Airfield vehicles – A universal tribute to the groundcraft

[dcrfan]

I tidied up by model stash over the weekend and uncovered a small plastic bag containing an ancient Monogram 1/48th scale M2 Celtrac MG1 High Speed Tractor which I was gifted by a group member some time ago.  Its a very basic kit with solid filled in suspension. That really rang my bell so I decided to drill, cut and file it out. Well after many hours and two plasters for stabbed fingers I declare it cut out.  I'll now make up a second set of wheels and suspension components to sit in behind the existing wheels/sprockets etc.

 

fullsizeoutput_1d35 by tankienz, on Flickr

 

The picture in the background shows a conversion undertaken by a French modeller which I will be following http://modelstories.free.fr/analyses/avions/MS2018_12/MONOG_CLETRAC/

 

I am aware one of the Eastern European resin manufacturers has just released a super detailed 1/48 M2 kit but way too expensive for what I need.

 

 

[Toryu]

@dcrfan Now, that's a great note. I've been thinking for several years about how to improve my Monogram Cletrac, particularly the suspension. Cutting out the excess material would be the obvious way. In the meantime I've obtained the new Cletrac model from Otvinta in Russia. This is excellent, even a bit over-engineered in my view. I've been in touch with Maxim from Otvinta over the past year trying to get the suspension separately in order to upgrade the Monogram piece. Finally he denied.

 

Your post encourages me to come back to the original idea. I might build both vehicles in parallel and see what can be transferred in terms of accuracy. This French blog will be extremely useful. Will you be starting a WIP on yours?

 

Cheers, Michael

 

[Mancunian airman]

For the large scale 32nd Lancaster you need some large scale vehicles but unfortunately you can only get 35th scale . . . .

 

Converted from the 4 x 4 tractor unit with extended chassis , additional wheels etc and a new tank and pump unit . . . 

 

And a scratch built OIL bowser 

Pulled by a 32nd scale David Brown tractor (IconicAir kit)

 

Bedford QL for taking crews out to dispersal points 

 

Along with a 32nd scale Nissen hut and some ground equipment pieces . .  .

 

and I have the Flight Commanders runabout waiting under the wing

[bar side]

17 hours ago, Selwyn said:

Sorry but this is so wrong. The RAF never  used the American MHU 141 Bomb trolley and missile tree as depicted in the image, they only  used the UK "Type S " Bomb Trolley with 8010 missile transportation racking.  Very very different. Also the Sparrow  missiles would be transported without wings and fins fitted.

 

Selwyn

Thanks for the info @Selwyn I hadn’t seen any details on the RAF trolleys before.  Looks like your link is for a pricey 1/32 kit & not 1/48.  Mind you the Skunkmodels trolleys are like hens teeth to find now.  Yes should have them without fins on & things can go wrong when they are lit!

 

 (Not my pic - credit to the photographer / owner)

 

 

[dogsbody]

7 hours ago, dcrfan said:

I tidied up by model stash over the weekend and uncovered a small plastic bag containing an ancient Monogram 1/48th scale M2 Celtrac MG1 High Speed Tractor which I was gifted by a group member some time ago.  Its a very basic kit with solid filled in suspension. That really rang my bell so I decided to drill, cut and file it out. Well after many hours and two plasters for stabbed fingers I declare it cut out.  I'll now make up a second set of wheels and suspension components to sit in behind the existing wheels/sprockets etc.

 

 

 

The picture in the background shows a conversion undertaken by a French modeller which I will be following http://modelstories.free.fr/analyses/avions/MS2018_12/MONOG_CLETRAC/

 

I am aware one of the Eastern European resin manufacturers has just released a super detailed 1/48 M2 kit but way too expensive for what I need.

 

 

 

 

A bit of a stray comment, but did anyone ever do a 1/72 Cletrac? I have a vague recollection of one, but my old brain doesn't function as well as it used to.

 

 

 

Chris

[Selwyn]

3 hours ago, bar side said:

Thanks for the info @Selwyn I hadn’t seen any details on the RAF trolleys before.  Looks like your link is for a pricey 1/32 kit & not 1/48.  Mind you the Skunkmodels trolleys are like hens teeth to find now.  Yes should have them without fins on & things can go wrong when they are lit!

 

 (Not my pic - credit to the photographer / owner)

 

 

I didn't post the link to the s trolley as an ad, it was just the best picture i could find of a S type with 8010 racking.

 

By the way I know the chap who turned over the trolley in the picture above!

 

Selwyn

[bar side]

6 minutes ago, Selwyn said:

I didn't post the link to the s trolley as an ad, it was just the best picture i could find of a S type with 8010 racking.

 

By the way I know the chap who turned over the trolley in the picture above!

 

Selwyn

I have another one if that saved - wasn’t you who posted them then?  Know what you mean.  I am planning to make a RAF nitrogen trolley and the main reference is the Flightpath sketches.  Good reference photos are nearly as rare as kits

[TheyJammedKenny!]

3 hours ago, Selwyn said:

I know the chap who turned over the trolley in the picture

What happened to him?  A reprimand?  A stint in motor-pool or as equipment custodian somewhere?

[billn53]

I’ll join in the fun with what few I have, all in 1/72.

 

 

 

 

SR-71 starter cart and tractor:

 

 

 

Not precisely an  “equipment” item… a 1948 Plymouth Supreme Deluxe that I converted from a 1942 U.S. Army staff car kit:

 

 

 

(The Pennzoil truck is a die cast HO scale item)

 

 

[MattSimps74]

Hi folks. Apologies if this is in the wrong place Michael, however I’m really enjoying this thread. 

 I’m kitbashing the new Atlantis remoulds of the old Revell 1/48 Chevy stake truck and Fruehauf trailer into one of these, it’s going ok, they are exquisite kits. This is the only picture I’ve found of the rig on the whole of Google.

I’m not a truck expert by any means, can anyone tell me what all the gear is behind the cab? Looks like a pretty heavy duty pressure vessel to me, lots of pipework around it?

Any help gratefully received, pictures of a similar setup even better. 

Cheers, 

Matt 

[Snafu35]

Hello, gentlemen.

 

I discover this post, and I allow myself to share with you my few achievements, all at 1 / 72nd.

I saw a lot of things that make you want, on this topic!  

 

I like to build dioramas on this scale. To start, I used kits that exist , such as this Toyata truck starter from Hasegawa :

 

Or this chevy G7107 tractor from PST (The trailer is neither a 5tons nor a 10tons, but I'm happy with that):

 

I tinkered with another Chevrolet G7107, still on PST basis:

 

 

 I built several Chevrolet M6 Airfix too:

 

 

I built an Airfix control tower, but I later realized that the measurements of it did not quite match those that were built on airfields loaned to the Americans. So I redid one, with cardboard and plastic:

 

with many jeeps:

 

I made a roller too, for an airstrip in Normandy: 

 

And an AEC CLUBMOBILE which will pleasantly decorate another diorama of the Mighty Eight:

 

I let you discover the interior of this dollhouse, which is offered by the French craftsman RETROTRACKS:

 

On another diorama, I used Dodge WC 54 ambulances, and an Austin K6 Fire tender:

 

 

but i discovered later that this kit is wrong. So I replaced this AIRFIX fire truck with a Fordson WOT Fire crash tender:

 

I scratchbuilt it :

 

I built Cleveland Tractors out of resin:

 

Of course, we find on US airfields the AIRFIX Austin K2 ambulance which served as a reverse lend lease:

 

and the 2 ½ GMC truck (Heller or Airfix) appears everywhere:

 

I made an US 2 1 / 2ton 6x6 Airfield fuel truck on PST base for a future diorama too:

 

Here is the Airfix Autocar U7144 with a F1 trailer:

 

Finally, in historical pictures, we more often see a Federal 605 truck towing an F1 trailer; I made a master of this truck which is now offered in resin by the French craftsman DESkit/

 

At last, here is a project that needs to be completed: US 600gal trailers

 

These service trailers will soon be available from the French craftsman DESKit

 

most of these vehicles are installed on dioramas (which take up space!):

 

I'm sorry if I bothered you, but I'm an incorrigible talker, so proud to show you my little jobs!

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

 

 

[Mancunian airman]

Welcome Eric

Your skills are plain to see

Those Federal 605 trucks are a marvellous addition, can you post a link to the site please ??

Well done my friend 

 

Ian

Edited August 29, 2021 by Mancunian airman

[Snafu35]

On 8/23/2021 at 7:44 PM, dogsbody said:

A bit of a stray comment, but did anyone ever do a 1/72 Cletrac? .

Chris

Hello, Chris.

I did.

A friend lent me a copy made in resin, I made a mold to duplicate the model, and I arranged the thing by looking at pictures:

 

 

@Ian: Thank you for your comment    

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

PS: you can see the size of the cletrac: 

Note that the saussages are my fingers!  

Edited August 29, 2021 by Snafu35

[Toryu]

44 minutes ago, Snafu35 said:

I allow myself to share with you my few achievements, all at 1 / 72nd.

 

Wow Eric, this is fantastic! A wonderful collection of exquisite models. I'm really unhappy that there are only a few of those available in 1/48.

 

Thanks for sharing, Michael

 

[MattSimps74]

Awe-inspiring Eric! Love your bowsers, superb. This thread wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Accurate Armour’s 1/48 range, of which I’ve only built one example (could do with a bit of tlc, too, apologies for the state of her) 

AEC Matador 6x6, they do a variety of other vehicles including a lovely Matador Coles Crane which I’d love to do sometime. 
 

The Atlantis 1/48 JP4 Chevy is coming on apace, thought I’d better show you the model itself to prove it’s not just a pipe dream!

The trailer’s been a fair bit of work, you can see the plastic stiffening to keep it all straight. Also the skirt had to come off, but the master model was properly made back in the day, everything was the right shape underneath. Landing gear next! 
The Chevy’s wheels are a mix of the Atlantis White truck’s road tyres and Defmodel’s resin hubs for the Tamiya GMC truck, turned on the lathe at work. The original stake truck tyres were a bit agricultural for this one, also any excuse to get on the lathe. 
Hope you don’t mind the work in progress content in an rfi thread😬

Cheers,

Matt 
 

[Ratch]

 

 

 

 

 

[Ratch]

Another set up

[dcrfan]

Another 1/48th scratch build almost done, a US 10 ton semi trailer workshop Type A-3A as transferred from US forces to RNZAF in Solomons Islands in WW2.  Obviously in reality it would have been towed by a more powerful tractor unit than this International but its all I've got.

 

fullsizeoutput_1d49 by tankienz, on Flickr

 

Still to add is a canvas cover over the roof and dolly wheels at the front as it will be displayed set up for work with the rear ramp down.

 

[dcrfan]

On 8/23/2021 at 9:43 PM, dcrfan said:

I tidied up by model stash over the weekend and uncovered a small plastic bag containing an ancient Monogram 1/48th scale M2 Celtrac MG1 High Speed Tractor which I was gifted by a group member some time ago.  Its a very basic kit with solid filled in suspension. That really rang my bell so I decided to drill, cut and file it out. Well after many hours and two plasters for stabbed fingers I declare it cut out.  I'll now make up a second set of wheels and suspension components to sit in behind the existing wheels/sprockets etc.

 

fullsizeoutput_1d35 by tankienz, on Flickr

 

The picture in the background shows a conversion undertaken by a French modeller which I will be following http://modelstories.free.fr/analyses/avions/MS2018_12/MONOG_CLETRAC/

 

I am aware one of the Eastern European resin manufacturers has just released a super detailed 1/48 M2 kit but way too expensive for what I need.

 

 

I've added the inside to the drive sprocket, idler and roadwheels.  Still to add the top rollers.  Also filled the gap in the side of the body to prevent see thru.

 

 

 

[philp]

Always wanted to spruce up the one I have but decided to stay with 72nd and now can't find that resin kit I know is out there.

 

Lone Star Models does a nice one in 48th.  Just checked his site and he is not taking orders again until maybe end of year.  Says he is catching up on orders and dealing with an illness in the family.

Found this on Scalemates.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/lone-star-models-lsm-40630-cletrac-tow-vehicle--1208015

[bar side]

I have been building up some bits to pose with my 1/48 Blackbird - new steps, a scratch built start cart and a frame to support a spare nose.  Plus my existing chase pickup & step van

 

 

 

 

Just need to decal the SR-71 & I can put the diorama together

[bar side]

Also been working on another tanker.  Not sure if the US ever used Mack truck articulated tankers but the Corgi Major tankers makes a good starting point

 

[ejboyd5]

On 10/10/2019 at 3:43 PM, Army_Air_Force said:

 

This crash diorama is perhaps the most interesting and best that I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[viperchief]

1/72 Hasegawa Japanese Starter Truck - Thanks Toryu for pointing me here!

 

Rich

 

[AdrianMF]

What a great thread! Well, I've just got a lonesome AEC Matador refueller from the Airfix 1/76 RAF Re-fuelling Set from 1970 to contribute:

 

Despite being an old kit, it assembled very nicely indeed and I had great fun putting it together as light relief from "wingy" projects. I'll get around to the Bedford the next time I need a mojo shot!

 

Regards,

Adrian