Simmerit's build of the R.A. crossing over wooden bridges into Tunisia in 1943 - West Desert Build

[putteesinmyhands]

Just wondering, when did torque-critical nuts start being painted red?

 

[Simmerit]

Just wondering, when did torque-critical nuts start being painted red?

no idea but the Mat isn’t finished anyway. I started on the blokes as I wanted to get a feel for the finished article. The shot was taken in 1941, so if any rivet counter on the site has a view, it can be taken into account!

 

[putteesinmyhands]

no idea but the Mat isn’t finished anyway. I started on the blokes as I wanted to get a feel for the finished article. The shot was taken in 1941, so if any rivet counter on the site has a view, it can be taken into account!

It was just a random thought that occurred to me. HMVF say that painting of the rim nuts is mentioned in wartime manuals so it dates from earlier than I thought. As far as practice is concerned, I doubt that the paint would survive long in desert conditions and I can't really see there being a pot of red paint in the tool kit.

Wheel nut painting

do you have to paint all of the stud and the nuts on your split rims, or can you just paint the exposed end of the thread? On the militant the paint on the wheels is so old and flaky it isnt that easy to tell, but on two of the six wheels it does look as though someone has simply painted a dab of...

hmvf.co.uk

Katy's nuts don't look painted in Ice Cold in Alex.

 

[Cold_Collation]

I thought the red nuts were to do with runflat inserts and were under pressure? That is, undo them and the two-part rim would come apart with some force. Red = danger.

 

[putteesinmyhands]

I thought the red nuts were to do with runflat inserts and were under pressure? That is, undo them and the two-part rim would come apart with some force. Red = danger.

My recollection is that the nuts holding the split rim together had to be tightened with a torque wrench (held by the LAD) to keep an even pressure on the rubber insert which would otherwise leak air*. Once tightened, they were painted red to a) indicate that they weren't to be tampered with and b) to show that they'd loosened if cracking of the paint was evident.

Wheel nuts weren't painted because their tightness should be checked on every first and last parade using the wheel brace in the tool kit. (Visual check on a halt parade).

There were various other red-painted nuts and bits that equally weren't supposed to be fiddled with.

*or maybe it was to prevent the inner tube being nipped by the rim halves. I don't recall split rims being used without inner tubes so the rubber insert wouldn’t prevent air leakage.

 

[Simmerit]

Done a bit on two of the three figures.

the first sleeve on his greatcoat and I’ve got the front collars on and the back of the coat.

He still looks a bit of a mess as I’ve got to get the front of the greatcoat on then he has a leather jerkin on, so quite a lot to do on this lad. Read collar and epaulettes to finish him off. May be done by Sunday if I’m lucky.

Left hand greatcoat done on the lad on the right. A slow burn. He will be the middle of next week I’d say. You can’t see much of him unfortunately so I don’t know if it’s just a greatcoat or a jerkin as well.

it must have been bloody cold in Tunisia in the winter

 

[Simmerit]

Now of the view this bloke is the middle of next week.

second sleeve on and the front of the greatcoat. I’ll get his rear collar on tomorrow and the other half of the front of the greatcoat then it’s onto the jerkin.

I have to say the level of concentration doing these is bloody exhausting. Not going to do any more tonight as I’m knackered! I’ll do a bit tomorrow morning then it’s onto the Wokka in the afternoon.

 

[Dads203]

Now of the view this bloke is the middle of next week.

View attachment 550979

second sleeve on and the front of the greatcoat. I’ll get his rear collar on tomorrow and the other half of the front of the greatcoat then it’s onto the jerkin.

I have to say the level of concentration doing these is bloody exhausting. Not going to do any more tonight as I’m knackered! I’ll do a bit tomorrow morning then it’s onto the Wokka in the afternoon.

Sorry mate but he looks like he’s taking a dump, just needs a newspaper and some bog roll.

 

[Simmerit]

Sorry mate but he looks like he’s taking a dump, just needs a newspaper and some bog roll.

now you come to mention it!

tw@t!!!!!

 

[putteesinmyhands]

Might be my eyes or the angle but have you transposed his boots?

 

[Simmerit]

Might be my eyes or the angle but have you transposed his boots?

the issue was the angle of the head which was popped on a copper wire.

that’s a bit better.

have to see how this one turns out. I may end up stripping it back and starting again as the lower body is pretty bulky. I’ll see what’s it like with the jerkin on. Some of them have clearly got four or five layers on including the jerkin so look bulked out

 

[putteesinmyhands]

I admire your dedication. Doesn’t the difficulty lie in the scale thickness of the fabric? I've no way of measuring the actual thickness of the cloth or leather but a bit of guesstimation suggests that the thickness of the model greatcoat and jerkin should be in the realm of 0.1mm each. That's a scary degree of precision if you're intent on building up layers.

Would you be better off impregnating tissue or silk to more easily replicate fabric?

Just to put what you seem to be trying to achieve into perspective, it's not far off putting slots into screw heads or producing recognisable cap badges.

 

[Simmerit]

I admire your dedication. Doesn’t the difficulty lie in the scale thickness of the fabric? I've no way of measuring the actual thickness of the cloth or leather but a bit of guesstimation suggests that the thickness of the model greatcoat and jerkin should be in the realm of 0.1mm each. That's a scary degree of precision if you're intent on building up layers.

Would you be better off impregnating tissue or silk to more easily replicate fabric?

Just to put what you seem to be trying to achieve into perspective, it's not far off putting slots into screw heads or producing recognisable cap badges.

I got the jerkin and the cloth squared away on the first two quite well I feel.

The key to getting it right is the build up of the underlying putty and in the case of the two latest figures, I built the base layers up too thick so when I put the greatcoat on, the first lad looked like Michelin man having a shit. I could see the same problem coming with the other seated figure also.

funnily enough. The things causing the problems were the puttees and boots, which feel on the big side for 1/35th. What I did was build the trousers up to look OK along side the boots and it was all downhill after that. If I’d done what I was considering and had the trousers not tucked into the puttees and loose, is probably have been OK.

anyway

4 days work down the shitter..... the upper bodies are fine and the arms. Need to have a crack at the legs again.

hey ho......

 

[Simmerit]

Back to the drawing board..

both arms now done which I’m happy with. I’ve raised the e upper body a bit on the lad on the right which has left his arms floating around a bit. Looks like it’s going to be a fag in the right hand and a brew in the left or t’other way round.

a bit happier with them now. Fingers crossed I don’t screw it up for a second time.

 

[Simmerit]

Right. I think that’s a better base for the greatcoat and jerkin.

 

[robinrocket111]

Right. I think that’s a better base for the greatcoat and jerkin.

View attachment 551226

Eerrrr...... aren’t you supposed to be playing Helicopters!

Now, you promised!!

Incidentally those gunners are coming along nicely.

 

[Simmerit]

Eerrrr...... aren’t you supposed to be playing Helicopters!

Now, you promised!!

Incidentally those gunners are coming along nicely.

I am but we decided it was champanoonoo o’clock at about 3.30 and we are the second bottle. It’s unlikely there will be any more modelling done tonight....

 

[Cutaway]

I am but we decided it was champanoonoo o’clock at about 3.30 and we are the second bottle. It’s unlikely there will be any more modelling done tonight....

Are there no three armed gunners in the photo ?

 

[Simmerit]

Are there no three armed gunners in the photo ?

ironically the more I drink, the better the blokes appear to turn out!

This one is ready for a leather Jerkin. Made up all the lost ground.

moral of story is so them one at a time and don’t try and be a smart Arrse

 

[Cutaway]

ironically the more I drink, the better the blokes appear to turn out!

Paint a smile on his collar and call it done.