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Thunder Model has released a 1/32nd Clarktor-6 airfield tractor - ref. 32001 Sources: https://www.thundermodel.com/US-Clarktor6-Mill33-Tug.html https://www.facebook.com/ThunderModel/posts/pfbid0YHGfojzXLDfa2c59PFGSbL6bw6cqaw5pb9aaVjToJu74AcHrnht9khMS1xBKn2z7l V.P.

Scale Bureau from RuSSia has just released 1/48th Clarktor resin kits - ref. 48011 - Clark Clarktor Mk.6 - RAF - ref. 48012 - Clark Clarktor CT.30 - USAAF Source: http://scalemodels.ru/news/15638-novinki-ot-A-Resin-1-48-Clarktor--CT-30-dlja-USAAF-i-Mk-6-dlja-RAF.html V.P.

Last Videoaviation kit is a resin 1/32nd Clarktor towing tractor Source: http://www.videoaviation.com/ground-support/132-clarktor-towing-tractor/ Instructions: http://www.videoaviation.com/?wpdmact=process&did=MzQuaG90bGluaw== V.P.

Clark Tug Tractor 1:48 Videoaviation.com The Clark tractors (known as Clarktors) were in service in the US from the late forties through the 60s and beyond, and were designed as light tractors for airfields both military and civilian. Powered by a 6 cylinder flathead engine, coupled to a three speed manual transmission, with a cylinder block heater for easy starting, they pounded the aprons for years with easy maintenance and sturdy components. Weighing in at over 2,000kg with a total length of 2.7m and width of 1.6m, they could turn on a sixpence/dime and in the hands of a skilful driver could be a godsend. The Kit The kit arrived out of the blue from Maurizio at Videoaviation, in an oblong box that had a nicely done label on the front. Inside are two ziplok bags of resin parts, and a wrapped single piece resin engine compartment. In one of the ziplok bags is a short length of brass rod that makes the steering column. A single sheet of A4 contains the building instructions, which are all CAD rendered and easy to follow. The resin is crisply cast with sensibly placed moulding plugs that shouldn't pose too much difficulty to remove and clean up. In all there are 25 resin parts making up the tug with one spare steering wheel, plus one piece of brass, and two figures are included to spice up the package. One is a driver figure with a separate arm, and the other is a standing figure with his hands on his hips. Both are wearing coveralls and the ubiquitous baseball-style cap. Once the mould plugs are removed and clean-up complete, a wash in soapy water is wise to remove any of the last remaining mould release agent. This will make gluing and painting less of a chore and ensure better adhesion of any paint. The chassis has been made of one major part, onto which the front fenders and large half-round rear fenders attach, with a box installed at the rear that houses the fuel tank and raises the driver's position accordingly. There is a notch for his seat, and a square cut-out for the long gear stick and handbrake combo. The pedal box is attached to the large blocky front part, which has a moulded in coaming in wafer thin resin, plus four square ventilation ports on the sides, and the radiator grille at the front. A pair of frog-eye lights are moulded into the top of the engine box toward the front, and a radiator filling cap is central on the radiator part. Inside the coaming are three dials for the driver, and a slot for a large cylindrical "thing" that I'm hoping isn't the exhaust! A bracket extends from the rear of the engine housing to brace the steering wheel shaft, which slots into a hole in between the two pedals. This assembly is then attached to the chassis, and it starts to look a lot more like a tractor. The large rear wheels are paired, having two on each side, and the inner wheels have no hub detail, but a circular tab that click-fits into the outer wheel that does have hub detail. These then mount to the stub of the rear axle moulded into the chassis, and the smaller front wheels do the same, although their mounting point is squared off, and has two tabs on the rear of the wheels to give an impression of the steering mechanism. A further thick metal grille is then fitted in front of the radiator, protecting the front of the vehicle from damage, and this is full of holes to allow cooling air to pass through to the radiator. The instructions suggest clearing any of the wafer-thin moulding debris with a 1.2mm drill, which seems to work well. The driver's seat installs in the slot in the top of the box put in earlier, and the steering wheel attaches to the end of the brass rod. Then it simply a case of choosing the rear bumper, or rear bumper and protective metal sheet, and finally you have a choice of forward and aft towing hitches, either shackles or towing eyes. The figures are nicely moulded, although the driver figure has a slightly deformed head, which could be tricky to fix if you're not confident with either using heat to re-position it, or putty to remodel it. He is positioned looking to his right, almost over his shoulder as if talking to the other figure, and his right arm is a separate part to allow positioning of it on the seat edge or wheel arch. If you wanted a figure in the driving position, this one won't be much use from the waist up. The standing figure is very nicely sculpted however, and the drape of his overalls is particularly well done. When painted they should add a little human scale to the diorama. There are no decals supplied with the kit, which is hardly surprising, as the markings were so varied during its service life. The instructions tell you to paint it yellow, but no FS number or paint number for any manufacturer is quoted. It would be wise to check your references here, as I have seen some painted overall white on my travels. Conclusion This is a handy little kit, and nicely made. The parts are well cast, having been based on Rapid Prototype parts that were taken straight from CAD files and printed out on one of these new-fangled 3D printers. The intention is to scale the drawings to produce the same product in the three major scales, which should please an awful lot more people. I understand that the MJ-1 Lift Truck is next in the line-up, with two versions being produced to cater for Vietnam era as well as modern situations. A great little kit from a new company, and one that deserves to sell well. Review sample courtesy of