M108 crane truck

Thanks Gino

Got the difference there. Think I’ll do a dusty brown wash over this one, with some chips and scratches here and there.

Just spoke with Fang at HL who explained that, in the instructions, he’d left out a step re trimming the donor’s upper frame to set the crane bed at the right height.

This is why I had to extend the outrigger legs by a couple mil………

Oh well.

Cheers

PS Your pic shows the crane’s line going through that housing on top of the boom. The instructions show it going over top, which I thought wierd.

1 Like




Weathering today using Tamiya’s weathering master. Nice product but I also used the black from the artist pastel set. Corrected the winch line based on Gino’s pic. Ouriggers and some light chipping tomorrow.

7 Likes

Hey man that is looking fantastic! Excellent build and weathering!

2 Likes

Looking great. Weathering is really nice. If possible though, I would go back and remove the spacer rail on top of the frame to get the deck height right. It looks really high above the wheels.

1 Like

I’d be happy to try that adjustment but each spacer rail is moulded as a single piece with the frame rail.

Any tips on how to cut it? I’d love a power saw, but all I’ve got is an Exacto with new blades, hand saws and a snipper.

I could remove the rear wheels and either score with the Xacto or snip sections of the spacer working from the back?

4 Likes

Do you have saw blades for your X-acto handle? Score first, like you suggested, then follow with the saw blade for final pass(es)

Tried scoring but the rear wheels got in the way……Eventually I went old school on the second spacer and just “folded” it gradually along its length until it came away. The rear wheels suffered in the process but I’ve started to reassemble them. Coffee break now!

2 Likes

Good job. That’s how I would have ended up doing it as well. Coming along well.

2 Likes

Minus the spacers, it looked too low at first so I used some strips to raise it and get the deck level.

Outriggers have been adjusted to fit and should be going on tomorrow.

Need to find an Operator and a load from somewhere.

5 Likes

Looking good. Nice fix.

2 Likes

Good work. Realistic height now.

2 Likes

Warriors Figures used to have a boom operator for the AAVR7 Amtrak that would have been perfect. Unfortunately, it is long OOP, I can’t even find a pic of one.

You should be able to get just about any seated figure and adjust the arms though. Maybe a driver figure like below from Hobby Fan.
1

Or an M113 driver (with a head change) from the below Hobby Fan set or from an Academy or Tamiya M113.

1 Like

Thanks Gino, got a couple Tamiya M113.

Den

Possibly the driver from Tamiya Gamagoat? Wayne

Thanks Wayne, I used a Tamiya M577 guy for the job, (Thanks Gino) Some adjustment to the legs as I think he had a case of swampa$$. Fits in well now I’ve moved his arms a little too and should finish him off and get the outriggers in place tomorrow.

Now for a load…………

4 Likes

Nearly finished but I need some advice on the load. I’ve got a pair of M54 front wheels that I want to sling under the hook, but I’m unsure how to pair them for the lift.

Safest would seem to be front to back with the outer wheel rim sitting inside the back of the inner wheel.

Make sense, or am I wrong?

The rims without the axle sticking out in the middle look like this
image

The wheel on the front axle is mounted with the bulge of the rim facing outwards.
The Inner wheel on the rear axle also has the bulge facing outwards but the outer wheel
has the bulge facing in towards the axle.
The rims are the same for all axles, just mounted differently (only one spare wheel carried → must be able to fit all axles …)

If I were to lift two wheels I could consider a few options:

  1. Bolt them together, rim bulges facing inwards
  2. Stack them as you suggested, rim bulges on both wheels facing the same direction, I would lift this way if I was planning on stacking them as in the picture above.

I would probably pull the lifting strop or chain through the lightening holes.

1 Like

Thanks for that Uncle- Heavy. Yes, bolting them together is a great idea but I’ll go with both facing the same way, choker through the cutouts in the rim.

Cheers

1 Like

That’s how I would do it too.

A few more tires, but the same idea.

1 Like




OK I promise no more pics of my M108. I think its done now.

6 Likes