The latest variant of the Hobby Boss White 666 with soft top is now available, and here Kevin Brant takes a look in the box.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Everything else looks really nice but I gotta say it . . .

What no engine?

Hi, ALL!!! Thanks, Bill! Mike, I agree- For the price and level of detail in this kit, we should have gotten an engine. PLUS A DEPLOYED CARGO BED TARP! Aren't there some resin upgrade tires out there for this one?

The only resin aftermarket tires I have seen out there are for civilian use. I do beleive there is a resin cast aftermarket engine coming from someone.

Having built the hard top, I have to say that it was one of my most favorite builds. I have an immense respect for Hobby Boss now. Real Models has the resin engine out now, and I think they have some tires as well.

I think I might have seen resin tires for this kit from DEF, maybe? If not, then I'm sure DEF or LEGEND, or possibly even VOYAGER may someday come out with a basic PE set for this kit, and maybe a more comprehensive upgrade set of PE with resin tires as they've done for other kits. And then there's HUSSAR, as well...

Many big wartime trucks (and guns) utilized civilian tread pattern tires as production of military pattern tires in these lesser used sizes was either limited or non-existent.

On a side note, I've just came across a thread dealing with the restoration of a Brockway C666 crane truck that's worth a look

H.P.

AND no cloth top for the loadbox even though one is shown on the boxart???

Food for thought but how about a fifth well version of the White?

Started my 666 just today, beautifully engineered kit, GREAT fit!

Posted elsewhere by DocEvan; AND he is building his 666 as a semi-tractor!
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I loved my 666 kit! A fun, enjoyable build.

A few pics here:
http://public.fotki.com/amcan/white-666-tractor/

Quoted Text: - Just a thought - - You might want to add some wedge shaped "run up ramps" behind the fifth wheel to protect the frame and the fifth wheel when backing in under a parked or loaded trailer. This is usually SOP on a semi-tractor especially on such a long wheel base vehicle where the fifth wheel ends up so far from the rear end of the vehicle frame. End Quote
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White Motors Corporation/US Army photo


I admit the photo above is of a factory production semi-tractor rather than a post-war conversion but it looks like on this one they have removed the bumperettes and also shortened the frame back 8 inches to the tow hitch cross brace.

And of course added the trailer run up ramps. - If you get in a situation where you are trying to hitch to a trailer that is sitting low for some reason; as in it has sunken into soft ground or is sitting facing down hill or it is already heavily loaded, you are going to need those run up ramps.

p.s. I don't know if I can stand to leave the winch off though!

The Dragon Wagon fifth wheel MIGHT be OK for the White truck but is way too large for use on the GMC Deuce or for the Studebaker. In the photo above the fifth wheel appears smaller than that used on the Dragon Wagon.

Also the DW had an extra heavy duty, oversized fifth wheel that accepted only an oversized hitch pin to handle the heavier loading.

After a brief internet search it appears that the standard of the industry for normal commercial use is a fifth wheel that accepts a 2 inch king pin.

Heavy Duty applications call for a larger 3.5 inch fifth wheel/king pin combination.

Do they go even larger than 3.5 inches? I suspect yes but cannot find any reference at this time.

I also found a reference in the book "The American Arsenal" that some medium weight military trailers had a "flip over", convertible king pin that allowed them to work with both the 2" or 3.5" fifth wheels.

Thanks, Kevin, for the review. I'm disappointed there is no top for the cargo compartment, but presumably the AM resin guys will remedy that.

Another reference photo recently found online.



I think the trailer is going to bottom out before the driver ever get the load up that small hill. Hope that is just loose sand. If so then he may not get stuck. Wish I could see the next photo taken a few minutes later.

I vote that the trailer will lift the rear wheels of the tractor off the ground and the rig won't be going anywhere anytime soom.