Scale Plastic & Rail

1/76 BEF Matilda II and Softskins (I) 1940 Decals from Dan Taylor Modelworks

Dan Taylor Modelworks
Items Number DTM-T-76018 and DTM-T-76020
Available direct from Dan Taylor Modelworks for £6.95 and £3.50 respectively

There are many manufacturers today producing AFVs and military vehicles in smaller scales but, for a variety of reasons, they do not have the high profile of some of the 1/48 and 1/35 manufacturers. Indeed apart from Airfix's recent releases in 1/76 scale and Revell's small number of re-releases combined with Armourfast's range of simplified AFVs for younger modellers and wargamers in 1/72 scale, little has appeared on our own site. This is nothing to do with bias on our part; many of the smaller scale manufacturers are also small in output and turnover, thus making review materials in these scales difficult to obtain because of the small margins such firms work to.

Therefore, I am pleased that we have in front of us some 1/76 decals for small scale vehicles from Dan Taylor Modelworks. Dan has previously worked as a pattern maker for a couple of manufacturing firms, including the excellent Milicast, but has now turned his hand to releasing items under his own brand in 1/76 scale which focus largely (but not exclusively) on D-Day, including decals, figures, vehicle kits and conversions, some excellent landing craft and some fortifications and items of military importance, such as Pegasus Bridge and a multi-part Mulberry Harbour.

The first 2 decal sets under review cover the British Expeditionary Force in 1940. They are in 1/76th scale but, in all truth, would fit any 1/72nd scale model equally as well. There is a set for the Matilda II tank, with its raised suspension and trench crossing extension (below).

Credit: http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?5477-The-Matilda-queen-of-the-desert./page3

The second set covers a number of BEF softskin vehicles such as the Morris Commercial 15-cwt, Scammell TRMY 20 ton tank transporter and the Bedford OXD, pictured below.

Credit: http://www.yorkshiremvt.co.uk/members/mikes_bedford_oxd.htm

The Matilda II set is designed for Milicast's kit BB 140 BEF A12 Matilda II, which has the correct configuration for the BEF in 1940. All vehicles are from the 7th Royal Tank Regiment and a dozen different vehicles are portrayed on the decal sheet. This holds tank numbers, names, road plates and white squared markings carried by these tanks (below)

A photo of one side of the instruction leaflet (above) shows the range of individual AFVs catered for.

The second decal sheet for softskin vehicles (below) holds markings for a single Scammell, 2 Ford WOC1 8-cwt trucks, a Bedford MWD, both a Bedford OXD and OYD and 3 Morris 15-cwt vehicles.

As before, one side of the instruction leaflet (above) gives a flavour of the contents. This time, the suggested kits are by various manufacturers including Bull, MMS, Milicast and a conversion using an Airfix kit. The variety of subjects covered here is to be both admired and applauded.

The decals themselves are in excellent register and appear to have good colour density.

So What Do We Think?

A quality offering from a new manufacturer to us. The research is thorough and the decals are well realised. At current prices, they offer excellent value. Finally, the choice of subjects is pretty good; although I am a Matilda fan, I think the multi-vehicle Softskin offering just has the edge in this case.

Recommended

Our thanks to Dan Taylor for the review samples.

Robin Jenkins.