lunarhighway Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Hi all, With aircraft being my main intrest i don't know much about military vehicles, but my intrest was sparked by this picture: http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/North%20American%20T-6%20Harvard/Harvard%20H-019.htm Wich look like a nice diorama starting point. while the T-6 harvard is a well documented plane, the fuel truck was a bit more of an enigma to me, but after a little research it turns out to be a bedford model S wich wich seems to have been a very common and versitile truck of the era. the picture was taken at Kamina airbase in former Belgian Congo in 1958, this was a training base for the belgian airforce at the time, so it's entirely possible the fuel truck micht have been a local conversion of a commertial vehicle? I realise this is a shot in the dark and perhaps not the right place to ask, the vehicle is a bit all over the place, being a civil truck, used as an airfield support vehicle, it's not really armour... this being said i have a few questions: Does anyone know of a 1/72 or perhaps more likely 1/76 scale version of this truck? I have little hopes of finding the actual refueler, but i have the airfix wwII airfield set wich comes with two refuelers so they might serve as part donors Alternatively, as i also plan to do the T-6 in 1/48, are there any knows kits or die cats of this truck in 1/48 - 1/50 scale? The only one i've been able to track down is a die cast model from corgi, wich even comes as a fuel truck wich could be a start... although i'm not sure about the scale, some sources claim 1/50 any info, reference recommendations, etc, would be much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff_B Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 http://www.roadtransportimages.com/search-results?isc=1&searchword=Bedford%20RL%20MkII&ordering=xf3 You can get the resin cabs from this outfit, if that's any use ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcrfan Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 You could well find more info on Bedford refuellers on this website http://www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/forum/airfield-discussion There is a forum specifically on airfield support vehicles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunarhighway Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 http://www.roadtransportimages.com/search-results?isc=1&searchword=Bedford%20RL%20MkII&ordering=xf3 You can get the resin cabs from this outfit, if that's any use ? thanks a lot Geoff_B! The cab is the most essential part,the rest i think i might be able to scratchbuild, provided i can find more refereces. but this should provide a great start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunarhighway Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 You could well find more info on Bedford refuellers on this website http://www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/forum/airfield-discussion There is a forum specifically on airfield support vehicles thanks dcarfan! i'll check it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivand Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 the picture was taken at Kamina airbase in former Belgian Congo in 1958, this was a training base for the belgian airforce at the time, so it's entirely possible the fuel truck micht have been a local conversion of a commertial vehicle? Certainly not. While the Bedford RL and S type (which were used in large numbers by the Belgian armed forces) were made at the GM plant in Antwerp, I suspect this type of refueller came straight from the UK. It was certainly not limited to Kamina air base, but also used at airbases in Belgium (mainly for lighter aircraft, it seems). In Belgium, however, it had to do without the white painted top (supposedly the African sun had something to do with that). If you search a bit, you'll find it in a British setting: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bc/ec/a6/bceca6df27920f1250d3ab8614e76241.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/67384646@N08/7468031728/in/photostream/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunarhighway Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Thanks for that info! some real nice pictures i hadn't seen before, they'll come in handy. the white top as a heat reflector would be a logic explanation, i wonder how hot these tanks might have gotten being parked out there From what i can gather from pictures the fuel tank seems very similar to the one used in the bedford QL, it seems to sit a bit higher so the wheel arch cutout is different but otherwise it seems pretty much identical... wich is good news as i have airfix's badfor ql refueler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivand Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Interestingly, someone seems to have made that exercise before: Airfixtributeforum Missing lynx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelldoc Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 Sorry, found this thread only just. I knew the picture and do the conversion with the Airfix Bedford Refueller from the set with the Matador. The cab is from RTI (Road Transport Images). It was an easy conversion. Have a look: https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/40868867003/in/dateposted/ And here is the conversion for the post war Matador https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15700951427/in/dateposted/ Here is the conversion with the Bedford from JB /Airfix: https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/48768513503/in/dateposted/ modelldoc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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