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Oxford Diecast 76AC002

Austin Champ 9th Parachute Reg 16th Airborne Brg Suez 1

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
Era 6 (1967 to 1972) British Rail Blue (Pre-TOPS)
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

The Suez crisis of the second half of 1956 was a result of the Egyptian President, Colonel Nasser trying to nationalise and control the Suez Canal, the 120 mile stretch of which had come under the jurisdiction of both France and Great Britain.  The situation escalated and in November 1956, Operation Musketeer comprising British, French and Israeli Forces attacked Port Said and took up positions to recapture the Canal.  Although the mission was successful, the whole exercise came under scrutiny and the forces were withdrawn in favour of a UN peacekeeping force being deployed. Britain’s reputation suffered a heavy blow and the Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden resigned.

The Austin Champ was manufactured between 1951 and 1956 by the Austin Motor Company, firstly for military use as shown here but also later on for civilian use as well.  The second release of Oxford’s 1:76 scale Austin Champ is decorated as it would have been deployed by the British Forces during the Suez Crisis which started in Port Said and the Sinai Desert. It wears the desert colour scheme of light stone with darker beige moulded seating. The open topped jeep is registered with a military number plate 44 BE 54 and carries Allied military markings in white on the sides and on the bonnet edge.  The front and rear bumpers feature the Pegasus badge and rider identifying the vehicle as deployed with the Parachute Regiment Airborne Forces. The yellow military bridge plate above the front bumper carries the number 4. Finishing touches show the wheel centres painted the same as the body colour while the steering wheel is black with silver spokes. The dashboard and instrument panel are also black.

Catalogue listing

Oxford Diecast Austin Champ 9th Parachute Regiment, 16th Airborne Bridge, Suez 1 is a 1:76 scale die‑cast model produced by Oxford Diecast. It carries the manufacturer part number 76AC002 and depicts a British Army Austin Champ as it would have appeared during the 1956 Suez Crisis.

The model represents a vehicle used by the 9th Parachute Regiment, 16th Airborne Bridge, during the British and French operation to retake the Suez Canal in November 1956. The 1956 Suez Crisis followed Egyptian President Colonel Nasser’s move to nationalise the canal, prompting Operation Musketeer and subsequent UN‑mandated withdrawal of the forces.

The Champ is finished in a desert colour scheme of light stone with darker beige moulded seats. It bears the military registration 44 BE 54 and white Allied markings on the sides and bonnet edge. The front and rear bumpers display the Pegasus badge and rider to indicate Parachute Regiment airborne service, while a yellow bridge plate above the front bumper shows the number 4. Wheel centres match the body colour, the steering wheel is black with silver spokes, and the dashboard and instrument panel are also black.