Rubicon Models CMP 15cwt truck

[John]

After my ruminations on 1/56th scale models a few weeks ago, I decided to get one and have a closer look. Having watched  lot of how-to videos on YouTube, it seemed that Rubicon Models were probably the current leaders in the field. I'm a sucker for WW2-era trucks and they have a CMP truck in their range, so that was a fairly easy decision.

 

The kit cost £18 plus £1.80 p&p from Plastic Soldier Company, so they're not cheap. 28mm armour generally seems to come in at or above £20. For your money you get a very well produced package, starting with a glossy end-opening box with a nice piece of artwork on the front and some information about CMP trucks on the back

 

 

 

Inside we find 2 individually bagged sprues of dark grey plastic:

 

 

A one piece cab and canvas tilt individually bagged and taped to a card sheet:

 

 

There'a bagged decal sheet:

 

 

And a high quality glossy instruction leaflet:

 

 

 

 

Unbagging the bits and pieces reveal high quality mouldings:

 

 

 

 

It's a nicely detailed little kit, simpler than the Airfix Bedford MWD which is probably its closest equivalent.

 

You don't get painting instructions beyond the 2 profiles on the back of the box. The decals sheet is generic, rather that having markings for specific vehicles, which I gather is typical for this genre, so research will be necessary to choose a subject. There are also no windshields, which will have to be rectified if the kit is intended for a display piece rather than a gaming miniature.

 

I'll put this together in between other ongoing projects. It should be interesting, and the first priority will be to pick which individual vehicle I'm going to finish it as. Incidentally this isn't the only CMP truck in my stash, I've got its big brother too:

 

 

 

John

 

[robw_uk]

nice kit... i would love the airfix kit or airfix portee

[Silver Fox]

Looks a nice kit,

I'll watch this with interest as I recently did their Sherman III

[John]

It's a bit of a novelty to be building a kit with no painting and marking guide, but I imagine that in the wargames world one miniature encompasses the spirit of a whole load of vehicles, or something like that...

Anyway, after a think and a rake around the internet I think I'll go for a vehicle of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division in Italy in late 1943.  I can get most of what I need from the kit's generic decal sheet, maybe with a bit of cut and shut for some of the numbers.

First job is to consult Mike Starmer:

 

 

I'm thinking a vehicle factory finished in SCC2 with an addition of Light Mud camouflage in the field.

John

 

Edited to say that, having looked through the booklet, factory finish SCC2 overpainted with the full Light Mud and Blue Black camouflage would be nice. SCC2 cab interior and chassis, everything else in the Italian colours.

[John]

Let's assume that our Italian-based truck is a mid-production vehicle that came off the production line in SCC2 and was resprayed with Light Mud to approximate the official camouflage scheme in theatre. The respray probably wouldn't extend to the chassis and underside so that has been left in the original finish, as has the cab and body interior. The SCC2 is concocted from the Humbrol 29 and 98 mix suggested in Mike Starmer's booklet.

 

 

Note the rather crude representation of the drive shafts. I've also removed the heavy moulded on windscreen wipers and thinned down components like the edges of the mud guards and the foot steps.

[clive_t]

Interesting, I recently acquired this kit from the shop at Bovington, so I shall follow with interest!

 

 

[John]

The little beastie's coming along nicely. Humbrol 72 is doing a fair turn as Light Mud, applied over the factory SCC2 finish:

 

 

 

 

Needs a bit of work to neaten things up a bit, but I'm pleased with the way it has gone together.

 

John

[clive_t]

Looking good John 

[John]

A bit more progress.

 

Apart from the windscreens, the most noticeable omission are the driver's mirrors. I've added the stalks from Microrod and they'll be trimmed to length when they dry:

 

 

 

 

 

Decals are added with Humbrol Decalfix, which really does do what it says on the bottle. The yellow on the kit sheet is a tad out of register so I replaced the roundel on the cab roof with one from an old Almark sheet.

 

The tarp has had a brush over with Humbrol's excellent Dust Wash.

 

The Bren is beautifully moulded. Colours are 85 Satin Black and HM19 Dark Wood. Both crew have 26 Khaki uniforms with 120 Light Green belts. Thedriver has a 67 Tank Grey beret and the gunner has a 30 Dark Green tank crew helmet. He needs a bit more work though.

 

John

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Looks a nice model, but I reckon the new scale is a bit daft.....A fair few 28mm gamers use 1/48 kits. 

 

Wargaming figures are all over the place scale-wise and TBH their weapons are laughable.....I'm looking for some 28mm Taliban to go alongside a few kits I've picked up (BTR-60, HMMWV, ZU-23-2 etc. etc.) but I plan to replace their weapons with those from the various 1/48 Tamiya infantry sets (just wish they did some cold-war Soviets with AKs, Shapeways is not a cheap option for these). 

[John]

It's a nice enough little kit but much more a gaming piece than a display model. It's nowhere near the standard of the 1/48th scale Airfix Bedford MWD. For example the body parts are quite thick, to the extent that you can't fit the driver into his seat because of the thickness of the cab wall.

 

Having said that exterior detail is very nice and I was tempted to try a kit that was all exterior and no interior, so I've ordered a Crusader.

 

There's a *huge* variety of 28mm stuff out there of much varied quality.

 

John

[Sgt.Squarehead]

If you spot a supplier of half decent 28mm Taliban give me a shout! 

[John]

Calling this one finished:

 

 

John

[clive_t]

That turned out rather nice didn't it! I like the painting of the canvas especially