At the outbreak of World War II, Australia possesed 18 wheeled Armoured Cars, locally built between 1935 and 1940. The manufacture of local pattern tracked machine gun carriers had begun, and orders had been placed overseas for tanks and armoured cars. However, due to the serious situation existing in the UK during 1940, the orders for armoured vehicles could not be fulfilled. So gearing up of Australian munitions industries to a war footing was extended to include the production, in quantity, of tanks and wheeled armoured cars. The first wheeled vehicle to be designed was a four-wheeled Scout Car, named Dingo ( this should not be confused with British Daimler Scout car, often referred to as the Dingo ).

Quantity production began at the Ford Motor Company, Geelong in February 1942, and a total of 245 vehicles were produced. Standard Ford truck components were used for the chassis, engine and transmission, with locally produced armor plate ( from .39 to 1.2 inches ) being incorporated in the all welded hull. The crew of two set in a small compartment towards the rear of the vehicle, with access via a hunged door on the left side of the vehicle. Observation ports were provided in the front of the compartment, with a sliding roof hatch and rear opening port providing further vision. A .303 Bren LMG or a Lewis MG was mounted between the driver and observer. Due to the weight of the vehicle, its cross country performance was not brilliant, therefore its main use was on roads.

The vehicles were designed for liason and reconaissance roles in armoured regiments and motor battalions, but they newer saw combat service and remained within Australian borders in training units for the duration of the war. In 1944-1945 they were definitely replaced by the Canadian Mk.3* Lynx Scout Car

Paper Model Details:
79 parts on six pages, with seven construction diagrams. Optional interior, boxed wheels, rolled paper axles, and duo-fold Bren guns; separate hatches and tools. Degree of Difficulty: 3/5.

Markings for:
A: Australian Army, 2nd Armoured Regiment, 2nd Armoured Division, Troop 2, Squadron "B"
B: Australian Army, 1st Armoured Division, 1943