Britains Lilliput Vehicle Series
LV/618 Army Ambulance
Issued 1956-1960 Length 75mm 'OO/HO' scale (1:76)
The second of the Lilliput Ambulances using the Fordson Thames van was an Army version. It was identical in construction to LV/617 Ambulance and more details are on that page.
For the Army version, Britains painted the whole model in Army-green including the base and the driver. Silver trim was added to the headlights and bumper, and pink or pale-tan face trim given to the driver.
To identify it as an ambulance, circular red cross decals were put on each side of the body and for one variation on the roof as well. Three different types of decals seem to have been used, small, medium and large. The models with three decals used the middle size and possibly this was the first variation which Britains issued.
The wheels of the Army Ambulance were green or olive-green plastic with black tyres which had 'Britains Ltd England' embossed on each side.
The usual open fronted box was used for LV/618 with an inner diorama packing piece to which the model was secured with elastic bands. One of the end-flaps carried the model name and number.
Of the two ambulance models, the Army version is more common but the box is rare.
LV/618 Variation 1: Mid-size decals on sides & roof
LV/618 Army Ambulance
Army-green including base
Silver trim on headlights and bumper
Army-green driver with pink or pale tan-face trim
Red Cross decal variations
1) 3 mid-size decals (sides and roof)
2) 2 large-size decals (sides)
3) 2 small-size decals (sides)
LV/618 variation 2: Large decals on sides
LV/618 variation 3: Small decals on sides