Airfix 1/72 'Tilly' utility vehicle

The Standard Utility Vehicle, or 'Tilly'. Photo source: Wikipedia

I have been wondering what to do with my Airfix Tomahawk IIA now that it's nearing completion. I have constructed it with the landing gear down so mounting it on some sort of small diorama seemed on the cards. But I didn't just want to mount the aircraft with - say - a single pilot figure, I fancied having a go at something a little more involved and interesting.

As it happened, while looking around my local model shop I came across Airfix's WWII RAF Vehicle Set. This seemed to be the ideal basis for my diorama...

I decided to go for the utility car as the partner for my RAF Tomahawk. It was a vehicle made by the Standard company based on a civilian car design, the common nickname for which was the 'Tilly'.

In my head I had an idea for a little story - unfortunately I now realise that I should have planned the idea for a diorama BEFORE making the Tomahawk as I missed an obvious opportunity for a lovely little scene using Airfix's 1/72 RAF Ground Crew figure set...

Some examples from Airfix's R.A.F. Personnel (set 01747). Source: Plastic Soldier Review

My Tomahawk is a 'Army Cooperation' machine from RAF 26 Squadron the primary duty of which was tactical photo reconnaissance. As you can see the Airfix figures has an RAF crewman working with one of the photo-recon cameras (far right in picture) and this would have been ideal for my diorama IF I had discovered this first and then opened up the little side hatch in the fuselage (which I didn't). Du-Oh!

It's just one of those things. I didn't know what I was going to do with my Tomahawk when I started it, I was just doing it for a change of scene (as a break from all the trucks I had been doing). Ah well!

...And on that note, back to my truck! (Well, car really!)

I got a really good idea how this model was going to go together from this YouTube build video...

It does look a very nice little kit (Airfix are really on a roll these days it seems) and this impression was reinforced when I cracked open the box. Once again - just like the Tomahawk kit - the Airfix RAF vehicles are lovely and crisp mouldings with plenty of nice detail. The Tilly itself is a lovely little van and the instructions for it's construction are easy to understand and idiot proof (bearing in mind the last truck I was working on was the horrible Zebrano YaG-6 the AIrfix Tilly is s breath of fresh air)!

So, onwards and upwards, as I begin construction. It will be interesting to see how long this kit takes to put together.