ShadowRaider Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Here are some pictures of my models of the MD-1 flight deck tractor. MD-1 flight deck tractors entered service with the U.S. Navy in the mid 1950s. Apart from the aircraft towing and positioning, they were employed to start up aircraft jet engines. For this purpose many were fitted with gas turbine start units mounted on the platform in the rear. MD-1 tractors served on Essex / Oriskany class, Midway class and Forrestal / Kitty Hawk class carriers of the U.S. Navy until mid 1960s. They have also been employed on the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Bonaventure. My kits come from F4Models (cat. # FM7001). They have re-issued this kit, and the new one has some substantial improvements. Firstly, photoetched details are now included. Secondly, the kit box contains parts that allow you to build the tractor in a number of versions / variations: with or without the starter unit, two versions of the front grille and a number of options to arrange the ballast weights. I have scratch-built the compressor's air hose and mesh screen for the exhaust pipe. I have also made headlights from self-adhesive bare metal foil and some handles and braces from thin wire. Everything else is out-of-the-box, with modest amount of filling and sanding. Painting and finishing is fairly straightforward: first Vallejo acrylic paint, then gloss varnish and some neutral wash, decals with Micro Set / Sol liquids and finally Vallejo matt varnish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Very cool indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryker Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Nice job! I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Monday Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Those are two very nice little tractors. This is one area of aviation modelling that has been ignored by the manufacturers for too long but thankfully that seems to be changing. Most tractor kits that I know of come as additional items in aircraft kits, like the modern tractor in the old Revell 1/72 F-16 kit and of course the tractor in the Airfix Stirling bomber. BM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobydog Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 They look really good. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roof Rat Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Very neat, well done. RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnylurve Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Tugs look really cool. But c'mon man, get that scooter painted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowRaider Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Dear colleagues, thanks a lot for your kind feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Looks great! Do they do a Royal Navy one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowRaider Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 (edited) >> Do they do a Royal Navy one Yes; there's a kit of the 1960s Royal Navy flight deck tractor in both 1:72 and 1:48 scales. There are also plans to issue some other RN flight deck tractor models in the near future. Edited January 18, 2013 by ShadowRaider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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