Thanks guys for the warm greetings and the encouragements. The knees are getting better every day. I hope to be back at it in the very near future.

Keep up all the great modeling work out there!

Mike

DJ
Not much from the White 666 works for the Mack NO6. Mack came up with a much heavier construction and of course they employed their exclusive "camel back" rear leaf springs that are like nothing else in the industry.




The starting point for my Mack NO6 was the Tamiya Dragon Wagon tractor. First of all the tires are the correct size for the Mack. Also the wheel rims are the correct diameter though you need to narrow the rims by about the width of a dremel cut off abrasive blade. The wheel centers on the Dragon Wagon are all wrong for the Mack. However if you order the back dating wheel set from Scale-Link designed for the AFV Club eight inch gun (get the set that comes WITHOUT the M1 limber) you will receive separate wheel centers that are very usable for the Mack.



Finally the Dragon Wagon kit also provides front axle/differential, rear differentials, parts of the transfer case, drive shafts, frame parts, front leaf springs AND the beautiful Gar-Wood winch you will need for the Mack. (The DW winch is a newer version and will need to be back dated slightly.)

A more or less step by step "how to" on how I built my Mack NO can be found at:

http://armorama.com/forums/196219&ord=&page=1

P.S. The Scale-Link after market wheel set will also give you the air brake actuator cylenders you will need for the Mack.

Again, be sure to order the back dating wheel set that comes WITHOUT the M1 limber as those wheel castings offer separate wheel drum centers. The other back dating wheel set, also offered by Scale-Link, is from an entirely different set of masters that cast the tire and the wheel drum as all one piece.

DJ, Here is a peek at what those "Camelback" rear springs look like on the Mack. To this day all Mack trucks still offer this feature.



According to the Mack literature they improve vehicle handling and make steering a heavy load much easier.

Better get back to the White tractor:





http://s1061.photobucket.com/user/165thspc/slideshow/White%20666%20Semi-Tractor

Thought I would add a splash of color to my White Semi-Tractor; Stole this idea from Jacob Hederstierna-Johnse and his Diamond T Wrecker. Some brightly colored oil cans from Plus Models.



So far I have won 2 Second Place trophies in the "Scratch Built and Conversions" catagory with the tractor and the 20 ton trailer. Heading for the Dayton Regional tomorrow. I have hopes to up my game and catch a first place this time.

Check out Jacob's wrecker at:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/245403&page=1

Wow!

What kind of job do the first place?......

Good Luck and again, great job!

Regards
Alvaro

Yesterday I worked on the run up ramps for the fifth wheel:

Current status:

Cat D7 is as yet still not quite finished, trailer is finished but I want to add more tool details to it and the tractor still needs rear view mirrors, fire extinguisher and wind shield wiper dust pattern added.

Hi Michael

I've recently came across some Korea War pics that may interest you. These trucks belonged to the 388th Engineer Pipeline Company, US 8th Army.







(from this page : http://blog.joins.com/media/folderListSlide.asp?uid=fabiano&folder=33&list_id=13782778&page=1 )

Another one here

H.P.

Thanks Frenchy. I especially like the shots of the Triple 6 semi-tractor with the winch mounted up front!

Thanks Alvaro but as they say "on any given Saturday - you can win big or you can go home licking your wounds".

Only took home two third place awards at the Dayton Regional! Met some tough competition but also some tough judging.

Well, next time for sure!

Regards Alvaro

Anyone have any thoughts on how a 1940's era airbrake hose hanging frame would have been arranged behind the cab of a semi-tractor?

My thoughts now are to make a three piece frame out of angle iron (Evergreen shapes). Then two pipes coming up to end either in air valves or gladhands. Then the air hoses attached to these.

My only references to-date:

Air lines mounted behind cab on a frame but no winch in this case.


Here the air lines appear to be going forward towards the cab but again this vehicle had a front mounted winch.


Looks here like the airlines are attached under the rear of the tractor frame which is how the Dragon Wagon did it in order that the air lines not interfere with the operation of the double winch.

Given the absence of any definitive reference other than the two photos above; I am going to go with the following airbrake line arrangement on my White tractor:

This is how the Dragon Wagon did it and this arrangement avoids any interference with the use of the
mid-ships mounted winch so . . .

. . . and here is the result:

You probably also noticed that I dressed out the top deck of the trailer goose neck with a toolbox, (left over from the White truck), Mirror Models air compressor and assorted tools to make it a bit more interesting.

Tried taking this rig to the Dayton and the Indianapolis IPMS regionals but it did not do much of anything.

However, I guess it is one of those "On any given Saturday" type of things:

Because at the Louisville IPMS regional yesterday these models took a First Place in the Conversions class AND also took a unanimous "Best Armor" award as voted by all the Judges! Thanks guys!



I admit, this time I spiced up the tractor just slightly by adding rear view mirrors and the trailer by adding air brake lines. I also dressed up that center deck with all the tools, etc. But personally I think what really did it for me was that I posed the rig on that big mirror. I no longer had to reply on photographs to show the judges the detail that had been added underneath the tractor and trailer. We may never know . . .

The President of the Chapter was announcing the winners and he said; " I am a car modeling guy so I am proud to say that the Best Armor award has been won by a truck!"

Michael, Congratulations on your First prize. What an awesome looking model combination. I will use your info when I build my kit. Thanks.

Thank you Sir. This is only the second time in my life I have won a Best Armor award. The funny thing is both times I won it with a truck!

Hey Mike - congratulations on your win! Great build. I always enjoy watching your truck builds - remarkable stuff! Like the leaf spring pack above - nice work!

Cheers
Nick

Thanks Stick and Ron.

There were plenty of top quality armor models in this competition. No on was more surprised than I.

Michael, the surprise wins are the best, because you Built something that they have yet seen. Like I said before, Congratulations on the win. Keep up the good work.

Ronnie

Well done Mike !

H.P.