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1/72 scale Bedford QL J145 Radio body scratchbuild


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So, with the corrected QL chassis/cab done I left you at the end of the last log with this.....

 

 

33142708541_ee7aa02388_k.jpg

 

 

In the last few days I've started to put this together..... A J145 Radio body, and whilst at it I'm making the kit version of the same body for Ian at Wee Freinds....

 

 

32514212083_d61e888e9e_k.jpg 

 

 

I'm currently at the point of the challenging part... Shaping the 'Luton' box above the cab....

 

 

More to follow soon.....

 

 

ATB

 

Sean

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Bullbasket said:

Brilliant work. That Luton was very futuristic for the time, very streamlined, whereas the coffin on my RL was just that....a coffin!

 

John.

 

Thanks mate, issue is it has been pointed out to me by some very respected historical researchers, and I had my doubts over it because my resources/research also confirmed the same thing, that the body is in fact to tall, yet I plowed on regardless as I was working from drawings, now the evidence just far out weighs the drawing, forcing me to rebuild the kit that will be released to the public.

 

Just goes to show..... Multiple media research is everything, and not to rely on solely a set of plans, as sometimes they are just an 'interpretation' of what really existed.

 

No big drama, just vexes me at the time and materials lost.

 

 

ATB

 

Sean

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Suppose it's a sign of the progress the hobby has made.  Back in the old days we were so grateful to have any 1/76 (1/72?  Modern upstart!) drawings at all, from the likes of Hilary Doyle, Mike Conniford and Geoff Lacey, we rarely queried how accurate they were, not realising that often they were doing their best on the basis of limited information.

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9 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

Suppose it's a sign of the progress the hobby has made.  Back in the old days we were so grateful to have any 1/76 (1/72?  Modern upstart!) drawings at all, from the likes of Hilary Doyle, Mike Conniford and Geoff Lacey, we rarely queried how accurate they were, not realising that often they were doing their best on the basis of limited information.

 

 

Very true.... 

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I like these conversions a lot and if I may ask, where do you get the drawings from?

 

My area of interest is the RAF and I would like to build/modify vehicles used on RAF Stations such as crew buses, fire tenders and the like in 1:72 and 1:48 scales.

 

Thanks for any advise,

 

Tony

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1 hour ago, Tony C said:

I like these conversions a lot and if I may ask, where do you get the drawings from?

 

My area of interest is the RAF and I would like to build/modify vehicles used on RAF Stations such as crew buses, fire tenders and the like in 1:72 and 1:48 scales.

 

Thanks for any advise,

 

Tony

 

Alot of mine prior to this were/are from multi media research and then scaled to suit, but this one is directly from a Geoff Lacey drawing, you can get his drawings from Dan Taylor models by emailing Dan and asking him to email you the list, they are all 1/76 so you'd need access to a photocopier to up scale them, the model above was up scaled to 1/72 from the 1/76 drawing.

 

I'll repeat again though, don't rely on the drawings, make sure you do thorough research before you cut plastic.... For me, lesson learned, for Airfix and the like, not so much so.....

 

 

ATB

 

Sean

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2 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I don't recall seeing examples with the Luton top: otherwise is the body the same as in the IBG and Milicast (1/76) offerings?

 

No, it's totally different, there are in fact close to 20 different radio bodies fitted to the QL alone, some did look similar externally but varied only very slightly as per their internal fitting/use, the Milicast offering, and I believe the IBG (don't waste your cash on IBGs the quality of detail is shockingly poor on their fire tender so doubt it's much better on their radio truck) is also a No 3 body, Milicast have just released a 16ft TEV as well, I've been asked to master No 1, 2, 3, 15 & this J145 bodies over time, this was the hardest, because of the Luton, so I chose to do it first

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50 minutes ago, Mancunian airman said:

Such a shame about the accuracy of your initial build. A lesson we can all take away.

Out of interest was the vehicle used by the 2nd TAF in Europe rather than Home stations ??

Ian

 

One can only guess mate, there weren't that many radio J145s ever made, so whichever branch got them they would have been very thin on the ground, far more likely they'd have had No 1, 3 or 15 bodies as they were the most numerous

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20 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Thanks.  I've just seen the Milicast TEV, but I think I'd have preferred it as a conversion.  Your advice on the IBG kits is too late, I'm afraid.

 

Yeh, I managed to waste £13 on a fire tender on Friday just to see what their kits were like compared to Airfix, and I know full well Airfix have their scale issues, some of them glaring, but in regards the IBG kit.... That's £13 just to take peek in a box then get thrown in the parts bin to be melted down for liquid filler at some point, annoys me after all the 'Rave' reviews about how good and detailed it is only to find a 5year old must have done the master.... Also says alot about how easily pleased, or willing to please, the reviewers' are....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mine is all painted up now and is available to veiw in the 'Ready for Inspection' section.....

 

 

Re did the kit version with corrected height and re-shaped Luton box.....

 

 

33617715646_a03463b4d7_k.jpg

 

 

And whilst at it I made a QLD GS body in kit form too, as requested by Ian at Friendship Models.....

 

 

33529242151_abc9854d11_k.jpg

 

 

ATB

 

 

Sean

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