Rik Thistle

Tim,

I'd be hard pushed to tell the difference between your model and the real thing. What a result.

Richard

Hi all,

Work continues on the K51 radio truck.

The pic below shows the inside of the truck with all the radio kit installed. I had seen pictures of the radio boxes painted green, so went with that colour. But after having a further look I can now see some images of installations where the boxes were painted black. Black makes more sense since it helps dissipate heat slightly better.  I'm still puzzled as to how the radio equipments were kept cool - heat reduces reliability.  All that seems to be available is to open the back doors of the vehicle, to let the heat out.

Above, circled in red, is the telephone land line that could be used to communicate directly with HQ by cable.  A large reel of telephone cable is attached to the K51 truck's side.

And below a couple of pics of the telephone in use.

I had planned to make my build a US version, complete with US military figures but could not find any with suitable poses.

However, there is the 'Masterbox 1:35 Scale Commonwealth Armoured Fighting Vehicle Crew' which includes Montgomery and some tank crew.

...and the MiniArt K51 kit does accommodate 5 different users, including the 8th Army ie

- British Forces Radio Station, 8th army sector, Italy, October 1944

- Corps Signals Unit, 2nd Polish Corps, Italy 1944/1945

- 1st Armored Division, 829th Signal Battalion, North Africa, Spring, 1943

- 102nd Infantry Division, European Theatre of Operations, Autumn 1944

- US Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, Pacific, 1944/1945

So the idea occurred to me that Montgomery (who was active in Italy in 1944 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery ) and one of his tank Commanders might have commandeered a K51 radio truck for a short while. So I came up with the scenario below.

I can't get the radio operator's feet to fit under the table. But it is reasonable to imagine he would likely have turned to face Montgomery who will be holding the telephone (currently lying at his feet) in his right hand....it was holding a mug of tea. So the final poses will be something similar to above.

The radio operator's left foot is too high so needs a box to rest on...I had thought of using a Jerry Can but I'm not sure that would have been positioned so close to the radio truck as electricity and petrol are a dangerous combination.

OK, that is it for this post. Progress isn't too rapid, but now that I have some figures to work with it might spur me on 😉 - see you in a week or two.

Richard

Greg,

So much to take in and enjoy, thank you. I don't know where to even begin looking!

I'd buy a 'How To Build' guide book in an instant.. I just feel this deserves a book.

Richard

Hi all,

Another short post to keep the build ticking over. Thank you for the Likes and comments.

So, onto the insides of the 'radio shack'.

First thing needed is a table. Space is at a premium so the shack's contents are designed to optimise the available space inside the shack.

Radio equipment can generate a lot of heat so there may be some kind of cooling available inside?...or perhaps they opened the rear doors when possible.

Some more of the shack equipment being readied.

Finally, a quick look at most of what is going to be fitted inside the shack. I've made a guess that the bench seat cushions are black coloured, and possibly leather (?).  I need to add some details to the instrument panels, and hang the telephone handset + cable.  I don't believe there are any decals for the radio equipment, but there are some for the cabin dashboard.

All for now, back soon.

73s

Richard

PS:  CDW, yes, I think that a lot of us have a bits of other nationalities in us these days. It helps keep the gene pool strong 😉

CDW,

Mostly bedding plants eg Pansies, Marigolds, Marguerite daisies, etc...and moving some young Foxglove and Lupin plants to better locations (...sometimes their self-seeding locations are ideal, other times not so). 

My garden is 'mature rustic' rather than well manicured..... I prefer it this way for two reasons a) it requires less maintenance 😉 and b) the wildlife seem more at home in it.

My location is central Scotland, so we are a few weeks later than the South of England (say) which gets warmer earlier.

Richard

Hi all,

This week, just a quick pic of some sub-assemblies I've made up whilst focusing on gardening/planting duties.

Below, a couple of side panels, the engine bay bulkhead assembly and the floor with seats and control levers added.  These will all now be put to one side as I concentrate on the next page of the manual, the radio gear.

Coming soon, the radio gear and cabinets.

Sorry this is so brief. I hope to get back to longer posts in a few weeks.

Richard

Shipman,

Bonhams - That is indeed a gorgeous looking piece of machinery.  Est £6k-£7k seems a bit of a steal, but I don't have a motorcycle background so perhaps there are quite a few still around.

Just found what appears to be, to my untrained eye, an Army version of the same machine..... 

1944 Triumph 3HW 350cc Ex National Motorcycle Museum Sold for £12,650, Dec 2020 - https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/149-1944-triumph-3hw--350cc/?lot=51466&sd=1

Richard

It's fascinating to watch all this take form. There is a heck of a lot of detail design in the process and I'm enjoying the journey as it all comes together.

Do you have plans to make a model from this work ? ... eg 3D print.

Richard

As OC says, really nice work.

Looking forward to the completed design.... I wish I had studied CAD, but jumped ship just as it was arriving.  Not saying I'd match your standard Egilman, but it is a nice string to one's bow to be able to design items on a computer.

Richard

Hi all,

Some more updates on the radio truck progress.

Only 4 pics but they cover a lot of fiddly parts being installed.

First, an easy one.... the tyres and wheels. The pin vice was used to open out locating holes for the wheel pairs. The wheels were given a quick paint using Black and Olive Green. They will later have dust etc added.

Above. Also added were more Prop shafts. I found these difficult to install since since either the engine or Diff (... the prop connects both) needs to not yet have been glued into final position. The problem being the props 'key in' to the Universal Joints....anyway, I found a way around this with the engine and diff already glued in to position ;-)

Below, preparing the exhaust system. There are three pieces of Photo Etch added to the exhaust...a wrap-around for the muffler/silencer plus two tiny PE exhaust mounting brackets.

Below, exhaust now installed, and given a quick 'rust' paint job.

And the wheels...and radiator assembly added. It's slowly starting to look like something which may be able to move under it's own steam.

Next post should include the fitting of the driver cabin seats, the bulkhead and some flooring.

All for now, catch you soon,

Richard

James,

She looks ready to take-off. Very well done.

And the base is a great addition.

Richard

Egilman,

I hadn't found any of those videos...thank you!

And it's great that these vehicles are still around.

Richard

Egilman,

The truck was based on a Chevrolet ....  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_G506

I don't have my notes at hand (...on a laptop at the moment) but that Chevy truck was appaently used (very successfully) in WWII in a lot of different permutations.  There is also a generator trailer in the kit...that is a project in it's own right!  And then there is the radio operator (squeezed inside the truck), and driver to make. I have a kit of British figures that might do ... the Brits did operate the K51. So plenty to yet plan for.

Yes, just about everything will be drab Olive, apart from where there are small oil/grease leaks eg engine, prop shafts etc...and mud, dust and the like.

Thanks,

Richard

CDW,

Thanks for that.

It sure has a lot of detail...way more than I'd expected.

I had hoped that I could have completed the kit in roughly the same timescale as the Churchill tank or Archer SPG, but I suspect it will take much longer than that ...I just hope I have the attention span to stay the course 😉

As an aside I don't have a spray gun...brushes only...and that wasn't too big an issue with the Churchill/Archer since there were no really large panels, and the tank/SPG were covered in mud (to some degree) anyway.

But we'll get there....he says 🙂

Regards,

Richard

Hi all,

Thanks for all the feedback...appreciated as always.

Another short update, whilst the garden etc currently dominates my time 🙂

Most of the following pics are related to the frame and the engine. Plus adding some Photo Etch.

I was still using my flat pliers, rather than the new PE bending tool mentioned earlier.

The engine block starts to get assembled

And some parts being added to the block.

Three of the sprues included in the kit...there are about x25 more sprues still to be used. This kit is way more detailed than I had imagined.

A final close up of the finished engine, soon to be fitted to the chassis, then all the services, exhaust pipes etc.

Sorry this is so short, but best I post something now or I will never be able to recollect what I was up to last time I posted.

Once I get through the chassis build I should start to be adding some panel work etc.

All for now,

Richard

It looks like the Small Shop has a UK distributor ... https://www.historexagents.com/#

If I decide to later go for one of the larger Small Shop PE benders then I will buy from them, assuming the potentail new owers still use that distributor.

Richard

Jack,

"...looks almost identical to the Hold and Fold tool produced by The Small Shop."

It does. There seems to be a lot of look-alikes about. Did the Small Shop come up with original layout? If so, apologies to them for sending my money East.

Richard

Edit: Just read Egilman's post above..

Ken, CDW, Alan,

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm slowly finding my way in the Plastic modelling world...so had started PE bending by using small, needle nose pliers with smooth inside faces, straight pieces of metal etc. But these PE parts are so small, compared to what I'm used to I ended up with bend lines that I am not completely happy with.

I had had an earlier look at the two pliers you linked to CDW (...maybe I had seen them being used in one of your builds?) and almost pressed the Buy button but ended up, for whatever reason, going with the Bending Tool.  I'll let you know/see how I get on.

As for the K51 build, I'm distracted by other things at the moment but am trying to slowly trudge my way though the chassis/frame build. I think once I get through that section my posts will become more regular again.

Thanks again,

Richard

To help make better bends etc in the PhotoEtch that was supplied with the kit, I have bought a small bending tool from Amazon .... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DNT298P?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details  .....  the price seems to have gone up a bit since I bought it, IIRC.

It is made of metal and seems reasonably well made. Brief usage instructions are printed on the underside of the box.

Richard

Hi James,

This is my 3rd 1/35 scale vehicle...the other two were Tamiya. There are an awful lot of small, fiddly parts in this kit, with a fair bit of flash and ejector pin remnants on a lot of those parts. Also, the part to part location spots are a bit indistinct at times.

However, I find the subject matter interesting and important - that's mainly why I chose it.

Building up the chassis is taking a while...a bit longer than I had anticipated. And then there will be the 'when to paint' question ie paint sub-assembllies or wait till the whole model is finished..... I'll probably go with sub-assemblies.

I might (...very small might) add some interior LED type lighting) but will likely position the truck in a scenario eg top of a small rise for better radio coverage. But I'm a long ways from all that at the moment.

And Spring has arrived, the grass needs cutting, the garden shed/workshop has been re-roofed. etc..so a number of other 'attractions' are vying for attention.

Thanks for dropping in 🙂

Richard

James,

That NEC show looks very good. And lots of cracking models being exhibited.

Very interesting that Pete Waterman is putting his clout behind it....bodes well.

Richard

Haliburton,

That's a very impressive conclusion to the build. Very well done.

It got me wondering if the gunners used 'ear defenders'? But, from what I read online, it seems they weren't allowed to since they would not be able to hear orders.

Richard

PS: I worked besides a retired tank Commander for a while....and he had hearing aids.

Phil,

Thanks for all that.

I found a short thread on Reddit that semed to throw some light on the subject - sorry 😉 ... https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mx04t/my_eyes_see_colors_differently_than_the_other_is/

I've got an older version of Adobe CS3 that can do all the photo manipulation ever needed, not that I fully use all it's capabilities. I tend to defalult to Paint.net as it's quick and simple.

Yes, I saw your mention of the ring light the other day...I was almost pressing the Buy button but first checked my Panasonic micro 4/3 rd lenses ...and only one of them is covered by  the lens filter thread diameters available.  So, thinking about what Wefalck said, I'll try to make more of an effort to reduce the differing light sources falling on the subject.

Nature's multiple colours - yes, and people think trees are only coloured  'green'...well, about a million different shades of green and combinations thereoff.

When I started photography I was using B&W film and had my own darkroom.... B&W can be quite beautiful, as Ansel Adams showed us many decades ago. I have a number of his prints dotted around the house.

This all remins me, I am overdue an eyetest.

Richard

One thing to avoid is mixing lights from technologically different sources, such as LED and incandescent or daylight.

I'm very guilty of that when taking Build images with my phone's camera.....I have daylight, ceiling LEDs, and two 'photography LED lamps' all going at the same time....plus, sometimes, Flash.

Richard

Phil,

Very interesting, particularly your two eyes.

I did a short photography course a few years back and remember using a grey scale card (17 or 18% greyscale?) to position where I would be pointing the camera to set the balance. Do you use a similar card for Custom?

Richard