I have not yet purchased the SWB HobbyBoss kit but that is my plan for this vehicle, to simply replace the HB cab with the Italeri one.

OK, I have just received in the mail my first and only HobbyBoss "US GMC CCKW-352 Machine Gun Turret Version" truck Kit #83833.

As most of you know I am not a fan of the HB series of CCKW's due to the errors in their cab molding. However, today I intend to speak mostly of the positives I see in the kit upon first glance.

Right off the bat kudos to HB for molding the frame side rails and cross members as separate pieces. Once constructed the modeler will have an accurate frame with the correct C-channel cross section.

The engine, radiator AND firewall are the most highly detailed I think I have seen any model company offer to date.

I guess first and foremost I should have said kudos for being the first non-resin manufacture to offer the short wheelbase truck to the hobby market! ! ! ! !

The addition of brass etch to the kit is a real step forward! This includes the etch "GMC" script logo for the front grill, screen wire grill for the cab rear window and rivet detail for the cab hatch assembly.

The gun trolley for the 50 cal. is the most highly detailed and correct I have seen done in plastic. Also the 50 cal. attempts to improve on what is normally offered in plastic kits with some very nice see-through molding as well as brass etch for the gun grips and the ammo can support.

The wheels and tires seem the correct size and rival the Tamiya offering in detail.

The build up of the steel rear load box is the best I have yet to see. Included are etched hook tie-downs for the canvas tarp.

This is the first kit I have ever seen that actually includes the box under the rear bed to represent the tool drawer enclosure. Every other manufacture includes the drawer front molded into the faceplate of the rear of the load box but not the actual enclosure under the bed.

Now for 3 - 4 negatives:

THE CAB! Cab too short and fenders too long - not by just a little but by a lot! Best to substitute the Italeri closed cab here.

The tires: Why no raised lettering for the tires? Have to substitute after market items here.

The cab gun hatch: Why offer closed position only???? The box art shows a man in the AA position. Sure I can fix this but why not offer it both ways? Also the canvas cover on the hatch arches so smoothly and in such a rounded shape it looks to be a steel lid rather than a cloth cover, The canvas cover should be stretched totally flat.

The metal shield for the gas tank: This is done as a large, flat etch piece that must have TWO small but rather long 90 degree off-set angles bent near each end. Then the modeler must make the two main 90 degree long bends to form the main shape. The folks making the etch bender tools are gonna love you for this one. I cannot see any way to accurately bend this piece without an expensive tool and maybe not even then. Usually in cases such as this the manufacturer would offer a plastic substitute. I have scratch built this item in plastic before. I may be doing it yet again.

Very nice report on adding the Italeri cab to the HobbyBoss short wheelbase CCKW at:

http://armorama.com/forums/246696

And now another compliant: While HB carefully cuts the open cab parts out of the sprues for this kit they still leave the long frame parts in the kit! Why would they do that? I unknowingly started building the long frame but figured it out before doing any real harm!

Does anyone have reference as to how the headliner in the roof of the closed cab CCKW was handled? I have always assumed it was a fitted, heavy pressed cardboard affair. (If there was anything up there at all.)

However recently I saw a build where the modeler had an etched set for the Deuce hard cab and it included a quilted cloth cover (in etched brass, of course) to go in as an insulating headliner.

Any thoughts?

I tried the following just using thin plastic sheet stock scored with an hobby knife.

And also still included in the kit: the open cab windshield, the open cab dashboard, second frame cross member, long exhaust pipe, open cab windshield wiper motors.

I love the extra parts for my spares box but these parts remain a cause for possible confusion and additionally they are not marked as "unused parts" on the instruction sheet.

HobbyBoss Short Wheel Base Deuce:

Nicely detailed frame and engine -





Positives: Beautifully detailed engine with GMC logo molded into the valve cover. Delicately molded fan assembly - no need for PE here. Frame middle cross member is a three piece affair that no other manufacture even attemps. Very well done radiator that beats out all the competition.

Minor negatives: No additional detail on the E-Brake assembly. Rather low level of detail on the treatment of the transfer case. All piping detail has been left off the Hydravac unit even though all other hobby companies have decided to detail this area. Finally no engine oil dipstick.

All these details plus drain and filler plugs will be added to the underbody of my Deuce.

And what is probably the most highly detailed CCKW firewall in the industry!

I am probably going about this the hard way . . . everything in dark plastic is from Italeri, everything in olive drab is Tamiya and finally, what appears in tan plastic is from HobbyBoss.



I went with the Tamiya parts because they seemed to take a bit less modification than the Italeri fenders but if I had to do it all over I would stay with just the Italeri and HobbyBoss parts.

Details now added to the Hydrovac and to the Parking Brake drum. I also added brake lines to all three axles.

Minor details I know but both drain and check plugs added to the Transfer Case and all three Differentials.

Looking good!!!!

Parking brake assembly on the left and the Hydravac brake booster unit on the right.
(Note three balancing holes drilled in parking brake disk.)



Image found online - used here for discussion purposes only

First round of paint and basic weathering for the frame.

Another shot of the Parking Brake assembly this time as seen from below:


Image found online - used here for discussion purposes only

Walk around album of Short Wheel Base CCKW taken by yours truly.









Direct link to photo album:

http://s1061.photobucket.com/user/165thspc/library/CCKW/4th%20Armored%20SWB%20Deuce?sort=2&page=1

All photos copyright Michael Koenig; feel free to copy and post these photos for any non-profit usage, however please credit photographer when you do.

Thanks Doc.

Working now on the opening for the cab roof. That domed HobbyBoss fitting from their kit took a lot of work to open up. It is really overly thick and solid! I started by filing down the mounting flange on the HB part and making it fit the Italeri roofline. Now I will be opening up the roof itself.



As you can see I also cut the hood open so we could continue to see all that great engine detail. That required a bit of rebuilding for the top edge of the firewall.

I appologize that this blog seems to have stalled somewhat but I had an IPMS regional to attend last weekend. I therefore had to switch over to working on my White semi-tractor, 20 ton flat bed trailer and Cat D7 Bulldozer for that competition. Also somewhere during that time I found the time to be working on a Firefly as well.

I will try to get back to this project shortly. Mike

Remember the "half a Deuce"? Well a couple of shots of a "Deuce and a halftrack" popped up Facebook recently.





John

Seriously cool John!

Also thanks for carrying this blog forward with such an interesting subject!

A wee bit O' progress this evening:



Installed the quilted headliner in the cab and finished opening up the roof access opening for the gun ring.

Michael. "we" need your truck ready ASAP!!!!

Great work!,btw the wheels on the pics are resin ones?.

Regards from the cold south
Alvaro