During World War II, the Australian Army used around 16,500 jeeps. These jeeps were primarily US-made Ford GPW and Willys MB models.

Truck 1/4 ton 4×4 general service Jeep, known as the ‘Borneo jeep,’ is green and carries the Australian Army registration number 161881 on the bonnet sides. Its serial number is 222713. The vehicle is equipped with flanged railway wheels to depict Australian light railway operations in North Borneo in 1945.

Jeeps were real work horses in World War II and they turned up in the most unusual places.

Because building roads through the delta flats of Borneo was nearly impossible, someone suggested using old railway lines that ran from Weston to Beaufort before the war, by putting railway wheels on Jeeps.

The Borneo Jeep project is one I eagerly anticipate for the future. Instead I have put together the 1/35 scale Tamiya Willys Jeep, a classic military vehicle.

I want to use this model for gaming so some of the more fragile pieces like hand holds and rails have not been assembled.

At 1/35th scale the Jeep is slightly under scale for the Expedition Force’s Australians but is still usable.

Next the crew for a Universal Carrier in 54mm.