Next project: Panda Cougar JERRV in my favourite 1/35 scale.
A JERRV (Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicleor Joint Engineering Rapid Response Vehicle) is any vehicle that United States military engineers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units use in war zones such as Iraq. In this case based on the 6x6 Cougar built by Force Protection Inc. In 2004, the new Cougar was designed by a small British-led team in the US at Force Protection, Inc., in response to an urgent requirement by the US Marine Corps. This was a new design, developed in the US, based on an evolution of vehicle mine-protection technology used by the South African Army and Rhodesian Security Forces since the 1970s. The very first sketches of the new vehicle were made in late March 2004 in response to those initial USMC inquiries. The rapid development and production that followed was based upon the USMC request that the first vehicle be delivered within 6 months of an order - which was subsequently placed in mid-April 2004 for 27 units.
Back to the kit: there is an awful lot of plastic in the box
Some of you may recall my early comments on the Panda M-ATV. The under carriage was a nightmare, but it still built into a lovely vehicle which is why I decided to risk another Panda kit. Glad I did too: it's so much easier to assemble. 2 good evenings at the bench have got the undercarriage completed
There are some small draws and more than a few bits of excess glue in trying to get it all together but overall I'm happy with it.
Now to start on the interior....