Builds Smegger's VE Day build (Morris Commercial C4 Mk II, Bedford QLR and other bits)

[Smeggers]

Ace thread and nice builds

Cheers mucker. I'm trying to keep it interesting without too much " and then I did... "

 

[Smeggers]

Tonight I decided to have a go at the motorcycle I intend using in the diorama. Rather than use the earlier Tamiya model I'd used in my D-Day build, I decided to have a go at the Bronco Models Triumph 3 HW. This kit comes with two bikes and three figures; I have chosen to build one bike and use two figures. The kit comprises two Olive Drab sprues containing the two bike parts, a grey sprue containing the figures plus an alternate head, two small frets of photo-etched brass parts (one for each bike) and a small sheet of decals, containing a couple of different NOT chevrons, some Arm of Service decals and some shoulder titles. What is glaringly obvious, is the lack of Royal Signals marks, both AOS and shoulder titles. Granted, there are a couple of white over blue armbands alongside the two MP armbands, but I think the Royal Signals AOS and titles should have been included.

The kit is very well detailed with some very tiny parts. I'm afraid the carpet monster has swallowed a couple of pedals (starter and gear shift ), so replacements have been manufactured from plastic strip and fine wire. The problem with old, arthritic fingers is that they can't always pick up small pieces and said pieces tend to fly here, there and everywhere!
I found the worst part so far, was fitting the linkage between the rear brake pedal and the rear wheel. This piece is a very fine piece of wire with two projections. One projection fits directly into the rear brake cylinder, while the other has a tiny pin hole which has to line up on the left hand frame side. It is a bastard! I spent a good half an hour trying to fit this bloody thing. This is the state of play as of 2130 this evening....

 

[robinrocket111]

Sorry to high Jack this fred smeg-head, but I thought you’d like this.

 

[Smeggers]

Sorry to high Jack this fred smeg-head, but I thought you’d like this.View attachment 477938

I most certainly do. That's given me wood! I take it we are looking at a Matador with Coles Crane Mk VII?

 

[Simmerit]

Cent has come....

 

[robinrocket111]

I most certainly do. That's given me wood! I take it we are looking at a Matador with Coles Crane I'm VII?

That I haven’t got a clue, research time I’m afraid.

Cent has come....

View attachment 477961

If your going to do it as the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group, please remember that if you are doing the crew, the drivers came from the RAC/RTR replacement pool.
BLACK BERETS

 

[Smeggers]

Back on thread! Triumph pretty much done. Plenty of cussing and swearing at some of the minute parts. You will notice one of two white pieces - these are replacements for those bits which ended up somewhere in the carpet Dragon or even the dog. I also found a 1/76 scale BSA and glued it back together for comparison purposes. So here is tonight's offering, next step - figures! By the way, the diorama base is looking pretty good, I'll put up a few photos tomorrow unless The Leader of the Opposition (aka Mrs Smeg) has other plans.

Triumph 3HW with 1/76 Scale BSA

Paint and decals to be added tomorrow after panniers and luggage frame. See y'all tomorrow.

 

[Smeggers]

Cent has come....

View attachment 477961

Remember making one a couple of years ago, nice kit - shame there is no interior detailing. Still, knowing you Si, you'll probably have sourced the interior, the engine and everything else.

 

[Simmerit]

Remember making one a couple of years ago, nice kit - shame there is no interior detailing. Still, knowing you Si, you'll probably have sourced the interior, the engine and everything else.

not so sure about that! I do like a. Challenge

 

[Smeggers]

This afternoon, I are mainly sorting out how my commcen will appear. Once again, nothing is 100% complete yet so look at the bigger picture. For a start I need some bigger trees to fit the scale plus a few other bits and bobs. I may even attach the Morris-Commercial to the Bedford via the canvas awnings. This evening, I will finish the Bike and start another trailer, (Signals never had enough trailers). This one will have a generator mounted in it. So, the base as prepped and painted by yours truly...

Looking along the road, bottom to top.

Looking from top left to top right

Looking bottom right to top right

Looking bottom left to top right.

Thinking about the C4 mK II's canvas layout, the sheets only draped down either side and were pulled out about six feet, making a sort of rudimentary tent. As shown below...

A bit far removed from the penthouses of later vehicles, but at least it was somewhere for the crew to get their heads down when not on stag, and somewhere to store their personal gear while the vehicle was in use..

 

[robinrocket111]

Dad actually used real twigs and parts of branches to the right scale. The real bonus to his models, was that mostly all were WW1! Most of the trees were shell blasted, so no foliage!

 

[Smeggers]

Right, so that's the Bike sorted. I'll give it a coat of grey primer tomorrow and then deck it out in Olive Drab with assorted decals. The trailer was built in about an hour. It's part of the Italieri Trailers set. I was wondering whether to do the water browser as well; I know they're both Yank trailers, but I'm sure one or two came our way via the land-lease program.
I shall be making a start on a few figures tomorrow. I only want to do five or six, not getting carried away like I was for the D-Day build! I hate doing figures but feel I must as a diorama never looks right without them. I've taken on board your comments @robinrocket111 , and have decided to give it ago with some twigs and such like. I have got quite a few "scatter" type leaves which can be added to flesh out the trees.
Finally, thanks to you all for your kind comments, advice and helpful tips. I've enjoyed this build.

 

[Helm]

Bit late to the party on this but, looks great so far, really nice idea. If you have sourced wood etc from outdoors, give it a 30sec zap on high in the microwave to ensure it doesn't become living history, when the wee beasties hatch out. I speak from bitter experience.

 

[robinrocket111]

Bit late to the party on this but, looks great so far, really nice idea. If you have sourced wood etc from outdoors, give it a 30sec zap on high in the microwave to ensure it doesn't become living history, when the wee beasties hatch out. I speak from bitter experience.

Could you imagine a creature from the black lagoon terrorising the plastic squaddies!!!

 

[Smeggers]

Could you imagine a creature from the black lagoon terrorising the plastic squaddies!!!

Beware the Slugs of Doom!

 

[robinrocket111]

Beware the Slugs of Doom!

Eeewwww the slime trails.....

 

[Smeggers]

I go, I come back. I wanted to add something different to my diorama, and as it nears completion, I started searching at the back of the garage. For a start there were a number of kits I had completely forgotten about, a number had badly damaged boxes due to water ingress, and then I found this.....

I don't know how old it is or what it's worth on fleabay, but I thought this could be used with a French Officer paying a visit to Divisional HQ! So, I commenced an ad hoc build.
The first thing I'll say about Heller kits, their instructions are crap! They resemble an exploded diagram with numbers and arrows. There appears no logical reason why some parts are put on before others and in two cases, there is no reason why the parts are even there! Having built a fair few model bikes in the past, I managed to suss out where each bit goes. The worst part was remembering that the Froggies drive on the opposite side of the road to us, this nearly threw a spanner in the works when dry-fitting the side-car! After a full day working on the bike, I've managed to get this far without knackering anything.

I chucked the 3HW in so you can see it's not been forgotten about. I'm debating whether to put it in Signals livery or RASC colours. I think as I already have two vehicles in Signals Blue and White, I may well put the Red and Green of the Service Corps on it. At least it will add a bit more colour! I'm doing some research to discover what markings Le Crapauds put on their vehicles (apart from a white flag). Anyway, I've included a couple more shots and hope to finish it tomorrow. So, for your perusal....

 

[robinrocket111]

Oh@ Smeg-head, thought you might like this.

 

[Smeggers]

Oh@ Smeg-head, thought you might like this.View attachment 480648

Keep going......I'm nearly there! Morris -Commercial CS8. Second vehicle has the canvas tilt displayed in trailer style which was unusual. Usually they were shown with an upright tilt on hoops. The driver's cab has also had the tilts removed. You can just about see the aero style windscreen and rolled back canvas doors. Excellent picture though.

 

[Smeggers]

Decided to finish the motorbikes tonight. Like the other vehicles, they have not been weathered until I have everything in place. The final parts have arrived for the build, thank you Madamoiselle le Postie; so it's onwards and upwards. You will also notice a gentleman of Gallic persuasion, I thought I might chuck him in with the Gnome-Rhone. There will be another Froggies along later to drive the thing. Anyway, I've only got a couple of days to go before I'm back at work, so I' d better get a move on.

Gallic chappie, Gnome-Rhone, Sgt. Scaley on a Triumph 3HE and a Monkey.

Closer view of the Gnome-Rhone

Normal enemy view of a French vehicle

Sgt. Scaley avec Triumph. DR armbands are hand painted as the decals supplied in the kit are shite.

So that's the vehicles all built, just the canvas and forest to build. Got a few thoughts on that, but the next diorama I build won't be having any bloody trees in it!