Saturday 28 October 2017

1/72: Allied Vehicles, various


In order to get another post in, after yet another hiatus, here's one about a few recent builds. I've still been making German stuff - I have a whole heap of Pz IIIs, IVs (some of these can be seen on the shelf below the titular Allied Vehicles of this post, in the pic above), and a few SdKfz 251s, all currently on the go - but I've also made a start on various Allied/enemies bits and bobs. 

As well as in the region of 10 various different types of Sherman tank (more on these soon), by several different model manufacturers, I'm really getting into the rear-echelon stuff. On the middle shelf pictured above can be seen, l-r, an Austin K2 ambulance and Fordson WOT 1A (both from an Airfix RAF emergency vehicle set), a load of Academy American vehicles (Dodge WC 54 ambulance, 2.5 ton truck, Willys Jeep, and Clarkson tractor), and a Russian Zis 5 BS fuel tanker, by AER/PST

Experiment #1 in making headlamps: punching
discs from plastic card with applied foil.

Clear plastic 'glass' added. Original grey styrene 
headlamps visible above (notably smaller!).

Scratch-built headlamps attached to cab, and masked, along
with windows. Note also addition of bar and disc.

I put a lot of effort into some of these, not just making plastic windscreens, but adding extra details, such as foil and clear plastic headlights, and various other odds and sods. However, as is typical with me, none are really 100% finished. Nor, I have to confess, am I that happy with any of them. But hey-ho. They're near enough finished, and I might as well try and enjoy them for what they are. My perfectionist streak shan't be allowed to rob me of the small pleasures these small treasures can/ought to provide!

Component parts of the Fordson WOT 1A.

Blocking in driver and interior colours. Fiddly painting
assembled interior! Couldn't fit the driver in either.

Constructing wing mirrors.

Opted for thinner wire supports for mirrors.

Fordson assembled: wheels weathered; note added
pipe and handle on water cannon.

The wheel weathering looks better on this side. Note also
added torch on left of cab.

Masking wheels prior to RAF grey/blue base coat.


Base coat applied.


Starting to block in other colours, and some detail.

Wheel hub masks removed.

Headlamp interlude: adding lamps to ZIS 5 BS.

Foil superglued in place. 

Glass superglued in place. K2 ambulance in background.

The finished headlamps. I'm reasonably pleased by 
the results. Prob' ought to be covered tho'!

Gloss varnish applied, pre-weathering.

And viewed from t'other side.

Hmmm? Not too chuffed with pin-wash/weathering.

Dull and messy looking. 

Pin wash not sitting in recesses satisfactorily.

The gloss varnish, rather ironically, dulls the metallic
colours on the water cannon.

Headlamps and searchlight torch foil and 'glass' unmasked.

I couldn't find much in the way of decals for the Fordson WOT 1A. And I might've put the wrong ones in place of registration plates. I just used a 7 numeral form a random sheet for the yellow plate. And I had to paint the RAF roundel by hand, mostly, after an attempt at freehand concentric masking failed, on attempt #1. As per usual, my clear plastic glass never satisfies me, coming out too mucky - from the gluing process - without resembling real 'scale' dirt.

RAF roundel: blue circle masked (2nd attempt!), 
white and red hand painted.

Window mask of ZIS 5 BS removed.

Weathering, although very basic, worked better on this vehicle.
Fire  extinguishers need a bit more detailing.

Fordson WOT 1A, ZIS 5 BS, and 'Katy' K2 ambulance.

4 comments:

  1. You're too hard on yourself - they look great!

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    1. Thanks Pat. That's one of the many thanks I like about blogging, occasionally getting a shot in the arm via positive feedback! Best, Seb

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  2. Seb, First off, thank you for sharing your work. I have almost completed this kit. However, since it is essentially a Ford I chose to paint it in civilian livery in that company’s Washington Blue. I am fairly new to this stuff, but decided to try a bit of ‘customizing’ a kit, as well as weathering with salt. I added a “box” to the tank’s back end with the gauges, etc. and hope to fashion a ladder to climb up to fill tank. I like these AER/PST kits. As a former Infantry Airborne soldier who deployed to Central America (one of Mr. Reagan’s concerns) as a medic with an Engineering Task Force I, too, learned to love “gear-in-the-rear” vehicles. One of the coolest being a mobile water purification truck. Fascinating! Thanks again, Jim

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  3. Great to hear from you Jim. And thanks for the positive and interesting feedback. I'm looking at getting some Mac Distribution 1/72 German trucks. I love the supply chain side!

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