Nick, this build just becomes more and more awesome with every post. It is a true work of art. Bravo!

Hello - a short post today - another lunchtime special.

Roger and Jason - thanks for having a look! Appreciate the support on this!

So - making progress with the mid body panels. You can see, I salvaged a small portion of what was intended in the kit to be a front fender. This was useful because it gave me the correct slope over the back wheels and the various surface planes found on this truck.

I must say, this task was actually more complicated to do than it may look, and required some fairly precise measurement and cutting.

This truck is really something of a beast! - it's big and stout! not sure if it would be fun to drive or a real pain? -- have a look:







and for comparison:



its getting there!!!

thanks for checking it out

Nick

That thing is a Beast....... Hopefully things will calm down so i can attempt some more bench time... UGH

Hi Matt - yes - it is, or certainly appears to be a monster.

Below is an Inet pic of the real thing (RG33 SOCOM Utility):



And below, the RG33 SOCOM-"NH":






The key points for this update -- I couldn't stand looking at my wide pilar separating the front windows - so, out came the saw and knife - and now, it's narrower, and much closer to being correct.

The hood/radiator/grill is coming together. It's still not right, but getting there. I need to shave a slope into the forward most plane of the nose and top of the hood - and manage not to ruin it in the process.

As I mentioned, I'm not trying to make this model exact (as it is a somewhat forced kitbash, and not the focal point of the bigger project) but I do want it to be reasonably accurate, or at least, credible -

The Robert Skipper (18Bravo) reference pictures are great - I copied several of them onto a 10 or 12 slide powerpoint show that I keep on the laptop near my workbench - the good news is I can quickly and clearly see what many parts of this truck actually look like - the bad news is i can see what my model looks like too. It's sort of an ever-present modelers guilt imposition device - looking back and forth between the real and the small scale imposter...what can I "live with" and what has to be close to right.


thanks for having a look.

Nick

Progress on the big truck - it might be hard to see, but i was able to push through plenty over the weekend. While the overall form/shape of this truck is by its nature, not exactly true (as it is a kitbash), I'm trying to be fairly true to some of the more interesting details of the actual truck - have a look:







So - it's moving along - once again,I appear to be competing for one of the ugliest works in progress! - but, if you look past the strange collection of colors, the shape seems to be headed in the right direction - maybe even better than I might have hoped. The details are coming along pretty well too...

I think it will still be a while before paint...None of the interior has been done - I've added brake lines, but not much else in terms of wiring and with those huge fender wells, you know I need something in there....

thanks for having a look - when this is done, back the second floor of the shop

Nick

Gee Nick,

I am so grateful for those pics showing a model truck! They convince me that the workshop is in 1/35 as well!!

Otherwise I'd still have my doubts!!

Looking forward to seeing warpaint on that monster!

Super show!!!

Cheers

Romain

I don't know what to say. That is just so freekin cool!
J

Romain - ha! The plan is, once it's painted up, you won't be able to tell again!! Fingers crossed - this monster barely fits on the trailer waiting for it. The big idea is to paint and weather it, then strap it onto the trailer. The trailer will be freestanding located partially on the driveway, and halfway on the old side road. This truck is so big, I don't want it to block views into the shop!

Jerry - my sentiment exactly! When I saw the pics of this truck, I just thought it was too cool to not build! So far so good. On the design side I have the RG31 kit, a pile of styrene, sprue and etch remnants, and quite a few images (via Robert Skipper) but, no shop drawings. So, there's a lot of interpolation between the kit, the pics, and just what I can and can't figure out what to do! I've already gone back and torn out and replaced many of my parts...(!) the high quality pics are a mixed blessing - clearly they provide guidance, but they equally clearly illustrate what I've done wrong(!!) and can't figure out how to fix..

While doing a scratch like this, I can't help but think of the precision we all expect from kits(!) granted, many of them are working with precise dwgs or CAD files, but I guess I don't have to tell you of all people, it ain't easy! It's frustrating to be limited by skill or materials - I have a few chunky parts here, but thinner material is just too flimsy to be useful - and I'm not(!) trying this in brass!!!!

Thanks for dropping by and support
Cheers
Nick

Nick
You just proved to all, that aliens DO excist, and you are one of them... This build is simply out of this world. I'm totally stunned. Some of the best modelling I've ever seen.
Best regards
Jacob

Nick,

it's coming along very Nice!!!! Makes me want to start more kitbashes, even if the vehicle doesn't totally exist!!! But then finishing the started ones is probably a better idea!!!

Some more awesome stuff Nick! Superlatives are being used up at light speed on this build. Keep bashing away at it and you will surely get there.

Dabe

Hello -

Jacob, Matt and Dave - thanks for dropping by - appreciate you having a look! (and the positive words!)

I might be able to say, I think I have the big truck under control - still some way to go, but better than it was a week ago! maybe even paint this weekend!

Again, more trips to the sprue and PE graveyards, more styrene, and now a variety of types of wire for things ranging from brake lines to the cable foot holds under the front fenders -

You'll also see some new stuff on the roof - CROWS. I would have preferred the CROWS II, but with Blast Models temporarily closed - this is what you get - which, btw, is a Blast product, and was said to be applicable on a Buffalo or HMMWV - so, there you have it. Also an ammo rack and numerous bracket's and bases for mounting a variety of accessories -

The RSkipper images were pretty thorough in general, including the roof. Sorry about the "on the way to work pics" - you can't really see how this is all coming together, but it is - or, some of the more interesting details, like the door armoring - and latches.

Alright - have a look:












OK - still a way to go, but getting there - thanks for having a look!

Nick

Yep... Awesome, as in in awe of this build. Way to cool Nick.

Dave

Nick,

It's progressing Nicely. This is exactly why I hate throwing stuff out... old printers...phones.. whatever.... All sort of little bits that are possibly useful for detailing!!

What kit did the trailer (you're using with the modified 1083) start out as???
EDIT... I see it's the 50 ton Chinese tank transporter kit

Hi Nick,

Modern vehicles are really my thing, but this is a diorama of stunning detail and presentation of the highest level.

Absolutely terrific work.

Thanks for sharing the build.

Cheers

Al

Wow man,
I am feeling old. Partly because you are working so well and so fast I could never keep that pace. But also because I am now retired from the Army for so long that I don't even recognize that vehicle or any of its' variations.
All superb buddy. I don't post here as often because I frankly don't know many other ways to tell you how brilliant this stuff is.
J

Hello Nick ,

i'm agree with Jerry ! ( Except for that old feeling thing)

Hi guys - thanks for checking in -

You know, I probably wouldn't be having nearly the good luck I'm having with this had I not been carefully watching each of your work (and Matt - steady stream of helpful ideas!).

And without naming names, I know a few of you cover a lot of ground in not much time! And others who could write the book on doing details the right way!!...oh, and you are each pretty good at figures too !!!!

Jerry - regarding this truck and it's detail - the bits of homework I'm doing are very much in the spirit of your typical research (!) ranging from stone walls to flare guns!!
I decided to try it after seeing a couple of on-line pics - then into figuring out as much as I reasonably could (RSkipper pics have been very helpful) but, as you note, there are numerous variants on the RG 33 - and I'm really just giving it my best - short of finding drawings and building it to spec - but, this is fundamentally a dio and the truck is part of the scene -

Eventually this truck will wrap up - then back to the second floor!!

Thanks for having a look and the comments guys!

Nick

Eagerly awaiting the Monday Update!!!!!

Hello - with the following post, I can now say - I'll go back to the building (of the shop that is)

This RG33 SOCOM truck has been an interesting build - lots of bashing to pull this together; anyway, I won't go on and on - have a look:



















Ok - there you have it - another truck done

thanks for having a look!

NIck

Outstanding!!!! you'd never know it was a unbuilt version.

Thanks Matt - the RG33 was built as the SOCOM RG 33 Utility - it just doesn't come in a kit! The fundamental geometry of the hull and cab is very close to the RG 31 - so, that's where I started - if you scroll up into the post you can see a pic of the real deal!

Thanks for dropping by!

Nick

It looks great Nick! Very much another homerun. Great job.

Dave

Hello Nick ,

i live in a small country but to see this vehicle in all its glory makes me feel small too...

Well done !

Cheers

Kurt

Awesome finish to the new truck build. The slight chipping and weathering are spot on to me and I can snap back to the desert in an instant by just looking at your pix. Man o man,sand,dirt,rocks,heat and....FLIES!!!! Yuck.
J