1/35 Tamiya quad gun tractor

[sharkman]

So, the cast is off and I am starting physio on the knee. Still have to remain off my leg but I’m able to get around a little more and was able to try scooting down to the basement for a couple hours to see what I could do. Trying out the bench I was able to prop my leg up to reduce some of the pain and looked for something I could build with relatively little paint for now (its still an issue to jump up and down to get to the sink and difficult to carry anything with crutches) but I thought I’d get a start on this kit for something to do. Picked it up this summer on a whim, a way to try something armour related without having to deal with tracks!

Kit was complete

So I started clean up on the limber. The fit is great but every part needed a little clean up here and there.

Then when that was almost finished, I started on the wheels and the main gun frame. The wheels have a nasty seem in the back I’ll have to deal with and the gun will require some further clean up but so far so good. At least it is something!

Getting bored watching Netflix and reading!

 

[paddy]

Its an interesting truck, i often wonder how they arrived at that shape. Sloping back and strange side door. Presumably it carried the gun crew ?

 

[sharkman]

Its an interesting truck, i often wonder how they arrived at that shape. Sloping back and strange side door. Presumably it carried the gun crew ?

Its a fastback!!!

Maybe the shape had something to do with cost savings? I know some of the later CMP tractors looked weird as well.

Or maybe the designers were all drunk!

 

[Tojo72]

Interesting kit,will be checking in on this one

 

[mustang1989]

This outta be good! A fastback.......lol

 

[sharkman]

A little more today, did some more work on the 25 pdr..

The gun, will have a big seam to clean up!

And started on the frame for the quad. The parts all have seam lines that need cleaning. Must have to do with the age of the kit.

 

[razordws]

I did one of these in 1/72 a number of years ago. Cool little project.

 

[sharkman]

Little update...

More work on the chassis today. still scraping and filling things but it is coming together.

had to do a little filling on the main gun as well, I'll sand this down on the weekend

The chassis is a squat, beefy little rig. Can't wait to get the wheels on it and the engine in.

 

[moon puppy]

Sweet! I remember building this as a kid. Would like to revisit it.

 

[jeaton01]

Its an interesting truck, i often wonder how they arrived at that shape. Sloping back and strange side door. Presumably it carried the gun crew ?

It was clearly the inspiration for the F-117!

 

[RichB]

If you are doing a Canadian vehicle, drivers often painted the interiors in civilian car colours of the day scrounged from British sources while they were based in the UK. Dead against regulations, but command turned a blind eye for morale reasons.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[sharkman]

If you are doing a Canadian vehicle, drivers often painted the interiors in civilian car colours of the day scrounged from British sources while they were based in the UK. Dead against regulations, but command turned a blind eye for morale reasons.

Cheers,
Rich

Thanks Rich! So, they could have been anything on the inside? I did plan to do it as a Canadian first infantry vehicle and was wondering about the dark green for the exterior. Also, with the black green/black Mickey Mouse pattern, was that used exclusive ly by the British or did the Canadians use that as well?

 

[RichB]

We followed British orders so the camouflage colours and patterns will depend on the time frame. A breakdown of the timeline can be found here British Vehicle Camouflage.

In a book I read on the 4th Field Rgt, "Where The Hell Are The Guns?", the drivers favoured Paris Green, Light Blue and Light Grey with knobs and handles painted Bright Red. They were part of 2 Inf Div.

Paris Green could range from pale blue green to emerald green in colour. The pigment contained arsenic, was highly toxic and was the first widespread chemical pesticide used from the late 1800's. It was airsprayed over Sardinia, Corsica and Italy in 1944-45 to control malaria.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[RichB]

The design of the FAT was based on the Morris CS8 15 cwt truck chassis. The beetle shape came from using flat panels to simpilfy construction and chemical decontamination and the sloped rear roof could carry the gun traverse platform. The enclosed body could carry the 6 man crew (driver + 5 gun crew) plus 24 boxed 25 pdr rounds, 8 anti-tank rounds and the equipment required to maintain the vehicle and gun.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[sharkman]

Thanks Rich!

I will check those references out!

 

[sharkman]

More scraping and gluing!

Engine!

Got the main gun finished...

and some more work on the tractor....coming together!

The kit comes with some stowage gear, will have to see where to put it all.

 

[moon puppy]

Lookin' good Warren! Where's the floats?

 

[RichB]

If you poke around the web, you'll find crews would build roof racks. All sorts of styles and complexity for scratch building.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[sharkman]

If you poke around the web, you'll find crews would build roof racks. All sorts of styles and complexity for scratch building.

Cheers,
Rich

Thanks Rich! I have been checking some out. I want to mount the spare wheel on the back and like the looks of the rack that straddles the tire and lays with the slope of the tractor. Time to dig out the evergreen!

Will have to wire up that engine too!

 

[Rhino]

Lookin' good Warren! Where's the floats?

That what I wanted to know!!