As all military personnel know, while the fighting vehicles take the limelight it's the routine "rear echelon" vehicles that keep the war machine going. I decided to build as many variants of the TRADE FEDERATION TANK as possible based on current NATO employed vehicles. The first resulting conversion is my TRADE FED ARV. (Armoured recovery variant).

The base was the AMT/ERTL model which my wife got me a couple of Xmas's ago (since then the model has become quite cheap and easy to get hold of over here in UK. ) It was first modified by removing all the guns and filling in the skirt torpedo openings, with the body made up apart from part 40. This "Lid" was cut and shaped to accept a crane jib from an old toy lorry. The boom was faired over and coat hanger wire inserted into plastic tube made up the boom supports allowing full extension. The jib head was extensively modified with the head covered and parts from the turret used as mounts for the coathanger wire. Details came from odd AFV kits after checking the part wasn't recognisable. The claw seemed to have much more of a presence than a hook so was made up from parts of the AMT "STAP" and more AFV bits. 2 types of cheap jewellery chain and various wire finished the grab off. A lot of care was needed to prevent a tangled mess.It would use electro magnetism and the grab to do any lifting tasks.

Back at the front end a winch was fashioned from the spares box. The tow wire can be pulled out and retracted using a hole underneath. (simple engineering works every time). The hatch was carefully sawn off from the turret and, using Milliput putty, faired on to the front of the body. Last of all, the rear deck was given another part from the toy crane, sawn down and mated to the end of part 27 to become the battery pack and grab rails for stowing the grab when travelling.

I painted it this March with an air brush that once more was a present from my wife (Xmas 2001. She may not have any modeling interest but she knows how to pick up hints) It was the first model I've not brush painted and I was pleased not just by the finish but the speed. It conforms to the Naboo camouflage scheme, with paint chips and scratches added.

A point to note, I originally thought of the ARV being made of a ceramic armour and did the paint chips in white but it didn't register as correct so went for metal/silver as it seemed to be more acceptable.

Image: Top view, boom extended ...

Image: ... and retracted.