Here is something for the RAF fans. It is a recently completed 854 Petrol Refueller made from the Airfix O854 Diesel version. It features scratch-built early steel cab roof, deeper rad, autovac tank, spare wheel carrier and a Zwicky PTO pumping system with four hose reels and nozzles. The cab rear had tri-angular windows added as well as the fire screen which was also corrected for length. the wheels came from the Wee Friends set and the mirrors and wipers from Dan Taylor Modelworks. Kit transfers were used as the markings in the kit are shown on a photo of an early 854 in Steve Richard's book "Taking the Rough with the Smooth" on the Matador series. Thanks go to Ted Angus for much information and many photos and to Les Freathy for photos of the pumping system. Hope you like it! Cheers, Neil
Absolutely superb stuff, Neil. Really lovely job. I [partially] made one of those once, several moons ago....the less said about that the better, I think! Stunning work, Neil.
Smashing work, Neil, as always Not related to this particular model, but may I ask how do you do your canvas work?
Thanks, Miguel and yes you may ask about canvas. I use the time honoured tissue over a frame method. If the back will be open, I do a standard tilt frame using brass wire. If it is closed I often use plastic card with half-round strip from Plastruct. The end result is the same with tissue measured and cut to size and glued with white glue. I then give it a coat of white glue/water and let harden. Tilt tie-down ropes are added by using nylon thread coated with CA glue and cut to small lengths which I run one from over the tilt to the clip, then the next from the clip to under the tilt, then another from on top of that on the tilt to the next clip and so on. I usually brush paint the tilt a lighter shade of the base colour and add disrutive if necessary. Careful dry-brushing is the final step after using some darker shading in the creases etc. Hope this helps. Cheers, Neil
Of course it helps, thank you for your kindness Neil! I'm returning to my origins, I had lost my old Airfix Magazine Guide for RAF Vehicles but decided to buy a replacement. These are reaching 40quid and more in Abebooks, go figure, but I happened on a cheaper one! I had managed to hang on to my other guides but I have no idea what had happened to this particular one. We'll see what comes out of this
Neil, Excellent modelling skills and nice tutorial to read. The model is full of fine detail, however I particularly like the pump and equipment detail to the rear. Regards Tom
Many thanks Tom for your kind words. Yes the Zwicky pump system took almost as long to build as the rest of the model but it was a ton of fun. Cheers, Neil
