Renault VAB 4x4 APC (French)
The Véhicule de l'avant blindé or VAB ("Armoured vanguard vehicle" in French) is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by Renault of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced. It remains one of the main APCs of the French Army and has also been exported to more than 15 countries. It has seen combat in various conflicts in Africa, Asia and Europe. This is a 1:100 model of this vehicle, and is offered in forms suitable for printing on both resin (hollow) and fdm (separate wheels) versions.
Following on from the earlier tracked AMX-VCI of the 1960s (available as a model on this site), the new French APC, to specifications published in 1974, was a lightly armoured, amphibious 4x4 design. It complemented the tracked AMX-10P as the main army APC. The VAB's 13 tonne weight allows the vehicle to be airlifted, a crucial tactical advantage, completed by its amphibious capabilities. Further details can be found at sites such as https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/VAB.php or https://www.army-technology.com/projects/vab/.
Two design files are provided, a first providing an integrated, hollow model for printing in resin, and a second with a base hull and separate wheels for fdm printing. It is a relatively simple, though reasonably detailed, model, and should print without too many issues. It can be scaled up to 1:87 or 1:76 if desired; the detailing should be sufficient.
Future offerings will include the NBC variant (extended hull), and the MEPHISTO missile carrier.
The product is offered for personal, non-commercial use. Derivative designs for personal use may be generated, but neither the original nor derivatives may be shared with others. Attribution of the design is requested should printed models be exhibited or otherwise shared. Models printed from this design or derivatives may not be sold commercially.
Following on from the earlier tracked AMX-VCI of the 1960s (available as a model on this site), the new French APC, to specifications published in 1974, was a lightly armoured, amphibious 4x4 design. It complemented the tracked AMX-10P as the main army APC. The VAB's 13 tonne weight allows the vehicle to be airlifted, a crucial tactical advantage, completed by its amphibious capabilities. Further details can be found at sites such as https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/VAB.php or https://www.army-technology.com/projects/vab/.
Two design files are provided, a first providing an integrated, hollow model for printing in resin, and a second with a base hull and separate wheels for fdm printing. It is a relatively simple, though reasonably detailed, model, and should print without too many issues. It can be scaled up to 1:87 or 1:76 if desired; the detailing should be sufficient.
Future offerings will include the NBC variant (extended hull), and the MEPHISTO missile carrier.
The product is offered for personal, non-commercial use. Derivative designs for personal use may be generated, but neither the original nor derivatives may be shared with others. Attribution of the design is requested should printed models be exhibited or otherwise shared. Models printed from this design or derivatives may not be sold commercially.
| Filename | Size | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| Renault VAB fdm.zip | 2.8 MiB | 2024-02-28 |
| VAB1-R3-100-cycled resin.zip | 5.0 MiB | 2024-02-28 |
