Greetings all,

Some progress pics on the Chevrolet Gun Tractor. This will be the 3rd vehicle for 151st (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Fd Regt RA (TA).

A great little kit just needs a lot of cleaning up.







I have the basics done for the 2nd Bedford but it's kinda in limbo as I awaiting various bits:

I'll probably make this one a RSC vehicle:





Cheers

Al

Hi Al,

The colour looks like a good match for the one that the RA detachment had at Bovingtom in the late 70's when it was being restored to tow a 25 pdr and limber in middle east colours.

John

Great progress on the Gun Tractor so far! After seeing how you've done yours, im definitely more motivated to open mine up thats currently sitting in my stash.




Which part of it required alot of cleaning up? Did the parts come together well?

Mornign John,

another one for Pier 51.

Hi Jeremy,

The parts fit pretty well ,there is just a lot of flash to clean up. The chassis is a kit in itself, the only problem I had was with the rear panel, I trimmed all the bits off so that it the inside was smooth and I needed to use a little filler arounf the mudguards.

Being an old kit there are a lot of bits to smooth off or fill in but it is an interesting little kit.

I have still the doors to make and quite a lot to do to finish it up, but I think it will turn out OK and I always liked the shape of this one. Be careful not to mix up the wheels, the front and rear are slightly different and the treads run in a specific way.

You could do a really nice desert version with this one, leave the windows off and add a lot of dents and chips. I might get another for that purpose LOL, LOL.

Hopefully one day someone will update these kits. Both the 15cwt truck, Chevy Gun Tractor and the Bedford have still life left in them yet ,but it would be great to see some moulded to modern standards and a Bedford QLD GS in plastic is sorely needed.

Bronco seem to have an interest in British Armour, I'm looking forward to their Humbor Scout Car and Staghounds, maybe they will do some turcks as well, or Italeri could re-tool them and keep them running for another 30 years LOL, LOL - more likely just re-issue them, but they are the only game in town as far as plastic British trucks go.

Cheers

Al

Nice job on an moldy oldie. I personally like seeing these older kits being built.

Totally disgraceful! Not a sign of tyre black; the split pattern wheel bolts are supposed to be red, red RED!!; those paint surfaces are DULL, DULL DULL!!!; and Why aren't the seats and interior bullied up to parade ground standards?! Not to mention the 'orrible opaque things called windsreens...Wheres the RSM!??

Jeff W.

Nice work Alan. It does have an interesting shape.

Afternoon al,

Thanks for the feedback. A little more work done and a few quick photos between showers!!!











Still quite a bit to do but the basic vehicle is pretty much built. I haven't decided wether or not to add the windows to the rear doors.

With all the trucks I may need tp add air recoginition starts although I'd prefer not too and I'll also need to add some shipping data.

This one is probably a bit too dusty at the moment and I still need to sort out some stowage.

Apologies, these are not great pictures.

Cheers

Al

It's looking really sweet Alan. Jeff's right, though, ya gotta add the red bolts to the wheels. In a world where many things out of your control could get you killed, the RSMs were generally really anal about reducing the thing that might kill you that were inside your control. The tire rims on the CMP tires were "split rims" and had a set of bolts to hold the two halfs together and another set to hold the wheel to the axle ass'y. If you undid the rim bolts while there was pressure in the tire you could end up very very dead. I think on the CMPs the outer set of bots were the rim bolts.

Paint 'em red and make yer RSM 'appy, now there's a good soldier.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Yip red bolts it is, I have them done on the other two trucks but not yet on this one.

I have still some stowage to do and need to give the 'starts a bit of thought and sort out some shipping data (probably Archers) for softskinned vehicles.

I also want to experiment with some dusty windows before I do the truck ones LOL, LOL.

There are also Bty and vehicle IDs needed on the side doors but I need a replenishment of Fingerprint Design Decals for that.

Across the 3 vehicles there would be a maximum of about 12 crew, whilst I won't do that many figures I'll still need at least half that, some of which I have and some I will either scratch or acquire.

All in all a fun build but still a lot of little details to add.

Cheers

Al

Love the weathering Alan! Now i really want to dig that kit out and make a start on it.

Just curious, are the headlights really meant to be green as you have painted them?

What are you trying to say? That it rains in the UK? :-)

cheers

Greetings all,

Hi Jeremy,

See title WIP - :-) :-) . On this model only the LHS sports a covered headlight, not yet painted. The RHS is covered with a metal plate which sometimes carried the Bridge Number. You could if you wanted put a normal headlights in each socket although they are not supplied with the kit, but you do get an uncovered light for the LHS.

Glad you like it so far.

Hi Rick,

In Bedfordshire where I live we are actually very lucky as the 'rain/bad weather' often passes above and below us but this last week has been wet, wet, wet LOL, LOL.

Cheers guys.

Al

Great looking trucks! These are not the easiest models to build either!

On my WWII Jeep (original combat rims! Yippee, all 5 straight!) The nuts are on the inside and the bolts are carriage type. Same with the 3/4 ton Dodge. I never noticed that the British wheels had the nuts facing out. I will check out the books later.

A friend out here told us during a visit that a couple undocumented persons were working on a 20 inch combat rim at a tire place (small town) and seeing the bolts got out the air gun, zip, zip, zip, boom. They forgot to let the air out. They got lucky, 4 broken arms. I wonder if they sued the 1940's Army?

Hi Randel,

Thanks for the feedback. Yip, there is a lot more to these little beasties than one first thinks.

Sounds like they got lucky with only 4 broken arms.

Cheers

AL