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PMZ-2 (ZIS-42), halftrack firetruck, Soviet Union, mid-20th century...


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Here's my next one.  The Reds used these vehicles well in to the 1950s, so I am not calling a year.  This will be a fun kit I hope.

Certainly not your usual half-track...

 

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According to the plans, I will only be using about 2/3 of the sprue.  Many crossover vehicle kits I think.

 

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--John

 

 

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And so it begins...weird little kit.  Lots of addendums to the instructions regarding cutting bits off, etc...Very Eastern Block.

 

I'll leave the wheel/tire assembly for later and start in in the chassis...

 

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The extra set of fender/running boards have holes that are supposed to work with the mounting pins.  They are not moulded inline so they don't.  I fixed that.

I just opened up the sides so they slip in.  They fit nicely now.

 

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I wound up with this.  I used plastic rod for the thin little pieces as the sprue plastic itself is a bit brittle.

 

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I'll let that set up for a while and work on the cab and bonnet, radiator, etc...

 

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No problems really (yet!) but I want this to dry fully so I can give the office some Russian Green and pick out the interior colours a bit before putting it all together.

 

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More to come...

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I gave the interior a brush-paint of Russian Uniform Green and assembled the cab.  It looks ok!

 

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Test fitting showed that the measurements were slightly off.  I had to Dremel out a gap on the rear wall so it would sit flush with the chassis and also narrow the interior guide of the chassis so it would sit inside the cab.  I also took off a couple of millimetres of the seat cushion on the sides.  Thank you Dremel.  I don't use you often, but I'm happy you're there when I need you!

 

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Bogey time...

 

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Teeny tiny parts...

 

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And there we have it...

 

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The rest of the instruction page consists of the tracks, wheels, bogies, etc...I think I will assemble the mechanism, paint it, then paint the track pieces and assemble them around it.  These two larger pieces are then attached to the chassis.  Hmmm...Maybe I'll assemble the chassis/cab and paint that too.  I imagine the rear pumping section is a seperate structure that could use the same procedure.  It might be easier to build it all piecemeal, paint the larger components, then assemble the vehicle.  Just thinking out loud...

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 11/21/2022 at 11:41 AM, danbuoy said:

Wow, those bogies look fiddly! Fascinating little vehicle and certainly well off the beaten track when it comes to half tracks!

Thank Dan.  Yes, fiddly.  There are some even fiddlier bits that are so very small.  Good detail but easily cracked and broken small parts.  I'm using the razor saw quite a bit.

 

Meanwhile, some more assembly...

 

These...

 

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Become these...

 

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While that dries, I've assembled the water tank and the little bench that goes in the back...sorry for the blurry image...

 

6 pieces...

 

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Both the water tank and the bench had little thin supports moulded on to their undersides.  Needless to say, they were snapped off well before I ever opened the box.  So I had to glue them back on.

 

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These bins needed to be shortened.  There is fair amount of that kind of work in this kit because it is actually at least two other other kits.  I have a lot of leftover parts, most of which make up a hose reel on a little cart.  There are no instructions for this but I will consult Scalemates to see if they have them.  That would be cool to add.

 

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And now I am ready for some primer.  I'll use the Vallejo Grey so it will need to sit overnight before any paint goes on.

 

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And there we have it.  Tomorrow I hope to begin some painting.  Maybe the next day.  I'll see.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

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I wasn't able to find other plans for similar kits, but Scalemates had some links to the twin kit of this build, which is a pumper truck.  In the photograph below you can plainly see how the hose reel is attached, the pieces used, etc...I'll save it for a kit-bash I have in mind.

 

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--John

 

 

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So I had the airbrush out for another build and I had just cleaned it and I thought, "Let's paint the tires...and the chassis..."  One thing led to another...

 

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And here we have it.  I promise...no more modelling tonight!

 

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In the next few days I'll begin assembling the tracks, etc....and, yes, I know I neglected to put glass in the cab windows.  It's too late in my mind to fix that, however, I imagine perhaps they needed the glass to replace the broken windows in the warming hut where the firemen sat around drinking tea (or vodka) waiting for something to happen.  Glass shortages, don't you know...😁

 

--John

 

 

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10 hours ago, Ned said:

You've made this look easy :)

Thank you Ned.  Maybe it's my OCD but I found that breaking it up into components worked well for this one.  Certainly for painting this was essential.  

I will weather it mostly separate too, once I get the tracks on-- and not too much.  It was't a combat or construction vehicle per se and I doubt it went very fast or very far.  

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Let's do this!  All the parts are ready: water tank is done; Cab and chassis are done; ladders and straight hoses ready to assemble; tires and wheels are ready (including the spare); tracks ready to be assembled.  What can go wrong?

 

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Front he wheels are on.  I used plastic rod again for an axle.  The supplied piece is too short.  That'll all be painted black.

 

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The grill and headlights are best glued together, then that little assemble is attached to the front of the machine.  Plus, the headlamp is moulded for a different model, really, one with curved fenders, hence the two little pointy bits that can be sanded down a bit.

 

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The ladder/straight hose section was easy enough and I did not photograph it.  So sorry.  But the next bit...well, lets just say I am grateful for CA cement.

 

The tracks...(ominous music please...)

 

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I followed the instructions and, to my surprise, nothing was lost, all parts used and I ended up with this:

 

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Imagine that?

 

While that was setting up I attached the ladders, etc...to the water tank, the water tank to the chassis and then slipped the wooden bench in between the cab and the tank.  I mean, it just fit.  As it should, I suppose.  I have also given it a wash of Vallejo European Dust.

 

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The wee bell went on the side, and the tracks went on with some Gel CA and it will sit there all night until tomorrow when I will check it out for last minute touch ups and into the gallery it goes.

 

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 To answer the question: Nothing yet (has gone wrong).

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm ok with how it looks.  I bit rickety after 15 years of use...that's my story of this vehicle.  The Soviets used them until the mid-1950s so this is at the tail end of it all.

 

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There are more images in the gallery.  And I need to catch up on my brethren's labours...

 

What's next?  Either an Adler scout car (RPM models) from 1939 or a Sd.Kfz.7 (Revell) from Latvia.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

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39 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

Nothing went wrong?  Seems like a fun build

Thank you Robert...It was a fin build.  It's decent little kit if you have the forethought that some of the very thin parts might need some upgrading.  It's certainly an odd duck.  One doesn't too many firetrucks like this.  

 

In regards to what's next, I think the Adler...

 

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--John

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