BIG X Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 18 minutes ago, Lawzer said: One thing i will say - where's me penny shot!! 😆  My cap is doffed to you (and indeed almost everyone else on here) in the amount of research you do before even starting.  Not me....well, maybe once i did.....  see i TOLD you you're a bad influence - started building in 1/72!!  How's this for a bit of research that led in a completely new and random direction...  I was googling for British WWII medical stretchers - it was 'WWII' that saved me from some very dodgy links though  Anyway I found this...   ...in the run up to the London Blitz the government ordered 100's of these wire stretchers - for carrying expected victims in British cities. It is just the top bit we are looking at BTW - a basic stretcher design with the bendy bits acting as the 'feet' - very nice too. However - after the war they had millions of these things 'going spare' - so guess what they were used for...   ...that's right - wire fencing on council housing around London - GENIUS - you couldn't make it up - amazing what you learn when you start searching. Completely useless here though 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Wow! Â Now thats upcycling.... Â i would lay money that somewhere up near banff there are fence posts that started life as mosquito rocket rails..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 Quick update... I had high hopes for progress this week - but things have 'stalled a little' - before I can prime the chassis I need to make the frame to carry the stretchers and before I can do that I need to make or buy the stretchers. Also I have been really struggling to find any driver figures that will actually fit behind the steering wheels and 'assume the right pose'.  But here is where I am as of this morning...  I found the driver figures from the vintage Airfix RAF airfield rescue kits fit well enough...   He will need a bit of polishing up and he is gong to 'lose his head' - but I haven't told him that yet... The problem is - I will now be short of drivers for my K2Y's and Austin K6's - so if anyone has 'spares' floating around - please let me know - he says smiling hopefully. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 On the stretcher frame front - I have realised that the rear jerry can on the Airfix kit is now inappropriate - so I've eased it off...   Also the spare wheel will need to go at the front - but Airfix do allow for this.  Finally - I think I mentioned earlier that the Italeri kits come with a moulded on aerial mast base - so I have hollowed these out and 'test fitted' a mast - does anyone know what length the mast might be...   3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Dan Taylor Modelworks makes 2 sets of British vehicle drivers - http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-1-147-p.asp http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-2-148-p.asp  Also as a supplement to my previous post, Shapeways deliver to Euopean customers from Holland. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 9 hours ago, Niall said: Dan Taylor Modelworks makes 2 sets of British vehicle drivers - http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-1-147-p.asp http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-2-148-p.asp  Also as a supplement to my previous post, Shapeways deliver to Euopean customers from Holland. Thanks Niall - they look really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I'm a big fan of Dan Taylor's range. Â Nice items at a very reasonable price and great service. Â No connection other than a repeat customer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 I think they call it 'life'... I have been tied up all week with work and haven't had the right 'mojo' for modelling in the evenings - you know what it's like.  Anyway - this morning I set about trying to scratch build these stretchers - well the lack of pictures will tell you they are nothing to 'crow about'. I also went about trying to add a 'frame' to the Airfix Jeep - so it could carry them - not exactly brilliant either. Finally I decided that what was stalling me most was the fact that I hadn't primed the main bodies of the jeeps yet - so out with the Halfords.  What I have now is 3 very 'powdery' looking jeeps. I don't know if I spayed from too far away / was too gentle with the pressure / whether the can is not their best ever batch. It happened once with a Humbrol rattle can - but up until today the Halfords has always worked a treat for me. It is a new can...  I am a little 'deflated' to say the least. I may call an end to this project - but I'm going to have my tea first - before I come to any decision. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I had that once with halfords primer. Â Just get a fine sanding stick over it and you'll be fine mate! Â I can't remember the exact circumstances but i think it was a cold day, spraying outside.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 OK - I've had my tea - so this is what I've ended up with after priming...    This is how everything looks. I blame my failing eyesight - as I obviously can't stick my face in the spray booth when painting and not checking between spraying each part. This really is a mess. So whilst I decide whether to throw everything in the bin - or spend ages polishing and scraping all this out of every nook / cranny / panel line - this is what I was trying to achieve...  Whilst I really liked this...   I couldn't justify the expense for a 'bit of fun' and bending all that PE was bound to be tricky - but I was trying to create a rack like this...   1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 That's really odd - I use halfords primer and have never had that before.  A bath overnight in some fairy power spray should remove most of it (use an old tooth brush) if that helps at all?  Don't bin them - if need be stick them back in the box and forget about them for a bit, but don't actually chuck them. Every time I've ever done that I've regretted it as the kit has instantly gone out of production and been impossible to replace.  It happens to us all - I stuffed a fully built Revell T-90 tank last week whilst airbrushing it (I had a similar effect), it took 2 hours to clean up but I had spent so long building it (and it fought me the whole way), that I was damned if I was going to let it beat me!  All the best  Ben 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Cheers Ben - wise words from someone with a lot more experience than me. I will take your advice and put them to one side. Tomorrow morning I have to go away for business for a few days anyway - so that will give me time to calm down a bit. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 I actually feel a bit better already - so as I may not abandon the build and with this in mind I had better continue the WIP with the fun and games that took place - BEFORE - the primer put a halt to my fun.  The morning started well and I was full of confidence that I could easily knock up a couple of stretchers from the information I had already acquired. Dennis had suggested masking tape for the 'fabric'.   I put a 16mm strip down and backed this with an 8mm piece - so when trimmed not of the glue would be exposed. I settled on this for the 'poles' and 'feet'...   ...and I ended up with 2 of these...   A quick test with a sleepy volunteer and all 'seemed' well...    3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Whilst I wasn't 100 percent happy with the stretchers, in light of what has occurred, I'm glad I didn't lash out on those lovely 3d printed ones. In the same vein I'm glad I didn't buy and spend hours bending all that fantastic PE to make the cradle.  What I did use was the 'tilt down' option for the Airfix Jeep - slid to the back and a piece of bent evergreen to act as the front...    Then I added the back braces with more Evergreen...     ...not brilliant I know - but when covered with stretchers it would hold them and give the 'impression' of a proper cradle. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 It was only when I came to position the stretchers onto the cradle did I discover that they are so flimsy and weight 'nothing' - so keep moving around. A reference shot shows the front poles should protrude beyond the seats...   ...try as I might though I couldn't get them to sit parallel with each other...     Finally, after an age, I decided the easiest thing to do was to glue them together...     Here they are smothered in primer...   Any ideas on what colour the 'canvas' would be - a lot of reference shots show 'brown' and 'green'. The poles will be 'wood' and the feet 'steel'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 ...just on the way to bed when I noticed the state of the spray booth liner. It looked like this before priming...   ...here it is after the priming with the new Halfords can - with a splash of yellow to highlight things and the penny for scale...   ...and a closer look...   ...so is it me - or is that 'lumpy'. It's almost good enough for creating 'desert terrain' - but not for priming /172 Jeeps.  I think this can is going in the bin and I'll save the kits. Time to walk away for a few days and get the airbrush out next weekend.  Thanks for looking in - sorry it hasn't been a pleasant experience - Steve 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beppe Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Great work on the stretchers.  Good luck for the paint removal  Cheers,  Joseph 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) 23 hours ago, BIG X said:  Any ideas on what colour the 'canvas' would be - a lot of reference shots show 'brown' and 'green'. Every one i ever saw in a museum was the same color as an army issue blanket, dark green. Of course thats here in the USA. So maybe British dark green would be more appropriate. Edited May 14, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 A couple more shots of the jeep from last year's airshow. Â Â Â Â Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 Hi Steve  Stretchers look good - worked nicely.  As for the canvas colour - Vallejo do a "canvas" in their Panzer Aces range which I use quite a lot as it's a very useful colour.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vallejo-Panzer-Aces-Canvas-70-314-17ml-Acrylic-Modelling-Paint/131963441988?hash=item1eb9a25344:g:FWoAAOSwNRdX-D-0  All the best  Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 Re the Halfords Primer, I had the same issue with one can after successfully using the stuff for many years. Talking to a chap in the auto trade he said to give all aerosol cans a really good shake and warm them by putting them in a jug of hot water for about five minutes. When you take them out of the water the can will be too hot to hold comfortably. Wait until it cools down until you can hold it then spray.. I have done this for a few years now and never had the problem again. Now Halfords primer gives me a beautifully smooth surface that needs little further attention unless I'm trying for a natural metal finish in which case I give it a swipe with a sanding pad.  I use the same method on all rattle cans.  I  hope this is of some help   1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 After almost 2 weeks of zero progress I have finally had the spirit to get back to the bench last night and this morning. I had a very nasty experience with a can of Halfords Grey Primer - which took all the wind out of my sails - but with just a week to go until my first attempt at a GB - I need to get 'back in the groove.  So something simple to begin with. You may remember this rather back handed comment from the Airfix instructions...   'mount on scratch built circular plate' - great - how many 10 year olds are going to have a punch set for making discs... ...well done Airfix - let's encourage the kids to get into this great hobby eh...  They could have easily squeezed the part in somewhere - luckily I do have a punch though...   ...time to restore my faith in Halfords...   OK - I feel better now - small steps. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 Next up - I need at least a couple of drivers. Now neither Airfix or Italeri include any 'passengers' or drivers. Luckily I found the vintage Airfix RAF rescue set has drivers that I probably won't use for the Austin K6. But the quality of the heads was pretty atrocious and they had RAF style caps on...   ...so 'off with their heads'...   I needed one driver with a beret - for the ambulance and one with a peaked cap for the military police jeep - both of which will be 'open' without the tilt. The third jeep will have the tilt up and be 'parked up' with no driver. Here they are with the appropriate headgear...    I'm quite pleased with these. Small things amuse small minds as SWMBO says. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 Whilst doing some more research on Jeep ambulances I found this...  ...a flag eh... That makes sense as there is nowhere to display the red cross on either side - as the bodywork is 'minimal' My red cross on the rear will be on a round white field - not square. Round for British - square for American.  So what to make a flag from - something flexible and very thing...   ...some white paint on both sides and chop a piece out...   ...gloss varnish to prep for a red cross decals...     then another gloss coat to seal it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 Sadly that didn't work out - as I peeled it off the blu-tak it took all the paint off the reverse side So here is MKII - more masking tape - like the stretchers... Â Â Â Â ...after a bit of a 'squish' - I think it looks OK. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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