New Arrivals | AFV CLUB

The latest arrivals at the Bachmann warehouse include six new releases, and one hundred and fifty six restocked items.

Australian Army M113A1 Diehl 513B Light Reconnaissance Vehicle

Australian scout version of the M113A1 APC, equipped with a T50 turret mounting two machine guns and configured for reconnaissance and patrol roles rather than troop transport. In service from 1964 and used in Vietnam, many received additional armour and crew protection. This variant uses Diehl Defence 513B tracks, offering improved traction, wear characteristics, and mobility on soft or uneven ground.

Features: New style DIEHL tracks, Australian-specific F88 series rifles.

1:35 scale plastic model kit from AFV Club, requires paint and glue. Product No. PKAF35377

US Navy F-5N+ Tiger II VFC-111 Sundowners Fighter

The F-5N+ Tiger II is a modernised, single-seat tactical fighter derived from former Swiss Air Force F-5E aircraft, operating with U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Aggressor training squadrons. It is powered by twin General Electric J85-GE-21 turbojet engines and noted for its agility, high energy retention, and small radar cross-section The “N+” designation signifies a comprehensive avionics and structural upgrade ensuring the lightweight, supersonic fighter can safely provide realistic air combat manoeuvring (ACM) training well into the 2030s.

The F-5N+ is flown by Fighter Squadron Composite 111 (VFC-111) “Sundowners,” an elite Navy Reserve unit based at NAS Key West, Florida. 111’s mission is to provide Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) to Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force pilots by flying aggressive “aggressor” profiles.

Features: New Advance Tiger cockpit dashboard, all-new tooling Mk 16 ejection sheet, new ACMI simulation training pod, new AIM-9M and CATM-9M Sidewinder missiles.

1:48 scale plastic model kit from AFV Club, requires paint and glue. Product No. PKAR48117

US Army AN/TWQ-1 Avenger Mobile Air Defence System

AN/TWQ-1 Avenger is a vehicle-mounted short-range air defence (SHORAD) system developed by Boeing as a privately funded project during the Cold War. Designed to protect ground forces from low-altitude threats such as Soviet Mi-24 Hind helicopters and Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft. Avenger entered US Army service in 1990 following trials in the mid-1980s, replacing earlier gun-based systems. The Avenger has since been adopted by the US Marine Corps and exported to several allied nations; a small number were supplied to Ukraine, becoming operational in early 2023. Over 1,100 systems were produced, with several hundred still in active and in National Guard service.
Mounted on M1097 “Heavy” HMMWV chassis variants, the Avenger carries a pedestal-mounted launcher with eight FIM-92 Stinger missiles, compatible with all missile versions and capable of day-night, all-weather operation. The Stinger is an infrared-guided, fire-and-forget weapon with supersonic speed and a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, offering engagement ranges of several kilometres depending on the variant. The Avenger can fire while stationary or moving and demonstrated a high success rate during testing, with onboard reloads allowing for rapid re-engagement.

In addition to missiles, the system is armed with an FN M3P .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine gun, a high-rate-of-fire variant designed specifically for the turret. The system is operated by a two-person crew using an automated fire-control suite combining optical and infrared sensors, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), and optional radar cueing. Powered by a 6.5-litre diesel engine and featuring all-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and central tyre inflation system, Avenger offers strong cross-country mobility. It ultimately outlasted heavier platforms such as the M6 Bradley Linebacker, which was retired in the mid-2000s as air defence priorities shifted, though the Avenger has seen a significant resurgence in relevance due to the modern proliferation of cruise missiles and loitering munitions.

All new tooling HMMWV & Avenger PMS turret. Build options for US Army, US Marine Corps, Ukrainian Armed Forces, ROC Army. Two versions of Control Display Terminal (CDT), two versions of front bumper. New tooling FIM-92 Stinger launcher tube and missile/eject motor. New tooling M3P .50 cal machine gun. Launcher pod interior detail (basic), Avenger PMS turret interior detail. Photo-etch parts.

1:35 scale plastic model kit from AFV Club, requires paint and glue. Product No. PKAF35358

US Avenger Pedestal Mounted Stinger (PMS) Turret.

The AN/TWQ-1 Avenger Air Defence System (commonly referred to by its core component, the Pedestal Mounted Stinger Turret, or PMS) is the U.S. Army’s primary mobile, short-range air defence (SHORAD) platform, designed to protect ground forces from low-altitude aerial threats.

Recognisable by its distinctive, angular, gyro-stabilized turret it is designed to me mounted on a modified Heavy HMMWV (M1097/M998 Humvee series) chassis.

In service with the U.S. Army and National Guard since 1989, the system counters primary threats including helicopters, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

1:35 scale plastic model kit from AFV Club, requires paint and glue. Product No. PKAF35363

German Army Wiesel 1 Fahrschulpanzer NDV Driver Training Tank

Light, agile, unarmed driver-training version of the Wiesel 1 weapon carrier fitted with a raised instructor’s module and dual controls in place of the weapons station. NDV stands for Nicht-direkt-Verwendbarer (not directly usable, i.e. non-combat). Introduced by the German Army (Bundeswehr) in 2000, with 24 examples converted. The glazed, air-conditioned, cabin is accessed via a rear ladder and hinged window. The instructor is seated directly behind the learner and is equipped with an override steering wheel. These vehicles can be reconverted to the Wiesel 1 TOW role. 15 driver training vehicles are earmarked to receive a chassis adjustment including fitment of a rubber-band track, a revised damper system, and a rear-view camera, as part of a 2019 contract to extend the service life (NDV) of the Wiesel 1 fleet until at least 2030.

Mixed-media plastic & resin kit for the advanced modeller.
Features: Plastic parts (101g) – AFV Club Wiesel kit, Diehl Defence type 622 tracks & mudguards. Resin parts (50g) – Detailed driving compartment, hatch cover can be built in open or closed position,
roof-mounted a/c unit included.

1:35 scale plastic model kit from Ding-Hao Hobby, requires paint and glue. Product No. DH96012

 

British Army Churchill ARK Armoured Ramp Karrier Mk 1

The Churchill ARK Mk 1 (Armoured Ramp Karrier) was a specialised engineering vehicle developed by the British 79th Armoured Division (Hobart’s Funnies) during World War II, in response to the obstacles encountered during the 1942 Dieppe Raid. It was designed to instantly convert an obstacle into a route for following vehicles.

The ARK’s primary function was to act as an expendable, self-propelled bridge or ramp. It was built by removing the turret from a standard Churchill Mark II (or Mark IV Infantry Tank) chassis and installing rigid trackways along the length of the hull, with hinged ramps fitted front and rear. The driver would position the turretless tank directly into or against the obstacle. Other AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles) would then drive up the rear ramp, across the vehicle’s own hull-mounted trackways (which were approximately 2ft/61 cm wide on the Mk.1), and down the front ramp to breach the obstacle (such as a sea wall or deep anti-tank ditch).

Mixed-media plastic & resin kit for the advanced modeller.
Features: Plastic parts (450g) – Turretless AFV Club Churchill kit, metal coil spring suspension, photo-etch. Resin parts (150g) – 2 lengths of bridge deck, early-stage cast link crawler tracks. Markings for 34th Tank Brigade, 79th Armoured Division “Chelmsford”.

1:35 scale plastic model kit from Ding-Hao Hobby, requires paint and glue. Product No. DH96013