Combat Vehicle

Reconnaissance

(Tracked)

FV101 Scorpion

FV107 Scimitar

FV103 Spartan

Alvis FV 103 Scorpion  The Scorpion entered service in the early 1970s as a fast armoured reconnaissance vehicle. Armed with a 76mm gun, it was originally fitted with a Jaguar 4.2 Litre petrol engine, allowing it to move around the battlefield at very high speed. More recent models were retrofitted with a modern diesel engine, retaining much of the performance but gaining considerably more fuel economy. The Scorpion left British Army service in 1994, although some vehicles were converted to become the Sabre, retrofitted with turrets from the obsolete Fox armoured car, to undertake the same role as the Scimitar. Scorpions have seen active service around the world, including the 1982 Falklands War and 1991 Gulf War. Two troops of Scorpions were deployed to the Falklands, providing essential fire support to the forces retaking the islands from their Argentine occupiers. The knowledge that the British had brought tanks with them had a significant psychological effect on the Argentine occupying forces. This is the Airfix 1/76 kit, modified to reflect a Falklands-era Scorpion.

Alvis FV 107 Scimitar

The Scimitar entered service in the early 1970s as a fast armoured reconnaissance vehicle.  Armed with a 30mm Rarden Canon mounted on the same hull as the Scorpion, Scimitars remianed in active service for much longer than the Scorpion have seen combat around the world, including the 1982 Falklands War, 1991 and 2003 Gulf Wars, as well as in Afghanistan, where the Scimitar Mk.2, an upgraded version marrying the Scimitar turret with a Spartan hull, was introduced as an armoured patrol vehicle. This is the 1/76 Airfix kit modified to reflect a typical Scimitar from the 2003 Gulf war.

Alvis FV 103 Spartan

The Spartan was introduced in 1978 and shares its running gear and propulsion with the Scorpion and Scimitar.  Very small by APC standards, it can carry up to 7 people at speeds over 60 Mph and is used to carry dismounted anti tank and anti aircraft specialised teams, as well as small rapid reaction teams. Spartans have also been used as Swingfire resuplpy teams for the larger FV102 Striker. 35 ex-British Army Spartans were supplied to Ukraine in 2022 and saw combat from July 22 onwards. . This is a Cromwell Models resin kit Return to Recce & Patrol page Return to British Cold War page Return to Dark Side AFVs index page Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page