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Yellow gear - FINISHED: 1:72 MD-1 carrier tractor

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  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Yellow gear - FINISHED: 1:72 MD-1 carrier tractor
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, May 28, 2016 4:05 PM

Hello!

While it's not an aircraft, it's so closely tied to aircraft, that I decided to post it here. We're talking about MD-1 aircraft carrier tractor. I've just got a kit of that little machine from F4MODELS. Although pricey, it's a nice kit with resin parts, PE and decals. It allows building one of three versions of the tractor - a shorty/bob tail tractor, a platform tractor and a huffer - that is a tractor carrying an aircraft starter. That's the version I'm planning to do. Here is a shot of the box top:

1:72 MD-1 Tractor by F4MODELS

I started the assembly by cleaning up the body and glueing it with the platform. After that I put on the fenders. Most of the parts have very tiny, sprue-like pour gates, it's just the fenders that have chunky pour blocks on their top surface, so that took a little more cleanup than the other parts. I also started cleaning up the starter box :

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

I took some time to putty and sand the bottom of the tractor smooth - there's no detail there, so at least I'd like to have a nice, smooth surface there. I also glued the first PE parts - the rear wheel hubs. I also replaced the wheel attachment points by copper wire, I could even make the rear wheels rotate if I wanted to:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

And that's it for now - thanks for looking and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Saturday, May 28, 2016 4:20 PM

Oh this will be neat. But we're all going to wonder.... what will this be going with? lol  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, May 29, 2016 4:54 PM

Hello Mike!

Thanks a lot for your comment! As for your question - I thought this is going to look good on the shelf next to my 1/72 Scooter (you know, the A-4B Skyhawk!). I decided to buy this kit after reading this excellent webpage here:

http://whazammo.com/flattop.html

Thanks again and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, May 30, 2016 8:39 AM

Oh wow, I thought you were an all armour sorta guy Pawel Stick out tongue

Looks neat, must be tiny in 1/72nd though- I'd guess maybe an inch/3cm long?

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Monday, May 30, 2016 9:19 AM

I have seen some of this company's other kits, i was thinking about their pickup truck and flightline tow tractor. But they are really expensive even for resin. It looks nice, but do you really think these are worth the cost.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted by Toshi on Monday, May 30, 2016 9:30 AM

Very nice start!  I've never seen a complete resin build kit before.  This should be fun to watch!

Toshi

On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell

 

Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world.  Mrs. Toshi

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Monday, May 30, 2016 3:41 PM

Gentlemen, thanks a lot for your comments!

Gamera - nah, I do all kinds of stuff :-)) Like those babies:

1:72 Airfix A-4B Scooter by Pawel

1:72 Hasegawa EKA-3B Whale by Pawel

I'd love to do some boats, but I'm still working on the technology to do some water...

The tow tractor is almost two inches long - 49mm to be more exact.

Bish - that's right, those babies are expensive. I gave almost 25$ for this tractor, but this money saves me lots of time when compared with scratchbuilding, so I've said, let's do it. And it's a nice kit with PE and decals.

Toshi - welcome aboard! I wouldn't be myself if I didn't add some wire to my model, now would I? :-))

Speaking about the wire - I have a little update for you, where I put some more parts together. I replaced some of the easier PE with wire so that the details would be sturdier. The huffer box on the rear isn't glued in place yet - I want to have it separate to put on a very delicate exhaust shroud made of PE mesh (from the kit). Here's what it looks now:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

Thanks for looking, I hope you liked it - best greetings and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Monday, May 30, 2016 4:23 PM

Pawel

Gentlemen, thanks a lot for your comments!

Gamera - nah, I do all kinds of stuff :-)) Like those babies:

1:72 Airfix A-4B Scooter by Pawel

1:72 Hasegawa EKA-3B Whale by Pawel

I'd love to do some boats, but I'm still working on the technology to do some water...

The tow tractor is almost two inches long - 49mm to be more exact.

Bish - that's right, those babies are expensive. I gave almost 25$ for this tractor, but this money saves me lots of time when compared with scratchbuilding, so I've said, let's do it. And it's a nice kit with PE and decals.

Toshi - welcome aboard! I wouldn't be myself if I didn't add some wire to my model, now would I? :-))

Speaking about the wire - I have a little update for you, where I put some more parts together. I replaced some of the easier PE with wire so that the details would be sturdier. The huffer box on the rear isn't glued in place yet - I want to have it separate to put on a very delicate exhaust shroud made of PE mesh (from the kit). Here's what it looks now:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

Thanks for looking, I hope you liked it - best greetings and have a nice day

Paweł

 

 

That Skywarrior looks pretty good Pawel!!!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Monday, May 30, 2016 4:25 PM

Thats very true, if you wnat it bad enough, you will pay for it. I still have not decide if i want those trucks bad enough.

That does look very nice, i thnik you made a good choice in useing the wire instead of PE. I don't think those parts would have looked right in flat PE.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 11:23 AM

Hello!

BlackSheepTwoOneFour - thanks a lot! If you'd like to see a WIP, it's here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/157264.aspx

Bish - I know what you mean. I was just in the mood :-)

Many times I prefer details made of wire over simple PE or styrene parts. With styrene it's often easier and faster to make a grabhandle out of wire than it is to clean the mold seam from a styrene one. Here I had fine PE handles, but I decided to replace them with wire because of two reasons - one of them is the shape, but the second is that I can drill holes and glue the wire parts firmly to the model, so that I don't have to worry about knocking them off later while handling the model.

Thanks a lot for your comments and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, June 4, 2016 3:11 PM

Hello!

I'll be soon putting some primer on my tractor, so I wanted to show you, how it looked like before. I added the PE hangers for the starter hose. I also did some research and I found how I can enhance the model just a little bit more, so I have scratchbuilt the front hitch and the hood hinges. I'll add the front grilles after I put some yellow paint on that baby, and paint the radiator cavities some dark colour, so as not to get the overspray on the radiator. So here's the photo:

1/72 F4MODELS MD-1A Carrier Tractor

Thanks for looking and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, June 12, 2016 2:40 PM

Hello!

I have primed the basic structure in Tamiya gray primer (spray) and put on the exhaust shroud. That part is really fine and on itself a reason for being of the PE sheet:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A carrier tractor by Pawel

This was followed by a light misting coat of white primer. This way I started to build up some shading:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A carrier tractor by Pawel

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A carrier tractor by Pawel

Now I plan to spray on some Humbrol 154 yellow.

Thanks for looking and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, June 12, 2016 4:08 PM

Thats coming on really well.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, June 13, 2016 8:00 AM

Yeap, she's lookin' good Pawel. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Monday, June 13, 2016 12:07 PM

Bish, Gamera - thanks a lot for your kind words!

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Thursday, June 30, 2016 2:08 PM

Hello!

I have put some paint on:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A Carrier Tractor by Pawel

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A Carrier Tractor by Pawel

It's Humbrol 154 yellow with Humbrol 32 tires. I put on some black acrylic wash on the wheels, I think I have to dirty the rest up a little, too.

Thanks for looking, I hope you liked it - have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, July 2, 2016 8:26 AM

Hello!

I have managed to to do the front grilles on my tractor. The main grille was backed with sheet styrene in places to give it a little more substance - I've read that 1:1 it was done in cast iron like the whole front, to give the tractor better traction. The top grille was a little to small for the opening and because of that a littl hard to secure in place. I've also completed the driver's seat:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1A Carrier Tractor by Pawel

Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 3:06 PM

Hello!

Took me a lot of time, but I have managed to do the air hose for my tractor. I have made it from soldering wire painted tan. Then I have cut a long, thin strip of Tamiya tape - about three times as long as the wire. I have painted it black and wrapped it around the wire. I have also turned two fittings out of sprue, using my Proxxon and painted them aluminium. Here's the photo:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

Thanks for lookin' and have a nice day!

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, September 22, 2016 9:22 AM

She's lookin' good Pawel. The air hose really came out well. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, October 1, 2016 11:29 AM

Hello!

Gamera - sorry for taking so long to reply! Thanks a lot for your kind words.

As for the hose, I have folded it and now it rests on the supports:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

There is some touch up nesessary, but that will be done soon. As you can see I also started working on the driver. He started as a resin copy of the driver from the Fujimi deck crew set. Of course he didn't fit at first, but then I started working him with hot water. That worked some, but not enough, then I cut and wired the joints - "ankles" and "knees". That worked and now his feet rest on the pedals, there should also be enough place for the driving wheel. I'm going to paint him as a "green shirt", which I was told would be correct if he operated the air starter.

So I'm movin' on to work on the figure - thanks for lookin' and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, October 2, 2016 3:45 PM

Hello!

I started working on the hands of the driver, but first I covered his body with grey paint to see where the surface imperfections might be. First thing - I squashed his nose, I'm going to have to fix that! The hands - they were supposed to at least touch the wheel. The Fujimi hands were too long, lookin' spider like - so I straightened them using hot water, then I cut them at the elbows and repositioned. for now it looks like this:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

Now I can start the painting of the driver. Thanks for looking and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, October 30, 2016 6:52 AM

Hello!

It's been a long time, especially for such a small model, but it's done at last - I'm just a slow builder. I have painted the driver and assembled the extra flimsy driving wheel. I had to make a new shaft for that wheel because the original stub was just too short. I also managed to knock off the rear hook, so I scratchbuilt a new one - same style the front one is. And here we go with the finished photos:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

p>1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel 1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

And here's a publicity shot together with my A-4B made against a sheet of a fine sandpaper:

1:72 F4MODELS MD-1 Tractor by Pawel

Thanks for looking and I hope you liked it - have a nice day!

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

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