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Logistics, trucks & Jeeps Completed January 19, 2021

bob letterman

Master at Arms
Staff member
Bob Letterman said:
Hi all,

I have decided to consolidate all my threads involved with the large diorama, Logistics, into five specific ones. The base and buildings, the soft skin vehicles, the armor vehicles, the Rail road models and the figures. I will leave all the old threads where they are, but I will post the original topics here. Sorry, to include all your comments/responses would be way above my pay grade. When I do an update from now on, I will put them in the new threads. This topic will eventually include ALL soft skinned vehicles in the diorama.

First, the old topics.

Here are two of the 9 deuce and a halfs that will be in logistics. One a soft cab (Tamiya) the other a hard cab, (Italeri) both are built and pics of before and after painting.

Hard cab



Soft cab

SoftDeucea.jpg


After base coat



After base coat



I intend to put full, but varying loads in all of them from various companies and from making the loads at home.

The Diamond T

One of the vehicles in the new diorama will be a Roy Brand Diamond T Wrecker. As the diorama will also have a deuce and a half column, normally there were always wreckers roving around. I have had this kit for about 6 years and never opened it. About 3 weeks ago I decided to get started and opened it up. OMG! the pattern work was fine, but the casting was absolutely the worst I have ever seen. Here are some pics in progress. It is up to the point of painting and weathering now.

There are a lot of parts for a resin kit, plus plastic and brass home made parts to replace the ones that were unusable and to add detail.
I modified the Tamiya machine gun ring mount to fit

Diamond-Tbcopy.jpg


Some of the winch was unusable so I replaced them with plastic. The treadplate on the fendors needed replacing as well.

I used some Skybow tool holders to replace the kit ones. I had to replace the entire windshield assembly and added a siren which many of the Diamond Ts were equipped with in the field.

Diamond-Tecopy.jpg


In the lower right hand corner of this picture, you can see the kit grill. In my estimation, nobody could clean that up. OK, if you can, you have a hell of a lot more patience than I do!

Diamond-Tfcopy.jpg


Ditto headlight guards. Still working on the one.

As the machine gun mount was added and the month of the setting is April, I decided roll up the top canvas and strap it to the support. I have several reference photos that show this was a common practice in the ETO.

Diamond-Thcopy.jpg


The D-7 Caterpillar The D-7 is built, (In subassemblies) and then base coated. The next step is assembly, weathering and final detailing, in that order.



D-7b.jpg


Trailers and Jeeps

I needed 6 trailers for the dio, Logistics and 5 jeeps. I will also be adding an armored ammo trailer here as well. The pics are of the jeeps and trailers built before base coating, then all painted.

Jeeps.jpg


Trailers.jpg


Trailers-1.jpg


The new stuff as of August 10th. I'll start the update with the Dodge ambulance. This is the old Italeri kit, updated with parts from the Skybow/AFV club Dodge WC parts and some PE.

Dodgeamb2.jpg


This is a pretty much OOB Tamiya GMC that I added the Tamiya .50 cal. MG and turret ring.

tam.jpg


This is a Tamiya kit using the Trakz Tipper dump conversion and the Trakz canvas top for the cabin.

tipconv~1.jpg


This is another Tamiya GMC, this one with a Tamiya 50 cal. MG/Turret ring and a Trakz canvas cargo and cab cover.

tra.jpg


This is an Italeri hard cab conversion with the newer Tamiya GMC.
This is the single Studebaker cargo truck that will be in the convoy. I was concerned about using this for awhile. Later, research proved they were absolutely used in all the express routes throughout the ETO, albeit in small numbers. (For any skeptics out there, I have proof, photographic and otherwise!)

Itlconv.jpg


This is the later limited issue hard cab Italeri GMC w/MG and turret ring. Mostly oob with a little PE here and there.
This is the most converted of the GMCs. A Tamiya GMC, w/Trakz cabin canvas top with a scratched rear end to convert it to the gasoline tanker version. I made the oval forms, connected them into two separate tanks and used very thin styrene to skin them. David Doyle, the author of dozens of research books on soft skins and armor and his friends helped me with photos and data on this one. I was looking through all my parts stashes to find the 43 jerry cans required to fill the racks on both sides. I used PE from the ABER kit here and there, Made inset door handles on the boxes containing the fuel hoses on both sides of the tanks. A piano hinge was used at the top of each and I used brass rod scored with a hobby knife to simulate those.

gasconv1~0.jpg


On this version, the underslung spare tire is replaced by a small storage box, and another box, directly behind the cab holds the spare.

gasconv2.jpg


Again, I used the Trakx canvas cab top. It is much better than the one supplied with the kit!

gasconv3.jpg


I see no reason to individually post all these vehilcles after a base coat of O.D. (In various slightly different shades, which do not show up well in these photos), so I thought I would throw in all of them so far. Only four soft skins remain to be built, three more jeeps and a 3/4 ton Dodge command car for General Patton. All the armor will be in another post!

I now have several vehicles close to being finished. This gasoline trailer is the first totally completed. There will be seven trailers, this one being the most weathered, the rest from almost new and all stages in between.

oiltlr1.jpg


Here are the built and base coated soft skins in a group. It may not look like it, but there are a total of 20 kits in the following three photos. 8 GMCs of various types, 1 Studebaker cargo, 1 Diamond T wrecker, 3 Cargo trailers, 3 Gasoline trailers, 1 Dodge ambulance, 1 D-7 Caterpillar dozer, and 2 jeeps.

motorpool1.jpg



motorpool3.jpg


OK, That is it so far. I have the destroyed and burned Mercedes truck/Search light unit which is nearing completion and will be in the "I hate flying thingies" GB within the next week!

I preferred to put all these into a single post because, particularly in the initial phases, they are a little boring.

Bob
 
Last edited:
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Man - have a few deuce and halves. So far this alone is major project.
Great work as usual.
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

That's it- my head just blew up. O. M. G.

Cheers, Bob! :laugh:
chuk
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

So impressive! So much vehicles with so much detail and even more sub assemblies :woohoo:

It's a joy to be able to see how a masterpiece is born!

Erik
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Hey Bob ,

Do you spray the whole wheel black and then use a template to spray the rims ? Or do you freehand paint them ? Or mask the rim ?

Jenny :kiss:
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Thanks Slodder, Chuk, Erik and Jenny!

Jenny, I find it faster to freehand the tires with black paint. I will spend a day doing that and some more I have base coated since these pics were taken. Same with all the armor. I do this with an acrylic rubber to begin. The big trucks alone have 88 wheels and tires.

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

You do know that you are completely mad, dont you, Bob ?!!

In all seriousnessnessness how on earth do you find the time to do all these things or have you a secret assmbly line of underpaid, overworked Elves hidden in the Museum? ( Hang on wasnt I trying to be serious ?)
Have you a tried and tested method of operation that now comes naturally to you when it comes to vehicle construction and does that reduce building time ?

Totally in admiration

Andy
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Fantastic builds Bob, what a fun project.
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

In news just to hand.... The world wide supply of Olive Drab paint just ran out.... :blink

Pretty cool builds... :dude
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

andyfettes wrote:
In all seriousnessnessness how on earth do you find the time to do all these things or have you a secret assmbly line of underpaid, overworked Elves hidden in the Museum?

:( HEEEEYYYYYYY I am not an elf , just a little vertically challenged !

Jenny :kiss:
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Mamma mia Bob !!!! :woohoo: :woohoo: All these models I could ever finish them in many years :( Anyway I think your diorama will be at least great :notworthy

Cheers :cheer:
Massimo
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

LOLOL Jenny !!! So youre now hiding out in Bobs museum so the Australian Wildlife Police, Peacock Division are hunting you down then lolol
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

Hi Bob,

this is soo megalomaniac :) I like this soo much.
Perfect work with OD (clead build, nice detail, etc. too)
:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy (y)

Cheers.
Pavel
 
Re:Logistics, My New Diorama, the soft skins.

I am adding this build from the GB as it will go into this diorama. I used the Italeri Mercedes cargo truck. I used some ABER PE and a lot of white plastic, but intended from the beginning that this would be one of the three wrecks of German vehicles to go in my diorama, Logistics. First, the sub assemblies.

Mercedes-1.jpg


Then the completed wreck from various angles.

merc3-1.jpg


merc4-1.jpg


merc5-1.jpg


merc6-1.jpg


merc7-1.jpg


When attached to the diorama base, there will be rubble, parts blown off, blackened smoke stains on the pavement and ashes left by the burning tires. That will make it look relevant to the diorama.

Bob
 
Re: Logistics, the soft skins, Update 7/19/10

Well, 9 months later and I have finally finished building and base coating all the soft skins. 27 altogether, that doesn't count the locomotive, tender, K5 Rail Gun and Trolley car. All the smaller vehicles, bicycles, carts, etc. will be covered in the Figure thread I will be starting soon.

First, the last of the cargo trucks to be in the XYZ convoy. All the others are deuce and a halves. This is a 1 and a 1/2 ton Dodge cargo from Italeri. I used various Eduard and Aber PE and update parts from the SkyBow, (AFV), Dodge kits. This is before base coating.

2tondodge.jpg


After Base coating. Note: The cab, body and tarp are just sitting on the chassis. Final assembly after weathering.

2ton_Painted.jpg


Then, the first of three more Jeeps. I used the Trakz canvas top and Techstar rods for the frame. I made good use of the Trakz Jeep PE update set. The three standing figures are MPs and will be covered in the figure thread.

Jeep3unpainted~0.jpg


Number 2 of the Jeeps. Again with the PE update from Trakz and a radio set from Custom Dioramics.

Jeep4unpainted~0.jpg


And, No. 3 with another of the Radios and more Trakz PE. Again, the drivers will be covered in the figure thread.

Jeep5Unpainted.jpg


All three after base coating.

3jeepspainted.jpg


Then, two Tamiya Harley Davidson motorcycles. Pretty much OOB.

Harleys_unpainted.jpg


After base coat.

Harleys_Painted.jpg


Next comes the 3/4 ton Dodge specially built for Gen. George S. Patton. I used a lot of Eduard PE. I like Eduard, but for any kind if SBS it sucks. The color is stainless instead of brass and it gets lost in the photographs. Anyway, I used a lot of PE on it.

Patton_unpainted.jpg


After base coating.

PattonPainted.jpg


Now, I set all 27 kits that are base coated and one or two that are in the weathering process so you can see them altogether. They look like a motor pool! From the right end.

All02.jpg


Next to the left.

All03.jpg


Next to the left.

All04~0.jpg


The far left.

All05.jpg


And, finally, all 27 kits in one shot. (Way too big for my camera table.

All_06~0.jpg


Now, I can let the paint harden on those while I focus on armor. You probably don't think I will ever finish this diorama, That is understandable. This has taken longer than any of the big ones I have done previously, but I believe it will be my last as I am running out of room. From now on I will be building them smaller. Since this will be the final superdiorama, I just want this one to be the best of the large ones. I feel pretty certain it will be, but, you never know!

Bob
 
Re: Logistics, the soft skins, Update 7/19/10

That's soo Cool! The Patton Dodge, is it a kit or something you're pulling together from others?
 
Re: Logistics, the soft skins, Update April 24 2011

Hey MP, It is a manufacturers, (Skybow/AFV Modeler), conversion of a standard 3/4 ton Command Car. Patton had this modified in England especially for him. The specs were pretty much the same with all his vehicles, Siren, Airhorns, his 3 star plates and flags, the mandatory .50 cal. machine gun, and other modifications. He normally went from half tracks to 3/4 ton Dodges, to the M-20 armored cars and even really silly looking Jeeps!

In the original Legacies, I modified an M-20 to specs making it another one of his famous vehicles.

He was THE character of WW II, even exceeding MacArthur as a prima donna. He does deserve credit as the no. 1 US army commander of the war. I believe I have every book ever published on the man!
 
Re: Logistics, the soft skins, Update April 24 2011

Fantastic. Really dont have words. But (y) (y) (y) (y) :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy (y) (y) (y) (y) :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy (y) (y) (y)
James
 
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