I've wanted to do this kit for a while now. It was one that had been living in my garage providing grazing for the slugs and snails that inhabit the darker reaches until I discovered it during a routine clear out. Unfortunately, the box, instructions and decals were write offs. Water damage and gastropod intrusion left them as soggy, perforated lumps of mush. Happily the instructions are available for download, which is exactly what I did and was able to check all the parts were there and intact. All sprues were still sealed in their cellophane bags, making life a lot easier. The knackered decals would be replaced by some of the myriad ones I have in three folders. (I can't help it! I like nice shiny decals)
The eduard PE is useful for some of the items they replace but absolutely abysmal for others. The two replacement pedals were really rubbish so I made my own from plastic strip and used the PE tread pattern for the plate of the pedal. A lot of the PE is lining for the cab and cargo compartment, giving both a sort of plywood finish.To be honest, in hindsight, I probably wouldn't use it it.
Probably, the dashboard is one of the best replacements and comes complete with a printed sheet of acetate showing the dials. I found it a good idea to avoid fixing this acetate until the dash had been primed and painted. Owing to the amount of PE used in the crew cab, it took a couple of days building the cab and priming it.
The cab was easy to finish off with seats, steering wheel and control levers added. The base of the cab is a single piece of PE which is pre-cut to fit around gear stick, handbrake, drive levers and other assorted protrusions. PE also lines either side of the cab and a studded strip is fitted above this.
With the rifle holders installed either side, the cab is approaching completion. A sprue of clear "windscreen" is included which saves a lot of buggering about with sheets of acetate.The triangular sufferings are glazed and installed. There is a small pocket that fixes to the back of the drivers seat. I completed the cab by painting it in pastel green. It was at this point that I noticed one of the intake covers (Left-hand side) was missing. Despite searching high and low, I couldn't find it! I made a new one by shaping a piece of 0.6mm brass sheet and cutting it out. A bit of fettling, a lot of swearing and a bit of luck and it fitted. Once primed and undercoated, it looked the mutt's nuts. The fitting of the cargo bay is pretty straightforward and the PE floor looked the business. This is where it is absolutely imperative that the parts are fitted correctly. The forward bulkhead, when I fixed it was 3mm adrift, but easily remedied with a short sharp tap from a hammer.Always a good idea to dry fit pieces prior to assembly.
That's it for now, back soon.
Smeggers
Thought it was Liverpool the yellow DUKW sunk?
