Ok, so to most of you, this isn't that cool, but, to me getting to do a build log and a little review of a fork lift truck is a big thing. I hqve drove fork lifts for 5 years now as a temp worker from site to site and I have used trucks nearly exactly the same as this kit. I love my trucks and most of them have been named by me, as sad as it is.

So the kit is by Aoshima, a Japanese manufacturer that do a massive range of products. The one I have is a double pack of trucks, a Toyota Geneo 20 and a Geneo 25 plus extras including 3 different pallets, a pump truck or pallet jack as its also known and a driver for each truck.


So before I start let me explain the difference between the two trucks, in truth very little. The numbers stand for the weight limits of the trucks, normally a '20' has a 2 tpnne limit and a '25' will go up to 2.5 tonne. The kits have this right as the only difference in the two kits is the large rear counter weight.

First impressions....

Well the box is big, always a good sign in my books, open it and your faced with ORANGE plastic! Makes a lovely change from boring grays tans and greens. The plastic is of good quality, feels well made and tough, minimum amount of flash present. As I said there is alot for such a small model, as you can see....


There is two of every spruce as the two trucks are identical. so digging into the box I find the tyres and some sqaure lead metal. The metal is so that the truck is counter weighted just like the real thing, more on that later..... now the tyres I was impressed with, great level of detail


The instructions are in Japanese and English and again good quality, easy to follow and im yet to find any mistakes.


Now the drivers, only after I took them out of their bag did I notice that they was different, not plastic but rubber. Now I can see the benefits when trying to get them sitting just right with arms hands touching wheel etc but they are soft in detail, only up side is a choice in heads, one wity a hard hat and one with short hair.


Now the build!

Well I was going to post this step by step but I got abit carried away..... so ill just explain some of the stuff that I feel is a highlight. Starting with the mast and fork plate. This is built in such a way that if you wish to have the forks in the air or tilted back, you can.


As I mentioned, there is 4 little lead squares that are hidden away inside the truck, at a guess this is so you can have a pallet or some other freight on the forks without it tipping over, well thought out. The kit includes engine parts that look just right, under the seat and under the truck.


The truck is rear steer and like everything else, the kit follows suit with working rear wheel steering just for that added realism touch.

Thats it for now but please do follow, no its not a tank or anythibg as impressive but the fork lift is used in every country across the world, its a good looking piece to any modern diorama! When it getz to it, I will be using pictures of my own fork lift truck to use for infomation on weathering etc, cheers guys!

Bronzey

This is a cool build. I drove some of these, when I was a lift operator many years ago. I just haven't figured out how to work them into a dio or vignette.

I operated one of these exact Toyota forklifts as a supervisor for a construction company.

Automatic trans helped out unloading all those containers and flatbeds.

It would be cool to get one RC'd in 1/16th. I'll keep an eye out on this build!



~ Jeff

Hey Alex,

Looks pretty neat! What with the recent Italeri 20ft shipping container, I can see a few of these crossing over to military dioramas...

Things like these are always cool, it's a shame kits like these don't usually make it out of Asia or sometimes even Japan.

Guys,

Thanks for all your comments, the build has gone well, following me buying my first airbrush, I cracked on with the build and shes now built!







Sorry for the poor pictures but you can still see the details. Talking of details, this kit is strange, parts have great detai, like the controls and consol, yet it fails on lacl pf details on parts like the chains on the mast, also, as well as the tyres are moulded, they are a let down ehen you notice there are about half as thick as they should be. Next up is the painting and this I am looking forward to!

Jeff,
Like cars fork lift companies share designs and models, I have drove the generation before this but under a mitsubishi named truck. Drove more than I can remember but there is a few I will remember.

Tom,
I agree, this one im building is for the postcard challenge and the second will go into display and that container had crossed my mind.

Jeremy,
This company makes a range of vehicles that could be used in any modern diorama, found a stockist in Hong Kong that doesnt cost the earth to ship to the UK.
Thanks again guys, comments welcome as always!

Bronzey

Loved this kit!
It's 1/32, isn't it?
It will be OK in a 1/35 diorama?

Very nice. It is looking great.

I had seen this and Aoshima's other fork lift and hand truck kits. I may have to get one now and add it to a dio I have in mind.

No issue mixing 1/32 and 1/35, especially with something like this that most people have no reference to the actual size of it. I mix 1/32 and 1/35 allthe time with no issues.

Gino is right, mixing a 1/32 fork lift is going to barely be noticeable, plus these trucks come in so many shapes and sizes it would be near impossible to argue the difference in scale. I am using this fork lift with a 1/32 van and a 1/35 scale EOD soldier for the postcard challenge so I am mixing scales myself. I will dig out 1/35 scale jeep driver and see how it looks at some point. Again thank you for your comments guys!

Bronzey

great choice Alex ! I dont think its boring at all - I built this kit when i was in Taiwan a few years ago --



and yes I would build another ! i like your version lpg powered

Drove that exact model, when I worked at the Hiram Walker bottling plant.

Mark,

She looks great, love the effects on the side body, what technique did you use to get that? Haven't tried any effects like this before so any input would be helpful.

Bronzey

Ok guys little problem, now this would of been a lovely post showing off my base coats etc but, after a extra long night shift and no sleep, thought i would do some more on her, only to wake up in shock that not only had i fell asleep on my dinning table, i had done the most stupidest thing of knocking the fork lift off the table in my sleep. If this wasn't bad enough, i then had somehow then knocked off my airbrush compressor straight off the table, where it landed square ontop of my lovely freshly painted fork lift..... Its safe to say no amount of glue and paint is going to be able to save it, completely kicking myself over this now, only up side is that i still have the second kit, so will continue this once 2nd not is at same stage.

Bronzey