus some generics. They are as follows:

Dingo Mk.II, 50th BN., RTR, 23rd Armoured Brigade. Tunisia, 1943.
Dingo Mk.II, NZAC Training Depot, near the Red Sea in 1945.
Dingo, 11th Hussars, 7th Armoured Division, Holland 1944-45.
Dingo Mk.Ia, 3rd Bn., RTR, 1st Armoured Division, BEF. Holland 1940 (corrected to a Mk.I at Calais).
Dingo Mk.II, HQ 2nd NZ Division, El Alamein, November 1942.
Dingo Mk.II, 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, 7th Armoured Division, Germany 1945.
Dingo Mk.II, 10th Mounted Rifles, 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (Polish). England 1942-43.
Dingo Mk.II, 5th Bn., RTR, 4th Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division. Libya 1942.
Dingo Mk.II, 1st Corps.
Dingo Mk.Ib, 4th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, 7th Armoured Division. Libya 1942.





The various marks have several different color schemes, which range from a plain sandy or drab green color, to camouflage patterns in various colors on the base coats. The markings are typical in that the usual British-style unit and AoS signs, Squadron signs, census numbers and the occasional vehicle name. Allied recognition stars and RAF-style roundels add more interest. In addition, many of these vehicles carried a variety of fittings, such as sand channels, tool and stowage lockers, POL cans and spare tires; this adds even more options for the modeler. Finally, one scheme has been revisited by my colleague Peter Brown, and is described on Bisons web-site. It is as follows: Correction to alternative D: This is likely to be a Mk I in Calais. Plausible WD numbers should be F9386 - F9557.





The instructions are nicely laid out as half-tone drawings; they often feature more than one full view, as well as some scrap views. The various differences in vehicle configuration and fittings are shown as well. Camouflage patterns are also shown, and references are listed. The modeler is also directed to Bisons web-site, where full-color instructions can be down-loaded and printed, as needed. Finally, a map is included that shows the designs as they appear on the sheet, with their superimposed alpha-numeric identifiers. These correspond to the call-outs for each scout car in the instructions. This is quite handy and takes much of the guess-work out of the process. Small but informative notes appear in several locations throughout.

The designs are printed by Begemot, Bisons usual supplier. The quality is excellent, with good color saturation, proper registration and crisply-detailed edges. The carrier film is matte and cut close to the edges of the designs. It should be noted that the blue on the RAF roundel is much lighter than it should be; it closely resembles the color seen on contemporary French roundels.

The MiniArt kit will make up into a fine display piece; adding some proper after-market markings will put further icing on an already tasty cake.


Highly recommended.


Frank V. De Sisto


Bison products are available at retail and mail order shops. For more information, visit: www.angelfire.com/pro/bison.

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Here's the latest information from Peter Brown regarding the options on this sheet.

Option H is a Mk.Ib, not a II.
Option D is a Mk.II, not a Ib.

Thanks, Peter!

Frank V. De Sisto

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