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Hi all, This is my attempt at Tamiya's kit of the GMC deuce and a half. Dating from 1997, I found the moulding and fit to be excellent - a good choice for my first vehicle kit in this scale. I also bought Tamiya's accessory set 231 to go with it, this having the 0.5" Browning mount over the cab area plus a few other bits and bobs. The kit was built out of the box(es) apart from the cable for the winch. I also used the kit to try out weathering techniques and learnt a lot from a fellow modeller who showed me the oil dot technique, the use of pigments for dust and mud effects and gave me some links to helpful videos on YouTube, so many thanks to him. Thank you for looking, Pat

As light relief from model railways and other stresses, a quick, shake the box, build of a Tamiya favourite, the CCKW, also known as the Deuce and a half. Absolutely nothing new, clever or inspirational here, just a quick, possibly dirty, build. I'll let the pictures do the talking from now on... CCKW by jongwinnett, on Flickr

GMC CCKW 2½-ton 6x6 truck or "Deuce-and-a-half" US Army Cargo Truck. Pics thanks to Dave Haskel

GMC CCKW 750 Gallon Tanker Model: HobbyBoss 83830 Born into battle during World War 2 this warrior fought it's way across Europe with the 3rd Army and kept the Army Air Corps fighters fueled. But, as with all old warriors and with the wars end it was put out to pasture. It's now 1949 and along comes Army Mechanic PFC Alvin King, demobbed from occupation duties and now an ex-GI looking to use his GI Bill to start a business. So, he looks for a truck to keep the locals back home supplied with fuel oil. On going to a surplus sale in Memphis he picks up this old tired tanker. She needs a little work, but it's a start! Using his old contacts at home he gets some contracts to deliver heating oil and starts to earn a steady income for himself and his new wife Milly. King Gas is born! Alvin gets some surplus blue and white paint, mixes it together and paints the truck to cover up the now faded Army Olive Drab. It's now 1951 and the fuel tanks have had their day, they're starting to leak and that's costing Alvin money. So, it was off to another sale at a scrap yard where he found a wreck of a truck but it had 2 good fuel tanks. He bought the tanks and had his own replaced. They were a hideous red colour but once he had them installed he had every intention of repainting them into 'his' distinctive blue colour – no more blue left! Milly had taken it for the house porch. While he was at the yard, Alvin also replaced the drivers side door and wing mirror damaged the year before. His fuel truck was now a mishmash of parts but he could still go about his work. He needs the work, he and Milly are looking to start a family but times are hard in the mountains. Another year passes and the bodywork on the truck is now starting to really show it's age although the engine and chassis are still OK, and spares are becoming short at the yards. It'll soon be time to get another truck but not right now, need to earn a few more bucks and get some savings. Milly is expecting their first baby and cash is tight right now! Alvin is doing 14 hours a day and just keeping his head above water but his customers are loyal and he keeps soldiering on ….......... This model build was an exercise in weathering and distress but over the time of this build a story was born. I used this story to place the model in context and with it came the amount of weathering needed. The story of Alvin is fictional but cannot be so far removed from the times that some of it must have a ring of truth to it. I hope you have enjoyed following this build and may join me again on a future project. Constructive Comments Appreciated Build shown in Work in Progress Also featured on our website at Leicester Modellers