APA Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 I enjoyed the research and detailing of the Austin Tilly so much I'm going to do this little lovely. The Bedford MWC 200 gallon water bowser truck. There were two versions, the early with a fully oval bowser and this one the later with chamfered sides. There is plenty of info on these including some youtube footage which is nice. The scheme is going to be in SCC2 and from the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Europe around 1944. I'll see this as a small homage to my seudo Welsh heritage 😁 There will be no canvas but I may scratch the frame which went over the whole vehicle and the rear doors will be open. I'll add some appropriate equipment as well. If I had to sum up the kit in two words it would be Crisp and Hard. The plastic is very hard which can be both a bonus and a bind especially when cutting out the very thin, long pipework which, as you would expect, there is a lot of! This will be more of a 1/35 plumping build more than anything 😳 The detail is excellent as you can see from below. You have to look really hard to find an ejector mark, the link from the spru to part is scaled to the part which is a very nice touch and the instructions are a work bench friendly size in the form of a glossy booklet. Overall and so far I cannot really fault it. I do have a PE gripe but I'll save that for when I get round to it. I've never done a Gecko before but their subjects are right up my street and if this is their standard then I'm a fanboy 🤡 Heres some pics of typical content........ Selection of sprus Tyre detail! Even the canopy is pretty good although I won't be using it The only issue I've found which will be easily fixed Decal with included replacement RAF set - well done Gecko Instructions look fine and include the occasional view showing exct locations of key parts. You do get a very nice selection of personal equipment which they say to stuff in the rear. This is most definitely not where it went! The scheme of choice Hope you stick around and follow along 😊 I'm now going to do some research into British WW2 water pumping and water purification equipment 🤓 Andrew 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lummox Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 Oooo, lovely stuff. The kit looks impressive with nice crisp detail (well apart from the exhaust!) It will be interesting to see what it builds like. Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vytautas Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 Looks like a very well-detailed kit. I personally like hard plastic, it’s easier to carve and sand. But it’s a matter of taste... It will be very interesting to watch 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 13 hours ago, APA said: Hope you stick around and follow along Certainly will. Some of the detail on this looks superb. Good luck with the build. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Browne Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 Very nice detail indeed. Hard plastic is a plus. There is a nice Cruiser Mk. I from their small range which build very well, one made on this forum here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edjbartos Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 This looks great, some lovely detail that you have shown here, will follow this with interest... Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WYATT Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 i was hoping someone would do one of these......i keep looking at them and wanting to add them to stash as i think there should be more british WW2 trucks lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo1966 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Very interested to see how this turns out Andrew. I see Gecko also do a Daimler Armoured Car Mk I, but it is £60!!! Too much dosh for this small vehicle in my book. George 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Good to see this being built - iconic vehicle, I'll be watching with interest Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I've got the Gecko Cruiser Tank with German markings and it's one of those that's just nice to open up the box now and then to look at the sprues and leaf through the instructions. It's way out of my league currently, I'd never finish it. They're turning out lovely kits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Thanks all and glad to see some interest in a lesser subject 😁 Started on the chassis today. This is no Tamya 😳 It's fiddly but rewarding. I also broke 2, lost two and found 1 so not bad 🙄. Instructions are excellent so far and parts are as previously described. Clean up was nice and easy and, while cutting the parts of the spru's is a nervous job, the hard plastic is a joy to clean up. Being hard it does look a bit grainy but that's not an issue once painted. Broke both these loops while cutting off and cleaning up so scratched two more from lead wire Moan No354 about PE. These are utterly pointless. They are hidden underneath and could quite easily have been moulded in. Other cross members have similar detail so why this one. There are other, far more relevant parts later in the kit which could have been made from PE. The instruction plaques inside the rear doors for example which are left blank!! Result so far. I've checked for squareness and it's about there. Thats all for now folks. I'm pondering whether to leave the bonnet open. The story in my head doesn't really warrant it but it is a nice looking one. There will be enough detail round the back so I'm uring on closed. I'll be on it again maybe tomorrow and during the week 1/1 scale permitting. Andrew 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foghorn Leghorn Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I have a couple of MWDs and I've been waiting for someone to trail blaze and build an MWC or D. These kits seem complex, so I'm watching with great interest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I'm following along, I know nothing about trucks (I'm still confused as to why they appear to be keeping luggage in the part that I assumed was for fluids, lol) Still, every days a school day, as John likes to say with comic affect... 🤣 As for those PE bits, yeah they're just wasting your time with those 2 parts. Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Hop on board Matt The rear right was for the pumping equipment, pipes and filters etc the left is for the test equipment and purification chemicals etc. I think the personal equipment either went in support vehicles or where ever they could stuff it. These things did come with an all over canvas tilt with a frame underneath. (Not included in this kit) so they could hide it in there I suppose. Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly Boy Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 (edited) Really coming along Andrew, I have built this and it's on hold waiting to be painted as I lost the will to carry on with it at the moment. I had a few fit issues with location points and parts not fitting. I agree with the PE as some is just a waste and can not be seen and I think the kit has been made over complicated, which I think is a shame. But they are the only plastic versions you can get, as the only other alternative are resin kits which are expensive. Edited May 9, 2021 by karly Boy Dyslexic did not make sense 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, karly Boy said: Really coming along Andrew, I have built this and it's on hold waiting to be painted as I lost the will to carry on with it at the moment. I had a few fit issues with location points and parts not fitting. I agree with the PE as some is just a waste and can not be seen and I think the kit has been made over complicated, which I think is a shame. But they are the only plastic versions you can get, as the only other alternative are resin kits which are expensive. Thanks Karly I'll see how it pans out with the fit. Anything in particular to watch out for? For warned I'd for armed etc 😉 Andrew Edited May 9, 2021 by APA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 I have a couple of the MW-D types to accompany my 32nd Lancaster. I shall be looking in to watch your build as I too have not built a Gecko kit previously . . . I agree about the PE on the chassis Good luck with the build Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly Boy Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 1 hour ago, APA said: Thanks Karly I'll see how it pans out with the fit. Anything in particular to watch out for? For warned I'd for armed etc 😉 Andrew Hi Andrew One is when you put the engine in you fit the front grill panel as mine was to long and had to thin down the fan and pulleys so I could get the radiator to fit in behind. Don't fit the gear box/stick and drive shaft until you trial fit A3/BA11 on the chassis, as there is no location point on gearbox to engine to get it in the right place. I built the tank early on as again the location points on the chassis where the tank supports go are not to good and this helped with getting them all in the right place. There a couple of other things but this might be have been me not sure, where the wheels slot in to each other I sanded down the backs to get them flush as they sat high and also on the cab side floor had to do a bit of sanding to pull the sides in to line up the front. Hope this helps. Just give me a shout and I will help if I can. karl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 34 minutes ago, karly Boy said: Hi Andrew One is when you put the engine in you fit the front grill panel as mine was to long and had to thin down the fan and pulleys so I could get the radiator to fit in behind. Don't fit the gear box/stick and drive shaft until you trial fit A3/BA11 on the chassis, as there is no location point on gearbox to engine to get it in the right place. I built the tank early on as again the location points on the chassis where the tank supports go are not to good and this helped with getting them all in the right place. There a couple of other things but this might be have been me not sure, where the wheels slot in to each other I sanded down the backs to get them flush as they sat high and also on the cab side floor had to do a bit of sanding to pull the sides in to line up the front. Hope this helps. Just give me a shout and I will help if I can. karl Great stuff. I'll keep an eye out for those and report back. Thanks for the help and offer Karly 👍 Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted May 12, 2021 Author Share Posted May 12, 2021 Been spending a few hours a night whittling away and made good progress. Yes it is an over engineered, yes it is fiddly, yes it does have non existent location points for major fittings but I'm really enjoying it. Strangely these 'issues' aren't as bad as it seems. Every thing does fit and with a bit of patience and for thought it's all working ok. First off this kit has this many sprus! Not including the figure and clear parts. Also they are only A,B,D and E. There are 9 D's Da, Db etc Can be a little confusing. Slightly unfortunate numbering on very similar parts - 6 and 9 or 9 and 6 😉 One slight miss numbering but easily fixed Thanks for the heads up @karly Boy on the gear box. There is no location whatsoever!! The prop shaft only just fits as well. I've left the gear stick off until the cab is done just incase. There isn't really any location for the engine in the chassis either so it's all a bit of guesswork. So after all that we've broken the back of the chassis. A couple more bits to add and we move on to the cabin. I haven't spent any time on the engine. Just the main parts to fit it in and hold the exhaust in place. The hood will be fully down. Should have a good friday evening and weekends worth to get most of the buld done. There will be a lot of scratching in the rear 😁 Andrew 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lummox Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 It appears to have a few foibles but still looks to be a cracking kit. I especially like how the moulding of the numbers on the sprues are crisper than the parts they identify. Nice neat work by the way - it's looking lovely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vytautas Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 Looks really good. It's a pity, on a fully made model, all this beauty will be almost invisible. Vytautas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 1 hour ago, APA said: There will be a lot of scratching in the rear That's an interesting choice of words... I'm intrigued Nice progress, wheels and tyres look very well detailed, and 9 D sprues, lol... Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 That chassis looks really nice, great effort so far . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Progressing well Andrew. Great work. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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