Something I am simply proud of: Please pardon the arrogance.
For the most part on this thread I have tried to show aspects of my scratch builds that in turn illustrate building techniques in a how-to format. However this time I am simply going to show a full scratch build that I have always been rather proud of.
Modern Container Handling Unit (CHU):
Total scratch build -
When Trumpeter first announced their new highly detailed HEMTT A2 LHS (with Load Handling System) they also showed their upcoming release as having the CHU included, However when the kit actually came to market it was missing the CHU. It was another year before the kit started including the CHU!
This ticked me off to no end and I started thinking; “so could I possibly scratch build this exceedingly strange item?”
Lots of Evergreen square tubing to the rescue!
The upper sliding vertical arms with hooks actually function and will adjust to containers of different heights. My CHU is removable from the container. (Not glued on.) and will actually pick up a container as intended.
It seems we truck/softskin enthusiast have some of the same goals. First of which seems to be adding parts and details that don’t come with kits, and without some work, wouldn’t otherwise be visible
Some time ago I built a truck shop dio, which I posted on Armorama. One of the sub-projects included an MATV, with it’s Cat C7 engine exposed. As there was no model of this at the time (this was built using the Panda MATV kit), I used a CMK resin kit as a foundation for the engine (which is, in retrospect, is only generally similar to what I was trying to make), and did what I could to adapt it to look like the C7.
At the time 2013/14, it was hard to find images of this engine. I found two pics of the engine in an MATV, and images of the base C7 engine on the Cat website and went from there. As I recall, Gino posted a few times on the blog too (thanks!), as he was going about doing something similar. Please have a look:
As you can see above, the CMK resin kit with several mods. This is nowhere near as precise as using a CAD/3d print version, but it did the trick for my purposes. Looking back on this, I didn’t do a very good job on the intercooler - at all! I have since learned a bit more on how they work and what they are supposed to look like! (ie plumbing/routing from the turbo, and back to the engine).
For reasons lost to me, I kept the kit chassis, but scratch built front and rear suspension, and added all sorts of various details. Below is how it was used in the dio:
Yup, I remember that truck/dio. It came out looking really nice. Most people do not know exactly how the engines look anyway. I believe you used the CMK M923 5ton engine set as a starting point.
Precisely. Nick, I think I helped you with a project way back when I was in Iraq. If you need engine photos on your next project let me know. I have photos of all of them, including the M-ATV.
uhhh…yeah - probably not my finest work. But, live and learn!
Of the various builds I’ve tried, I might try this one again. Some of the base parts are from the Kinetic RG-31, you can just see the blast resistant hull on the pic on the upper right. The tires and wheels are from an MATV. Interestingly, the rear suspension on this sure looks a lot like the Hendrickson I made on the Peterbilt. This truck uses a solid front axle. I have no idea where I got those rear axles - I think the bed sides are from an M1083 but don’t recall.
A Model that very happily got finished BEFORE someone offered the same kit in Styrene:
Mercedes Medium Field Car Conversion - a combination of the Tamiya Steyr field car body and the much altered bonnet from the Italeri Mercedes truck. Model also required a custom built chassis and engine; part scratch and part repurposed Italeri and Tamiya parts.
The Mercedes 4x4 chassis rides much higher than the Steyr 4x4.
Also the Mercedes side frame rails were “C” channel rather than box beams
as on the Steyr.
The Steyr actually incorporates the front differential into the engine oil pan which allows the chassis to ride much lower to the ground. (The Steyr was actually front wheel drive that, when desired could also engage the rear axle, unlike every other 4x4 out there.) Mercedes took the more traditional design route, hanging the front differential under the engine which then forces the chassis design to ride much higher/taller to allow space for the front axle, differential and suspension under the engine.
Here is the link for an in depth How-To technique for Decaling using Future Floor Wax and Tamiya Matte Clear Spray. This was recently posted on another military thread:
Group image description:
• Background: 'Flam-Out!’ … as in catastrophic engine test.
• Front Left: ‘Raketenantriebssystem’ (experimental rocket propulsion system). Just for giggles, I tested to see if it would actually fit inside a spare Tamiya Fuel Drum.
• Right side: The ‘Riesige Sprengbombe’ (huge explosive bomb) atop the ‘Bombenschlepper’ (bomb mover).
… as in catastrophic engine test.
(experimental rocket propulsion system). Just for giggles, I tested to see if it would actually fit inside a spare Tamiya Fuel Drum.
(huge explosive bomb) atop the ‘Bombenschlepper’ (bomb mover).
