by: Steve Keegan [ ]
Roo Resin, Queensland Australia, produces aftermarket resin items and is the brainchild of Armorama member Cliff Hutchings. This review focuses on Roo Resin kit #35031 depicting a GMC Radio/Command Body that mates perfectly to Tamiya’s U.S. 2½ Ton 6x6 Cargo Truck, kit 35218. The Roo Resin Conversion is priced at $70 AUD, plus postage to the States of approximately $10 AUD. Packaging and Contents
Packaging of the Roo Resin aftermarket Radio/Command body is first rate. A solid plastic container box protects the contents. Each resin part is individually packed in its own sealed clear plastic bag with bubble wrap inserted within the packaging for protection. There are 11 body pieces, a sheet of window shutters, and two fuel tanks (all resin), plus two lengths of wire for making a nine rung rear end ladder. The resin parts are crisp and well defined. Kit directions are clear and easy to follow, with color photos accompanying the step by step construction process to assist the modeler.
Assembly
Construction of the Tamiya Cargo Truck can be followed exactly as specified in the kit directions for the frame, motor, suspension, wheels, and cab. Once these steps are completed you basically have a completed truck, minus the traditional flat bed.
The first step in installing the Roo Resin conversion deals with the truck’s fuel tanks. The Tamiya gas tank is not used at all. Roo Resin supplies two resin gas tanks mounted on either side of the truck frame, a procedure that is clearly explained in the conversion kit’s instruction.
Next the command radio body can be assembled. The command body has separate front, rear, sides, and roof pieces. Start by squaring up the front piece, with a side, and joining them with CA. Follow the same process with the rear of the command body and the remaining side, making sure the two pieces are nice and square. Once these two assemblies have set (i.e. the front & a side, and the back & a side), join them together with CA to complete the command body assembly, (sans roof). Check again to make sure the completed body is square at all four corners.
Thin resin window shutters are supplied with the conversion kit, therefore windows can be shown opened or partially/fully shuttered (i.e. closed). I applied clear plastic sheet to the open windows and shuttered others.
The Command body roof and floor come in two separate pieces. These are joined with CA and then attached to the Command Body. Additional assembly involves attaching two resin braces on the bottom of the Command body that mate perfectly with the Tamiya truck frame, guaranteeing a problem free and tight fit of the body to the frame.  |  |
Final Assembly
Roo Resin supplies two lengths of wire to make a ladder for the rear of the Command body. The ladder consists of two long sidepieces and nine ladder rungs. The directions provide the appropriate measurements for each part of the assembly, plus photos to guide the assembly. In addition, the Command body rear end includes mounting holes that provide a guide for the ladder placement. Use CA to bond the wire ladder rungs to the side pieces.
Next mount the Tamiya spare tire to the mounting peg on the Command body rear end. After the picture below was taken I shaved off two lug nuts from an extra wheel hub from the Tamiya kit, and glued them to the spare tire rim to replicate how the spare is mounted to the spare peg.
Finally, apply the Tamiya tools, and tool holder, to the front of the Command Body. Summary
The Tamiya and Roo Resin Radio Command Conversion assembles quickly and easily. The Roo Resin conversion is certainly within the capabilities of any modeler due to the outstanding quality of the resin pieces, and the superb clarity of the directions.
I congratulate Cliff and wish him success on the launch of this new Roo Resin product. Cliff has selected the following finished pics to high light the Radio Command Body Conversion in this review. The last pic compares the Roo Resin Conversion to the standard flat bed body provided in the Tamiya kit.SUMMARY |
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About Steve Keegan (WeWillHold) Copyright ©2021 text by Steve Keegan [ ]. All rights reserved.
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