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  1. LRDG F30 Patrol Truck (35304) CMP in LRDG Service 1:35 Thunder Model via Albion Alloys The Long-Range Desert Group (LRDG) are a historically significant fighting force that operated in North Africa during WWII deep in the desert, and often far behind enemy lines, using stripped down and augmented vehicles to travel to and from their destinations. From 1941 the larger of the two vehicles used were Ford F30 Long Wheelbase Trucks, manufactured as Canadian Military Pattern (CMP), and stripped of everything that wouldn’t be of use in the desert, such as doors, body panels, windscreens and any creature comforts. They also had enlarged radiators, raised and strengthened suspension, and a condenser system that recovered as much lost moisture from the system as possible. Unlike their predecessors, the Fords were 4X4, which almost doubled fuel consumption and reduced their effective range, but improved their rough ground handling. Some saw it as a backward step, and this was echoed by those in command, replacing them with Chevrolets starting in 1942, by which time most of the Fords were probably either written off or worn out by use, the abrasive nature of the locale, and the hot, dry climate there. The initial armament of the trucks consisted of Lewis guns and Boyes anti-tank rifles, adding Vickers .303 machine guns into the mix, and later widening the options with a 37mm Bofors anti-tank gun, which if fired forward would require the driving crew to duck and cover their ears if they wanted to survive with their hearing intact. The vehicles were fitted with six to eight mounts, but excluding the 37mm mount in the centre of the load bed, usually only three or four were in use at any one time during a mission. The trucks were equipped with compasses and radio-gear, and the crews usually carried a Lee Enfield rifle or similar, adding suitable quantities of water, food, ammunition, camouflage netting, and medical supplies in the event of injury to one or more of the crew members within their combat group. The water was just as important for refilling the radiator as it was for keeping the crews hydrated, and this became doubly important if the radiators were damaged during operations or had caught a bullet in combat, particularly if the repair wasn’t a good one. The trucks and men worked incredibly hard inflicting damage on the enemy, causing enemy troops to be re-assigned to guarding matériel and locations when they would have been otherwise employed in combat operations. Attrition of men and machines was severe, and many medals were awarded to LRDG operators, sadly sometimes posthumously, and their reputation continues to today, assisted by the efforts of the LRDG Preservation Society, who were active in assisting with the development of this kit and the others in the LRDG line, as can be seen on the box, and the history booklet. The Kit This is the first in a series of new toolings from Thunder Model, starting with the basic truck, followed by the 37mm option, which we’ll be reviewing soon. Each of these kits is available in a standard edition, or as a Limited bonus Edition for those wanting a little extra detail from the outset. This standard edition kit arrives in a flat rectangular box with a captive top-opening lid, and inside are four sprues of grey styrene, two frets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, five pale grey resin wheels, two lengths of different gauge copper wire, a small sprue of clear parts, two pre-cut clear foil windscreens for the driver, a decal sheet, instruction booklet printed on glossy paper in black and white, plus a short 8-page history of the LRDG that has colour decal profiles on the back pages, profiles that are repeated on separate sheets with a glossy surface, which were created for them by AK Interactive. Detail is good and extends to the complete chassis, engine and the resin wheels have more detail than is possible with injection-moulded styrene. Construction begins with the engine and transmission, which is built up over six steps from a host of parts, followed by the transfer box over three more steps. The chassis rails are spaced apart by eight cross-rails, one of which has two additional parts added to the ends before installation, after which the engine and the newly built radiator are mated to the front, building the radiator from six parts plus two feeder hoses that link back to the engine. The exhaust system is an impressive seven parts, including a muffler midway, and an exhaust that exits to the side near the rear. The transfer box with reservoir is fixed into the centre of the chassis, making a drive-shaft from four parts that includes a universal joint, requiring no glue. The rear axle consists of two hubs with brake drums at the ends, and the bulbous differential off-centre of the axle, which is attached to the double-stack leaf-springs by twin U-bolts and corresponding nuts on either side. Small parts and linkages are applied around the axle, then the front axle is made in a similar manner, but with a shorter differential and single-stack leaf-springs, again attached to the axle via twin U-bolts on both sides. The hubs and short power-transfer couplings are built in a similar manner to the real thing, using seven parts including the brake drum per side. A steering linkage and six-part drive-shaft link the front axle to the transfer box, with a much longer five-part shaft heading to the rear, adding two small parts to the inner face of a toroidal structure on the aft face of the transfer box. A large four-part fuel tank runs down most of both sides on two L-brackets between the axles, adding a PE ring and styrene filler nozzle after drilling a bleed hole above the filler location. The complex shape of the cab floor is made from five parts, with a scrap diagram showing the correct location of the parts, then a pair of front wheel arches are made from three parts each, and glued to the sides of the floor with the help of another scrap diagram, adding four additional panels to the front, then making the headlights and two PE brackets further back on the arches. The seats are made from two cushions that are joined by a pair of C-shaped tubular frames, building two before fixing them in the cab floor, then adding driver controls in the centre console and pedals in the right-hand foot well. Behind the crew is a bulkhead with a fire extinguisher in the centre, with a decal on it and a PE log-book on the driver’s side, then adding two more PE brackets to the trailing side of the wheel arches. More decals are applied to the centre console, a PE strap is added to the extinguisher, and a three-part PE lozenge-shaped insert is glued to the top of the fuel tanks on both sides. A rifle cup and bracket are mounted in the rear of the cab as it is mated to the front of the chassis over the engine, adding support brackets for tread-plate steps on each side of the cab. The bumper iron and two upstands with a top rail are mounted on the front of the vehicle, adding an overflow reservoir with PE bracket and decal inside the engine bay, plus bracket-ends on the chassis rails that are shown in a scrap diagram to assist with locating them. The steering column and linkage are threaded through the chassis from below, mounting a four-part box behind it, and another bracket with tread-plate on the opposite side. A retainer fixes the steering column to the dash so that the wheel can be fitted to the end, using a piece of 0.6mm wire as the base for the foil windscreen (there is a spare too), and creating frames to the sides that are each made from three PE parts for accuracy. A cylinder is fitted to the right side of the chassis in front of the fuel tank on a PE bracket, routing another length of 0.6mm wire to the top of the radiator for added realism. The load bed consists of a distorted I-shaped floor with short steps added to each side along with two arch inserts in grooves within, then fitting the sides to the bed, and adding the support structure beneath the floor, plus the corners and the tail-gate at the rear of the vehicle. A PE base-plate is glued to a marked position on the floor, adding styrene support rods to a post that glues into the hole in the base. A Lewis machine gun is built from three parts with a hollow muzzle and fixed to the top of the post, then the load bed is joined with the rest of the vehicle, finishing off the bed with PE brackets, hinges, rear light brackets with styrene light housings, and strapping, finishing the body by adding an optional triple weapons rack outboard of the co-driver’s position using PE clips and cups on the tread-plate. The resin wheels are applied to the wheel hubs and fixed in position with small caps, then you have the choice of fitting a pair of PE sand-channels that have eight PE brackets down their length, and are secured to the sides of the load bed by parts labelled PE30. Markings There are four decal options on the sheet, and the profiles have been penned by AK Interactive’s artists for Thunder Model, although there isn’t any information given about when or where these vehicles served, other than their vehicle numbers on the back of the load bed. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are by Thunder Model’s usual partners, which means good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This is a highly-detailed model of a vehicle that was used in support of the Allied North Africa campaign during WWII, driven and operated by very brave men. Highly recommended. Available in the UK in all good model shops. Review sample courtesy of
  2. Mustang Mach 1 007 (05664) 1:25 Carrera Revell Ford’s Pony Car was first introduced in 1964, and immediately struck a chord with the American car-buying public, claiming a place in motoring history as it did so. By the time the 1971 edition came about, there had already been a series of annual redesigns as was common back then, when cars were substantially less technologically challenging and safety-conscious than they are now. The aggressive styling had been toned down a little, and the chassis kept getting longer with three main body styles available, including hardtop, convertible and fastback, although the latter was unimaginatively called the Sports Roof at the time. There were three basic trim levels, plus the Mach 1, which was the sports model with two-tone paint and fancy striping, plus ducts in the bonnet to appeal to the petrol heads of America, of which there were many then, and are now. The Boss 351 followed the Mach 1, tricked out with grille-mounted fog-lights, additional spoilers front and rear, different twin tail pipes, chrome bumpers, and blacked out bonnet with tie-downs to give it a more racing look. Coupled with the sloping rear of the Sports Roof, these cars were a huge draw to those with a bulging wallet, but the vehicle’s emissions were such that it was short-lived as it stood, and the later 351 was dropped the following year due to the more draconian emissions regulations that were putting the brakes on oversized cars with immense engines under the bonnet, and while petrol prices were also starting to climb, America still had it pretty good when compared to other countries at the time. Although the Boss 351 variant ended, the Mach 1 name continued with the new design that was introduced in 1974, even though everything was comparatively smaller and more economical after the excesses of the early 70s. The Kit This is a reboxing of as 2022 tooling from Revell, and I originally questioned the choice of 1:25 scale, although I suspected that it might be a more popular scale in the US, and let’s face it, that’s where many of the kits will be heading. The kit is themed for Revell’s recent release of a host of James Bond themed vehicle kits they have marketed recently, and this beast was seen in the film Diamond are Forever, with Sean Connery at the controls of Tiffany Case’s red Mach 1 in a chase through the streets of Las Vegas, sometimes on fewer than four wheels. It arrives in an end-opening box with a painting of the car with a Las Vegas backdrop on the front, showing off the poster that is supplied (not pictured), plus reminding us of the fact that it is an official Ford product by way of a holographic sticker in the bottom centre. Inside the box are eight sprues and a bodyshell in white styrene, two chromed white sprues, four flexible black tyres with white sidewall stripes pre-applied, a clear sprue, decal sheet, the instruction booklet in A4(ish) portrait form that is printed in colour, and with a safety sheet folded up inside, just in case your common sense has temporarily deserted you. Detail is good, with modern aspects to the tooling, which has been moulded for Revell by (or in) Dongguan in China, as evidenced by black printing near the raised Revell 2022 copyright details in the boot/trunk areas. Construction begins with the engine, which is a little different than the original issue, starting with the two-part block and transmission assembly, which has the sump and two layers of ancillaries added to the front, then the two four-piston cylinder heads with their oil filler caps that form the V that gives the V8 its name, installing the two manifolds and more ancillaries along the sides. The fan belt with its mountings are put together separately and have the new seven-bladed fan fixed to the front before it is joined to the front of the engine along with the air intake pathways, carburettor and the distributor that nestle in between the piston banks. There are thirteen decals applied to various locations during the building of the engine, adding extra realism to the assembly, then the lower hose that leads to the radiator is inserted low down at the front of the motor. The dashboard is well-moulded, with recessed dials and raised bezels that are enhanced by applying ten decals if you include the two on the steering wheel, which is mounted on a short column with integral indicator stalks, with detail painting called out along the way, which is also the case for the rest of the build process. The front seats are each made from front and rear halves, and you have decals for the contrasting material inserts either side of the quilted cushions in black. The centre console has a T-shaped gear selector and its gaiter inserted into the front, and there are three decals applied here too, painting the moulded-in rear seats as the front seats and centre console are installed in the floor pan, all of which don’t have seatbelts although decals are found on the sheet, but it does have four foot pedals on a carrier glued into the left side of the kick panel. The door cards are detail painted and have two wood-grain decals plus a silver trim decal applied on each one so that they can be fitted to the sides of the floor pan and create the complete interior with the addition of the dashboard that gets yet another decal in the left corner that appears to be the US equivalent of the British VIN number. So far we have an engine and an interior, but not much car to go around it. That changes when the firewall is trimmed to add a pair of recesses on the top edge, and has the brake master cylinder fitted to it, then is detail painted before it is put to the side for a moment. The underside of the car is well-detailed on the exterior, and has the sub-frame mounted on two coil springs in the front, then the front axle with all its steering and suspension parts moulded into it is overlaid, after which the underside is flipped over to install the firewall after checking that you have removed the cross-brace piece of sprue in the transmission tunnel before you started. A couple more ancillaries are added in the engine bay, then the engine is lowered into the bay, sliding the transmission through the firewall and mounting it on its cradle in the centre, just like the real thing. With the glue cured, the chassis is flipped onto its back again to install the twin downpipes that each mate to their own muffler that plugs into some large turrets under the body. Two shocks and an anti-roll bar are glued into the rear axle space before the exhaust pipes are inserted into slots in the back of the mufflers, then the leaf-springs are fixed across the rear axle, which also has its differential input fairing glued into the front, dropping the assembly and a long drive-shaft into position on locating pegs. To put the power down we need wheels, and these are made from three parts each, a chromed outer hub, a white plastic inner hub, and a mushroom washer that sits loose inside the halves to allow the wheels to rotate, then slipping the flexible black tyres over the hub to complete it, taking care to ensure that the white wall stripes are outermost. One is added to each arch, being very careful with the glue if you want them to spin once you’re done. Attention shifts back to the engine bay again, adding stiffening beams to brace the suspension turrets against the firewall, fitted diagonally and meeting at the centre. The battery and a few more ancillaries are installed around the capacious bay, and another four decals are applied here and there to add more authenticity to this Ford approved model kit. The radiator is made from three layers, and has a decal applied to the rear layer before it is inserted into the front of the engine bay, locating on the lower hose installed earlier, and adding a top hose to the opposite side with two more decals, that also disappears into the engine. The exterior of a car like this is very important, as a sports car is always at least partly about looks. The rear light panel is first to receive its clear parts, painting them the appropriate colours with transparent paint, then installing it into the rear of the bodyshell after it has been prepared by removing the supporting sprue from the engine bay. The rear quarter light windows are also fitted from the inside, to be joined by the windscreen with rear-view mirror and linked sun visors, a courtesy light in the centre of the ceiling, and the rear windscreen. Before inserting the interior into the bodyshell, the interior roof and pillars of the bodyshell should be painted red, then the floor locates on a set of pins and sockets, to be covered over by the underside of the vehicle, with important gluing locations pointed out by red lines around the engine bay edges. A car is nothing without a face, and the Mustang had this part of its design language dialled in for much of its lifetime. The grille is provided as a single part with the headlamp reflectors moulded in, to be painted with the best approximation of chrome that you can muster. The fog-lights are chromed, and insert into recesses in the grille, and should then be painted a clear orange, as should the sidelights in the bottom corners of the grille part. The grille and air-dam are joined together, and before you install them in the front, there’s a host of decals for the engine bay, many of them optional. The grille, bumper and number plate holder shapes are fitted first, then the dam is brought up from below. At the rear, the panel below the rear face is installed first with another number plate holder, fixing the chromed bumper over it, thereby hiding the seam. The chromed central badge is glued into its recess in the boot, with a choice of three number plate decals for front and rear holders. The detailing of the engine bay isn’t over yet, adding a large circular air filter container over the top of the engine, with a hose that snakes away to the lower part of the engine, and applying three more decals around the shallow cylinder and on the bay side. Chromed door handles and wing mirrors with chromed mirror inserts are fitted to both doors, then the bonnet is painted, which has strengthening structure and other features moulded into the inside if you want to display your engine. Two hinge guides are glued to the back of the bonnet panel, and it is installed in position, with pins on the ends of the guides locating in the space under the scuttle, so it is best done after the glue has fully cured. Markings There is just one vehicle depicted on the decal instructions for this special edition, and it is bright red with black lower panels that are applied as decals with silver trim incorporated. Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion My experience of vehicle modelling doesn’t go back very far, so I was initially unsure why Revell chose 1:25, but that aside, this model is well-detailed and does a good job of portraying one of my favourite classic Mustangs, as it appeared in the classic Bond movie. It’s probably a bit large and wallowing for narrow and pot-holed British roads, but nice to look at on the forecourt or in your cabinet. Highly recommended. Carrera Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit or
  3. Hi everyone, I started to build this Tamiya kit: by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr to build the car that won the 2018 Continental Tire Sportscar Championship's at the Road America track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on 4 August 2018. Drivers: Brynjolfsson A, Hindman T Source: https://www.imsaphoto.com For race recap click here To start, as usual, a quick look inside the box: by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr I started by gluing the front bumper to the body ... by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr then (after a little sanding) a coat of Mr Finishing White primer ... by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr ... and to finish the first phase, the first layer of Mr Color Fluorescent Yellow (#172) by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr by Rodolfo Masti, on Flickr
  4. V3000S Einheitsfahrerhaus (35409) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The V3000 was a product of Ford’s German operation that was established before WWII as Ford Werke, and even after WWII started, Mr Ford, who was quite a fan of Herr Hitler, continued doing business with the regime, with some saying that this relationship continued much longer than it perhaps should have done. The truck was powered by a V8 petrol engine that output a respectable 95hp, with a load capacity of three tonnes and a single enclosed cabin, that while it was angular and with no consideration to aerodynamics, it kept the crew dry and warm. Initial production batches suffered from overheating issues when the weather was warmer, so later variants had larger radiators and additional vents around the bonnet to allow more cooling air into the compartment. The V3000S came into service in 1941, and was built in many forms, sometimes referred to as the Maultier when the rear axle was replaced by a track system to improve traction on poor ground, others using the long-winded Einheitsfahrerhaus, which means single cabin. As strategic resources became an issue, efforts were made to simplify production and reduce the use of metallic components, with many cabs being made from pressed wooden panels, which introduced the problem of rotting during the extreme thaw that was inherent to the climate on the Eastern Front. Over 25,000 were made of all types throughout the war, and at the end of the conflict, even though Ford’s factory had led a relatively charmed life with little damage and had chosen to use slave labour despite not being forced to, the parent company was given $1.1m in war damages, and was allowed access to the profits from the WWII period. Mr Ford must have had some pretty powerful connections. The Kit This is a reboxing of a kit that originated in 2010, but has had new parts in the interim, and has also been seen in other people’s boxes over the years. It arrives in ICM’s top-opening box with a captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are four sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, small decal sheet inside the glossy colour printed instruction booklet, which has colour profiles of the decal options on the rear pages. Detail is good, and incorporates a full engine and bay, chassis, axles and cab features, as we’ve come to expect from ICM. Construction begins with the chassis rails, which are extended on top at the rear, then are fitted with three two-part u-clamps, after which the cross-braces are prepared by adding small parts to them to improve the detail. There are a total of six cross-beams mating the two rails together, then the leaf-spring suspension is attached underneath each end, adding extra parts at the front. The V8 engine is built upon a two-part block, which has cylinder heads and ancillaries added, plus air box, gear lever over the transmission box, and cooling fan at the front. The completed motor is dropped into the front of the chassis, with a two-part spare tyre on a double-rail in the middle of the chassis, then a choice of early or late radiators are built, one having directing tin-work to guide the air from the fan behind it. It is fitted to the front of the chassis, joined to the engine by a pair of L-shaped feeder hoses, which vary between the style of radiator you have chosen. The front wheels are made from two halves, with a stepped washer placed in the centre without glue to leave them movable after completion, so don’t overdo the glue. They are joined to the ends of the front axle, with a steering arm ensuring that the wheels turn in unison once they are glued in place and the axle is fitted to the leaf-springs under the chassis, which also received a bumper iron and two curved support rods to the sides. Several brackets and a towing hook are installed around the chassis, the latter on the rear cross-beam, with a locking pin inserted through the two halves. The rear wheels are paired, and have another stepped washer held between the two halves of the inner tyre, while the outer tyre is simply glued to the inner via a keyed hub. The short rear axle with separate differential housing insert is placed between the pairs, and glued to the rear springs, fixing two drive-shaft components to the engine, the forward part needing the two pins removing from its ends. The exhaust pipes leave the manifolds on each side of the engine separately, and only converge at the muffler around halfway down the chassis, with a single exhaust pipe with curved end exiting just in front of one of the rear wheel pairs, with a total of seven parts to make this assembly. A scrap diagram shows how the finished item should be laid out under the chassis once complete, marked in grey to help identify its route. The cab is begun by inserting the two rounded corner windscreen panels into the frame at the top of the bulkhead, and placing the dashboard under it, applying a decal to depict the instruments. The floor panel with integral kick-board has the foot pedals and handbrake lever applied, then it is mated with the bulkhead, which has a lower section installed at the same time to extend it into the firewall. A short scuttle panel covers the space under the windscreen, and the engine bay’s side walls are fitted to mount the curved radiator grille between their front ends, after which the driver gets his steering wheel on a short column, then a bench seat is glued to the floor in two parts, adding the door frames on each side, and the rear of the cab that has the back cushion and a small window fitted before it is mated with the base and the roof is mounted. The doors each have handles and window-winders plus flat clear panes to give the winders their raison d'être. The tapering bonnet has two extensions added to the underside, plus a brace across the underside and a fin with logo down the centre, or there is an alternative with more grille cut-outs in the front of the bonnet that has a fin without logo and uses different parts, including a separate front that has the grille cut-outs moulded-in. The assemblies are brought together to complete the cab, which then has a choice of three styles of fenders, two of which require alteration to remove or shorten the crew steps that are moulded in. Convoy light, headlamps with clear lenses, door handles, fuel filler cap, width indicator lollipops, windscreen wipers and even a shovel are added around the exterior of the cab to finish it off. The load bed has a single floor part that is stiffened by adding five cross-members underneath, and four shallow walls around the edges, the headboard being higher than the others, with a cut-out for rear visibility. Two small three-part stowage boxes are made and fixed under opposite corners of the bed, then the rear fenders are fitted with each one supported by four short strips that install on pegs in the sides of the cross-rails. The headboard has a two-part former for the tilt slotted into receivers moulded into the headboard, and the three sub-assemblies are then brought together to create the truck, finishing the build by adding two additional brackets that create a skeletal crew step beneath each door. Markings There are two options included on the tiny decal sheet, both in later war Dunkelgelb dark yellow, with one wearing a comprehensive brown and green camouflage scheme applied over the yellow. From the box you can build one of the following, although not much information is given: Non-camouflage 1944 Camouflage 1944 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A welcome re-release of the base kit in later war “austerity” mode, where it more closely resembles some of Soviet Russia’s output of the time, especially around the cab. Plenty of detail is apparent, and construction should be straight forward, as long as you remember that you have a choice of radiators that then informs your choice of bonnet fittings. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of
  5. I couldn't find a thread for this. An un-boxing video from an Ukrainian model store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VgjPJ4nuYY&ab_channel=PM-Store-PlasticModelsStorefromUkraine
  6. These three vehicles and the subsequent diorama were my first builds since returning to the hobby. Bought and started to build the Tamiya Chevy as I couldn't find a kit my brother had bought me for a birthday a few years before. Then whilst researching old photos I came across the Ford F30s so kinda got sidetracked and found the IBG CMP Chevrolet C30 Steel Body kit which was ripe for conversion to the Ford F30 (basically built in the same factory with mostly the same parts). I added some desert pattern resin wheels. Needing some more jerry cans for the diorama as the Ford apparently only did 6mpg I plumped for the Tamiya SAS Jeep as it was the cheapest option and this then became the scout car for the patrol. I fiddled with the decals on the Chevy so that they matched the real vehicle Te Anau II, as seen in old pics, and because Te Anau is such a lovely spot in New Zealand so it gave the build some extra connection. The full diorama can be seen in the relevant section. Hope you enjoy these images. The original and my take on the Jeep pilot car. A few scratch built parts were required for the F30 conversion, chopping the engine bay down and filling the gaps with cardboard panels. Luckily this kit came with a full engine, which would never be seen in the original kit with the hood on. The rivets are a bit oversized and untidy but you get the idea. The pipe from the radiator which leads to the condenser on the driver's step (piece of round pencil with two cardboard straps...shhh don't tell anyone especially my daughter as it was one of her pencils). The cab had to be cut off, canvas doors made from tissue paper as were the canvas sand tracks on the wings. I also added some cushions on the seats as the kit ones looked a bit uncomfortable for a long drive across the desert. Lots of other added accessories from other kits. Thanks for looking.
  7. Model WOT6 British WWII Truck (35507) 1:35 ICM During WWII, Ford UK built a great many vehicles for the British war effort, as well as some 34,000 Merlin engines for Spitfires, Lancasters and Hurricanes. The WOT.6 was a 4x4 light truck (3 ton capacity) with a short cab that housed a 3.6L V8 engine pumping out a fairly paltry 85hp that could get it to 75mph eventually. The engine's location under the cab gave the load bed plenty of space on the chassis rail, and also gave the truck a sit-up-and-beg look. The heat from the radiator had to be redirected by a fairing to prevent it being ingested by open windows, thereby cooking and possibly even poisoning the crew if it wasn't in the best of health. Over 30,000 were built in a number of configurations, and they were in service from 1942 to the end of the war, with those in good enough shape carrying on into the early 60s. The Kit Another new tooling from ICM, who are working their way through the entire WWII vehicle list at quite a speed, while doing something similar to much of the Soviet back catalogue at the same time. The kit arrives in a small box with their usual top flap on the lower tray, and inside the outer clear foil bag are seven sprues in medium grey styrene, a clear sprue in its own bag, four flexible black plastic tyres and a sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) parts, each in their own bags, plus a small decal sheet. The instruction booklet completes the package, and is printed on glossy white paper in colour, with black and red used for the diagrams throughout, and the decal options printed in colour at the rear. British WWII softskins aren't much of a priority for many companies, so it will be happily anticipated by many for that reason, and due to the vast improvement in ICM's tooling in recent years they will be pleased to see that they have packed in a lot of detail to this release, and you can almost bank on there being other versions forthcoming in time if this one sells well. Perusing the sprues shows plenty of detail all over, with the occasional ejector pin that's unavoidable if you're expecting top quality detail on both sides of parts. Common sense has prevailed however, and all the marks are in areas where they either won't be seen, or where they're relatively easy to make good. The construction phase begins with the chassis, which is made up from two main rails, with sub-rails and spacers holding things together, and front suspension moulded into the outer rails. With the chassis completed by adding the rear end, attention turns to the engine, which is a complete rendering, and made up from a good number of parts for detail, including the block, pulleys, transmission and a short drive-shaft that threads through the holes in the cross-members. The two long exhaust pipes with mufflers go under the chassis on each side, and the rear suspension is fitted, which is a substantial set of leaf-springs, then the axles and drive shafts are attached to the suspension and transfer box. Brake drums, fuel tanks, steering arms and struts are all installed before the wheels are built-up around the rubbery black tyres, which have tread details moulded-in, and are finished off by the addition of the hubs, which attach from both sides, and are then detailed with additional parts before they are slotted onto the axles. The undercarriage is almost done, and it's time for the upper surfaces, beginning with the engine bay, which has the front wheel-arches moulded in, and is then detailed with lights, front rail, radiator and some additional ancillaries to keep the engine running. You even get a pair of lower hoses for the radiator to mate it to the engine, and two more longer ones diving diagonally down into the topside of the engine from the top of the rad. There's going to be a bit of painting needed, as the engine can be seen from the underside, even though access is limited. The bay sides are planted, and are joined by internal covers and instrumentation on top, which have a few decals to detail them up. Some of the driver's controls are added on the right side (the correct side) of the engine, and a pair of seats are built up and added to the square bases installed earlier, then the front of the cab is detailed with clear parts and window actuators, before the sides are attached to the edges and lowered onto the chassis, then joined by the simple dash board and steering wheel on its spindly column. The doors are separate parts and have clear windows, handles and window winders added, then joined to the sides in either the open or closed position or any variation of the two. The cab is a bit draughty at the moment, until the rear panel and the roof are added, the latter having a pop-up cover on the co-driver's side, with a couple of PE grilles then added to the front radiator frames after being bent to shape. Now for the truck bed, beginning with the sides, which have two stiffeners added, then are covered with bumpers along the top and bottom edge of the outside face. The bed floor fits into a groove into the bottom, and is kept square by the addition of the front and rear sides. Under the bed are a number of stowage boxes and racks for additional fuel or water cans, which are happily also included, then they are joined by the two parts per wheel that form the wheel arch that are braced on the outside with two small struts. Then it's the fun part! Adding the bed to the chassis, which is kept in the correct place by two ridges under the bed that mate with grooves in the chassis rail. At the front, two light-hoods are fitted above the lights, and the prominent pedestrian unfriendly hood that deflects the rain and hopefully redirects the engine heat from being sucked back into the open front windows on a hot day. The cab is detailed with additional lights, horn, wing mirrors, grab-handles and even some pioneer tools, then the windscreen wipers. Moving backwards, the four c-shaped hoops that support the canvas tilt are applied to the outside of the bed sides, reaching roughly half-way down the sides to obtain a strong join in both 1:1 and 1:35. The final act is to add seven rods along the length of the roof section of the tilt frame, which will need some careful alignment to ensure all the hoops are vertical and correctly spaced. Now you can paint it, but you've probably got a lot of that done already in truth. Markings It's a softskin, so British green is the colour you'll be using the most of. There are four decal options in the box, and all of them look very similar to the casual observer as there are minimal markings due to the subject in hand. The decal sheet is pretty small as a result, but it's also quite colourful due to the unit markings that are included. From the box you can build one of the following: France, Summer 1944 L5496558 France, 1944 Great Britain, Summer 19445 30YX68 Great Britain, Summer 1945 Decals are printed in-house, and have good register, colour density and sharpness, which include those useful instrument dials with black backgrounds. Conclusion As soon as I saw this in the box I thought it was an interesting subject, and it looks like ICM have made a nice little replica here. Plenty of detail, some PE parts, and some rubbery tyres for those that don't want to have to paint them. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from their Importers, H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of
  8. Having retooled their mid 1990s tooled '32 Ford roadster for the the short lived TV show tie-in Rat Roaster version about ten years ago, Revell's '32 roadster has finally reappeared again, this time without the much criticised Rat Roaster specific parts, and now with a Duvall windscreen. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-85-4524-32-ford-rat-roaster--1410987 BTW, Scalemates has the history wrong according to info on one of the US model car forums - whilst the parts are fully compatible with Revell's other '32 Ford hot rods, the Rat Roaster was entirely new tooling and this release is the first modification from that. More info on the Rat Roaster, on which this is based: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/49169-stacey-davids-rat-roaster-by-revell/ More info here on the new release, including test shot pic: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/170411-revell-32-ford-roadster-revised-former-rat-roaster-tool/ Finally a '32 Ford hot rod that I'd want to build straight from the box!
  9. Have we ever had a single type group build for a car? What else could offer more variety in both colourful prototype cars and a plethora of kits than the original Pony Car the Ford Mustang? None! So; any scale, any material, any year, any kit, for street, for strip, for a raceway with turns too, factory stock, street machine, race car, Shelby or "secretary" Mustang, Mach 1, Boss 302/429, GT, Bullitt, 1964 1/2 to 2021; this is it as long as it's a Ford Mustang! Any takers? V-P 1) vppelt68 (host) 2) Kitkent 3) johnlambert 4) cmatthewbacon 5) TonyW 6) Alan R 7) Nick Belbin 8. dbostream 9) Six97s 10) Ray B. 11) helios16v 12) HoolioPaulio 13) TimJ 14) Hockeyboy76 15) Redstaff 16) Spiny 17) wimbledon99 18) ...
  10. Model T 1914 Fire Truck (35605) ICM via Hannants The Ford Model T has gone down in history as the world’s first mass produced car, introducing the production-line in a manner that would still be familiar to modern eyes, only perhaps with not so many robot arms flailing around. That production line ran from 1908 to 1927 with over 15 million sold. Its so-called three-speed transmission included a reverse gear rather disingenuously, and the four-cylinder 2.9 litre engine could output a whole 20bhp through the rear axle to reach a top speed of just over 40mph at some point after you floored it. It was capable of 25mpg with a light foot, and over the course of production, many different applications and body styles were envisaged for the first world-wide car, including armoured cars, trucks and fire trucks. The Kit This is a new boxing of the recently released base kit with new parts specific to its task. It is in the predominant AFV scale of 1:35, although ICM have also tooled a 1:24 series of kits that have been released alongside these to appeal to the car modellers in their main scale. It arrives in a medium-sized top-opening box with ICM’s usual captive inner lid, and inside are two sprues in grey styrene, a small sprue of clear parts, no decals and a glossy colour instruction booklet with the painting guide on the rear page in full colour. Construction begins with the radiator surround that is moulded to the front axle and has the Ford logo in the centre of the core insert, and on the header tank of the surround. This is fitted to the floor pan, which has two styles of tread-plate engraved into the footwells and the running boards between the fenders. Some small parts are added under the front, then the engine block is made up with its transmission and other ancillaries added along the way. Incidentally, this engine stayed in production until 1941, long after the Model T became extinct as a complete vehicle. The engine is fitted into the bay behind the radiator, and is plumbed into it with entry and exit hoses. Underneath is the long exhaust pipe with a single muffler box that is made from two halves with the exhaust tip moulded to the separate part that extends it to the back of the vehicle. The drive-shaft with its large differential housing is fitted between the rear drive-shafts and suspension part, and is inserted into the underside with the drive-shaft mating to the back of the angular transmission housing. Suspension braces are added to the front and rear axles, along with the steering arms that fit to the rear of the front axle, then the single-part spoked wheels with pneumatic tyres moulded-in are clipped over the ends of each axle. The wheels are very well moulded, with air valves and sharp spokes on each one, plus a well-defined rim and tyre tread detail. The early Model T had a faceted five-faced cowling over the engine until 1914, the two sides lifting up on a central hinge that ran from front to rear of the top face. The hinge is attached between the bulkhead and the radiator, and the two lift-up panels are added over the top to complete the cowling, although you could also leave one or both open to show off the engine, but you’ll need to remove a couple of ejector-pin marks, which is easily done because the cowlings are flat-surfaced and should be a little thinner to be more realistic anyway. The front floor pan has the Ford logo in the passenger well according to the instructions, but there’s just a section of ribbing there on the plastic, as well as some more treadplate patterning, and this is sandwiched between the two lower sides of the body, with a spacer at the rear. It is lowered onto the chassis and the three foot pedals and handbrake lever are inserted into their slots on the left (wrong) side. A quick trip to the furniture store has you making up the front seats (read “couch”) from an L-shaped seat pad with quilted surface, and matching texture is also present on the arms. The completed soft furnishing is fitted within an outer shell that is made from base, back and two side panels, then it is installed on the raised platform between the front and rear areas. A rear lamp is made up with a clear three-sided wrap-around lens, then the rear passenger compartment is filled with a pair of water tanks, which are three parts each, and joined together by a frame that has control wheels at the rear, along with pressure regulators with more valves on the top. A large stowage box is fitted on a frame over the tanks, and each side is perforated to form a diamond mesh pattern, with a coiled hose placed in the bottom, linked to the manifold in the rear of the vehicle. The driver’s fifth wheel has a pair of controls mounted at the top and a long column added, then it is slid into a hole in the sloped part of the floor in front of the pedal box. Two front lights are made up in the same manner as the rear lamp, but they have handed brackets to fit on the bulkhead, while a two-layered ladder is fastened to the left side of the vehicle on a pair of brackets that form part of the rear equipment area. Two more headlamps are each given clear lenses and their cylindrical bodies are made of two halves, split top and bottom. Another lamp, this time a searchlight also has a clear lens and fits to the top of the bulkhead, with a bell for the dinging-of on the opposite side next to the driver. Two types of fire extinguisher and a short drum are the final parts that fit on the right running-board, with the optional hand-crank for the engine slipped into the front under the radiator. Markings There is only one colour option supplied on the back page, and it’s not going to surprise anyone that it’s predominantly red with a bit of brass for the fitting, plus a pale grey set of tyres. When did tyres become black? There are no decals, as already mentioned, so registration and all that aren’t of any interest for a change. Cool. Conclusion ICM have done really well with this range of Model Ts in both scales, although the 1:35 kits are of more interest to me personally. Moulding is excellent, with some really crisp detail on show, both in the metal areas as well as those ever-so-comfy front seats. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of
  11. @TimLucas kindly supplied me some mirrors after I accidentally threw mine away in a tidy up (yes, I know) so can now publish the finished conversion of the Revell Mk 2 rally Escort into a 1.1 base model. This took a lot of work and involved scratch building most of the engine - you can see what was involved in the build thread I have noticed after taking the pictures that the bonnet isn't on quite tidy in some of them but I had already packed it away and couldn't face getting it out again - it does sit properly normally! Last few pictures show it sitting with some VW contemporaries that I built during the first lock down, showing how dated the Ford was getting by that point. Hope you like it - similar treatment to a Mk1 Escort may follow at some point! Chris \
  12. It’s been a little while since I posted a build. It’s very easy to get distracted by life in general, but always nice to open a box & start a new build. I quite fancied building a very early car & this fits the bill: lots of parts. Nothing in the way of a main body shell and white rubber tires. I think it will be hard to stay away from painting it all black
  13. Hi, I have had this RC model since the mid 80's and it went from it's original blue box markings to a camouflaged version. It has been on the loft for decades until I decided to refurbish it and try to make it as original as possible apart from the new front grill, new rear bumper, windshields and a new transparent RC compartment . The decals are by a Canadian company and got some spares of the internet along the way. I thought of selling it on a auction website, but now I am not so sure, although I will not race it or fit it with r/c equipment. The modern r/c stuff appears to be much more capable than this vintage Tamiya off roader. Took me ages at the time to save up for it as a teenager. I am normally a plane builder, but thought I would share it nonetheless. Apologies beforehand for it not being a "proper" kit in the classical sense. Thanks for watching.
  14. Belkits 1/24 Ford Escort RS1600 This kit was brought back from Japan a couple of weeks ago by a good friend of mine. The other three kits I’m making at the moment have been put on hold until this one’s done. I’ve owned five Escort MkIs over many years which can be curse and a blessing when it comes to being so familiar with the real thing. I'll just give a brief intro until I can find the camera lead to download some pics and will continue the commentary at the same time. The box is full: the body shell is packed in its own carton with the rest of the space filled by four sprues many of which have runners set at an angle to allow (presumably) the moulding and subsequent protection of the parts. A cursory glance through the instructions reveals cad line drawings that aren’t the clearest - very thin lines with no variation in thickness as well as some ‘contours’ or ‘mesh’ lines, and tinted all over with a flat tone. It can be difficult to see if the drawings are showing the inside or outside. Several drawings are doubled up, for example the interior ‘cradle’ showing both right hand drive and left hand drive versions. These are annotated with arrows and instructions to fill relevant holes with a caption stating ‘This kit!!!’. (The ‘cradle’ has holes for such things as a footrest that need filling in the relevant place.) One diagram is wrongly captioned - the fixing points of the wipers. Decal placement is shown by colour photographs that look as though they’ve been cut out by a meat-cleaving butcher with bad eyesight. I launched into the kit starting with the front radiator grill simply because the headlamp void on the body didn’t look quite right on the pre-launch photos I’d seen, but all seems well. This is neatly designed with a piece of etch to represent the grill that sits over a recess that I guess should be painted black. The radiator grills have been chromed which isn’t strictly correct as these were made of pressed aluminium. I did some modifications to my example and left it in a bath of bleach overnight. I got up next morning to check on it and wash off the bleach (that had no effect) and lost it down the plughole - how many of you can claim to be undoing p-traps and lifting manhole covers at 5.30am? I’ve got another kit on order to do a square light version anyway . . . Nick
  15. What started out as a Ford transit UK police kit I wanted to build something different and unique there is lots more work to be done but here is my progress so far, any feedback is welcome and hope you like. Progress has been slow due to me going back to work but here is where the transit van is currently at, I've decided I want to turn this transit into a campervan, I've lined the rear sides out in wood, with the roof awaiting to be done, I've got for the beach towel over the seats (this is far from perfect) and I decided to take my hand at woodwork and make a bed with an under bed draw, Still a few areas needing paint and far from done.
  16. I hope these are OK to post here, I've got a few 1:148 scale 3D printed cars, mainly as scenic accessories for my model railway, but they are quite nice on their own and quite challenging in their own way. You can't get many 1970s or '80s cars in 1:144 so the 3D prints are a good way to add to the collection (even if they are very pricey). This is the current selection, some glued to cotton buds to hold them whilst painting. There are 3 different Ford Escort Mk3s (XR3 plus standard 5 and 3-door hatchback). I've also got a Renault 5 and Vauxhall Cavalier in (slow) progress. It's painted Ford Sunburst Red, although it looks darker on a small model and I've picked out some of the black bits. Doing the lights is going to be a challenge. The other thing that's tricky is the windows, It's got quite a deep windscreen which isn't included in the kit. My preference is to use an old water bottle which has a variety of curves to suit different vehicles. Glue-n-glaze is ideal to fix windscreens in place.
  17. Hi all, well considering how basic this kit was when I first looked it over, I think it has turned out looking pretty spiffy. The kit really was going to have to be super detailed to make it look convincing; I used a basecoat colour that I had mixed for a motorcycle tank I was respraying for a client. It was Suzuki Maui blue; it seemed to match the full size car's colour perfectly. Not one of Hasegawa's finest, there was some nasty fit issues, around the front fender, the lower valance did not want to fit, as well as the rear wheel covers. I had to replace the front windscreen and quarter side windows with some clear acrylic sheet as the kit one was starting to split and was too poor quality to really use anyway. Overall I am pleased I took the decision to convert the car into a convertible and save the kit from returning to the stash and probably never being built.
  18. Hi guys, here is another car project and I really do have my work cut out with this one, it’s been in my stash for about 5 years, dug it out last week and took a peek at it, good points are that it has a very nice accurate looking body and all the fenders and details on the outside of the car look good, however inside was very poor, no engine bay, and worst of all very inaccurate seats and dash. Not surprising really as the 66 T-Bird had very elaborate seat and dash detailing, so what to do? Well, looking at YouTube videos I found that the convertible versions looked much better, so I decided to bite the bullet and cut the roof off! Now this committed me to scratch building and modifying the kit interior details, the main objective was to give a fairly good representation of a top down 66 T-Bird that was ready to cruise or had just been fully restored to show winning condition. Here are some photos of a restored 66 T-Bird that I am trying to copy in model form. I decided the body would be painted in blue metallic with white leather and blue interior, with lashings of chrome details. So I hope to update you with progress soon, now where’s that hacksaw?
  19. Model T 1917 Touring WWI Australian Service (35667) ANZAC Drivers 1917-19 (35707) 1:35 ICM Via Hannants Formed in 1914, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) played a substantial part in WWI often in areas that are seldom given the prominence of the Western Front. They were a major player in Gallipoli where they were heavily mauled due to the Lions led by Donkeys approach that pervaded at the time. They also served in Palestine and Egypt, and it was the former where they used the then new Ford Model T to replace the previous vehicles that were suffering due to the poor availability of spares, They used six of them as Light Armoured Cars, often mounting weapons in a manner that became more familiar in WWII in the shape of the LRDG. The Kits The kits arrive in the usual ICM top-opening box with the captive flap on the lower tray and artwork depicting the contents on the lid. Whoever puts those lids together certainly makes them tight and difficult to get off even after cutting the tape between the two parts. Model T 1917 Touring WWI Australian Service (35667) Inside the box are two sprues in grey styrene and one in clear, a tiny decal sheet and glossy instruction booklet with painting and decaling guide printed in colour on the rear. Detail is excellent as we've come to expect from ICM, and the small size of the vehicle is immediately evident as the four mudguards moulded into the vehicle's floor give away the dimensions. Despite being small, this is a full-detail kit and includes a nicely detailed representation of the engine using 11 parts, a two part radiator that is moulded into the front axle and attaches to the front of the body shell along with four eyes inside the engine compartment. The completed engine is dropped in behind the rad and with the chassis upended the exhaust is put in place linked to the exhaust manifold on the side of the block. The rear axle of the Model T was suspended on a single lateral leaf-spring, and this is next to be constructed along with the differential and drive shaft assembly. This is also fitted to the underside with various swing-arms and the steering mechanism, then the four single-part wheels are installed and the model is righted once you've had a few moments to appreciate the detail of the wheels, which even have the valves moulded-in. The vehicle looks a bit odd with no upper body, so with the steering column fitted the crew compartment is made up from front, sides and back which have the doors moulded in and the base of the windscreen mount added as a separate part. The cylindrical fuel tank is fitted across the cab in a gap in the floor, and additional fuel is glued to the front bulkhead as a row of four jerry cans in a box leaving space for the wheel as this is a right-hand drive vehicle. The foot pedals and handbrake are added on the right and the bench seats are made up from bottom cushions (literally!), stiff back with additional cushion and armchair-like sides. Before these are fitted the fuel tank is boxed in and then they can be fixed in place alongside the folded four-part hood and the steering wheel complete with boss and two stalks, one of which was the throttle, surprisingly enough. The pedals on the floor didn't work exactly as you or I would expect either, so it's probably for the best that few of us will ever get chance to drive one. The windscreen can be found on the clear sprue as you'd expect as can the rear light, the front ancillary light and both of the wing-mounted headlights. The screen is in two parts with a C-shaped frame attached to the two halves and a pivot to allow them to be folded or opened. Another pair of fuel cans are attached to the left running board and a spare tyre (no spokes) is found on the right. Markings There is only one colour and that is olive green used on both decal options, both of which were used in Palestine in 1918. Each one has a code on its bonnet/hood and a unit crest on the rear passenger door as you can see below. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. ANZAC Drivers 1917-19 (35707) Cars won't go anywhere without crew and they help to give a vehicle a sense of human scale. This set complements the Model T above, which is why it's here. Inside is one sprue of grey styrene that holds parts for two figures in ANZAC uniforms with their wide-brimmed hats. They are broken down into head, torso, arms, legs and hats with one of the co-driver's arms split between two parts to allow better adaptation to any weapon he might be tasked with. The instructions show the location and number of each part and give painting instructions that refer to a table over the page with Revell and Tamiya codes listed. They do give the gentlemen a slightly sun-burned look through their choice of flesh tone, but that's just a point of amusement to my childish mind and doesn't really matter a jot. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of
  20. Revell 1:24 Ford GT Le-Mans Revell have a history of some very good race car kits in there 1:24 range, they have now produced a copy of the 2017 Le-Mans Ford GT. Ford re-released the GT road car a few years ago now to replicate the original GT40, but with modern luxury, and power. The GT was always a performance car so the cross over to the track is an obvious one. Revell have produced a road version as part of there ‘easy Click’ range and Mike has reviewed one previously. . This Le-Mans version is not part of the easy click range and is a fully detailed model kit and is officially licenced by Ford. The body is in 3 parts, (shell, rear section, and floor) with 7 sprues in white and some clear parts with some rubber racing slick tyres in the normal Revell end opening box. The parts are very crisp with no flash or mold lines and the detail is very nice. The rear section fits well on the shell and incorporates the roof. The way this is cast makes me think more versions of the GT will be produced in the future. The chassis is flat as expected on an aerodynamic race car and the access panels are engraved on the parts. Construction begins in the cockpit, a single bucket seat is fixed to a well detailed tub, sometime detail painting the switches and controls will be rewarded as the interior will be visible through the windows when the car is completed. The harness for the driver is on the decal sheet to be placed on the seat. The engine is next on the build with the block and transmission in 2 halves, with heads, intake and pulleys added with the exhaust headers. All the paint codes are called out referencing to the Revell paint range. The engine is added to the lower chassis plate along with the interior tub completed earlier. The extensive roll cage come next, either side of the engine and interior this includes the front and rear inner chassis leg detail, with the fire wall and cross brace sandwiched between behind the driver’s seat. The dashboard spans the interior at the front and copies the real race part nicely with the flat top and bottom steering wheel with multiple controls and a screen on the top of the dash. As a mid-engine car under the front isn’t an engine, but the air intakes and radiators to keep it cool on the long race and the ducting is a single part so no awkward seams to fill and sand down the tubes. The suspension is multilink with upper and lower A arms front and back, the hub with nice brake disk details are added, with the final piped and inter coolers completing the chassis and interior. The wheels are nicely done and the multi spoke design popular with race cars, with this design being strong and very light. The tires are racing slicks with Michelin decals for the side walls, the front is narrower than the rear so check before sticking the wheels in place! The body needs painting white, with blue and the instructions show where to split the colours between the red, white and blue. The two sections come together before the glazing is added. The windows come packaged in separate bags, and have the black areas pre-painted onto them with the clear sprue only holding the front headlights and light covers, the rear lights come in red clear ready to add to the back the decal sheet is comprehensive and as expected well printed. There is lots of detail and small decals with all the sponsor logos and required safety decals for the car. You have a choice of 4 different cars to model on the sheet with the differences in decal placement covered in the instructions A nice addition to the Revell race car range in 1:24, having seen the car after the race it would look fantastic done and weathered in post-race condition! Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit or
  21. This was a little simple project to keep me out of trouble over Christmas and has just been finished. The Revell Snaptite Ford Expedition in 1/25, it comes all black with stickers for the white bits in it's intended police car model. The CFD decals are old ones from Chimneyville and the lightbar comes from the Ghostbusters model.It was brush painted using Humbrol enamels and finished with Winsor & Newton Galeria varnishes which were also brushed on. Because it was a simple idea I didn't bother with an interior although the model comes with some bits to put in the back, so I opted for some (heavily) tinted glass. Chicago 51 - 1 by phil da greek, on Flickr Chicago 51 - 2 by phil da greek, on Flickr Chicago 51 - 3 by phil da greek, on Flickr Chicago 51 - 4 by phil da greek, on Flickr Thanks for looking.
  22. So far so good. Can't wait to give you more. Flickrhttps://www.flickr.com/gp/154999142@N05/E96N05
  23. I haven't done a RFI for sometime. In fact I think I've only ever done one, maybe two This the old Airfix 1/32 1912 Ford Model T converted to a post-1917 Model T Pick-up Its far from perfect tho. Main things done were; steering connections made changed to left-hand drive instrument panel and instruments added the scuttle, radiator and engine bonnet rounded the rear deck extended and the pick-up/stake body built of plastic card windscreen glazed and mid-way bar added tilt roof rear window glazed exhaust end pipe extended with plastic tubing and angled down and outwards, away from spare wheel spare wheel mounted under pick-up body 'little-lenses' used for head lights and tail light left off everything not appropriate to a later Model T
  24. Anyone remember the programme? In the late 70's early 80's, created by the same guy who created "CHiPs" and hot on the heels of the classic "Emergency!" 240 Robert was the callsign of the Bronco used by two Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies who were also search and rescue paramedics. The programme focused on this aspect rather than the policing role, it only lasted 15 episodes and one of the main characters was played by Mark Harmon, later of NCIS fame. As a young kid in West Yorkshire, I loved it, I think it was on ITV on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Of course now through the magic of the internet you can research and revisit all these things that you only vaguely remember. The modern LASD still operates these search and rescue teams and they use a wide range of vehicles, so this build will be a little "what if" but is based strongly on the real thing. I've had the Meng kit for quite a long time and had played with the idea of doing this but lacked any suitable decals, however with JBOT decals making a reappearance I decided now was the time. The kit will be used pretty much out of the box, just a little scratch building and alteration of the centre console to turn it into a police vehicle, then the scratching of a box to sit on the truck bed. The decals are here and look excellent and the light bar is coming from police car models in the US and other little interesting bits from the spares box and Kit Form Services. So a few pictures. F350 - 2 by phil da greek, on Flickr F350 - 3 by phil da greek, on Flickr Big box full of stuff, a lot of it is to build a very realistic engine, not for me as the bonnet / hood will be down, just enough so if anyone views it from the right angle there is something there. The instructions are good. Nice & clear, making it obvious where bits need to go. F350 - 4 by phil da greek, on Flickr F350 - 5 by phil da greek, on Flickr Centre console as supplied and then as butchered and then an idea of where we're going with it. F350 - 6 by phil da greek, on Flickr F350 - 7 by phil da greek, on Flickr F350 - 8 by phil da greek, on Flickr So far so good. The chassis is built and being painted up, it went together very well with almost no need to "fettle", all in all the kit goes together well with no big gaps to fill (so far). Only two complaints really, first the nasty rubber tyres, I've had no success finding resin ones (anybody got any leads? 35mm diameter, probably the same size as 1/24 Land Rovers) and the second were the truly stunning ejection marks in the crew cab floor that took some serious fixing. Feel free to join in but a word of warning, if you're a F350 or LA County Sheriff expert, you may want to go somewhere else. Feel free to count my rivets but don't expect me to thank you. Laters.
  25. Hi all Ford Zakspeed Capri Gr.5 Wurth from TAMIYA, 1/24. OOB Model made for customer in 2015 Best regards Martin
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