Canvas Top for M-1078

There is no AM canvas for them.  To make one, you can make the frame out of thin wire and drape tissue paper (what comes in shirt boxes and the like) over the frame.  Carefully brush thinned white glue (Elmer's School Glue) over the tissue paper.  Once dry, paint and you will be good.

Alternately, you can make the canvas out of thinned A&B resin putty draped over the frame.

that really annoys me about the Trumpeter kits. all of them show the canvas on the cover. I have the 4x4s, 6x6s and the russian trucks  I would make a wood jig for the shape of the bows and use strip styrene or thin brass and wrap around the jig and let them form up. 

i built this and do a lot of modern warwheels. i would suggest painting the mirrors off the model and not attaching them until you are ready to paint. also put the long vertical exhaust pipe on when they say and paint around it. I didn't and it was an amusing 20 minute exercise to worm it into position.

Thanks for your response.

I figured there wouldn't be anything out there, but was holding out a little hope.

Thanks for the advice on creating a canvas.

Jake

Thanks for your response.

I have the TM's for the 1078 on CD's, a leftover of my time in service. I'll use those to work out the dimensions of the framework and apply the techniques you suggested.

Thanks again.

Jake

PsyOpMech

Thanks for your response.

I have the TM's for the 1078 on CD's, a leftover of my time in service. I'll use those to work out the dimensions of the framework and apply the techniques you suggested.

Thanks again.

Jake

when you work out the dimensions please post them OR if you can scan the appropriate pages in the owner's manuals i would like a copy. i have 3 more of these plus a trailer in the stash. plus i should be able to create a graphic template or a molding block for the bows. 

They look really nice too.  I have the open back one and the rolled sides one.  The are really nice sets and a great value for the price.

I've found the tissue paper method works great.  You can also cover plastic seats with a few thin layers of paper and a mix of clear elmers glue and water.  It gives a nice textured look. Then just add paint and some pigments to weather.  

This will be perfect for the M-198 Prime Mover.  I assume the rolled up back can be used with the rolled up sides instead of the canvas being all the way rolled down?  I'll have to figure out how to create rounds, powders, egg crates, section boxes etc. but now that there's an option for canvas, this seems to be a very appealing next build for me.

James

EDIT: I just noticed the truck is actually a LMTV, not the FMTV.  Will the kit fit on a 6 wheel 5-ton?

Welcome aboard Chief.

ChiefSmo

This will be perfect for the M-198 Prime Mover.  I assume the rolled up back can be used with the rolled up sides instead of the canvas being all the way rolled down? 

The solid part is the front wall of the canvas cover, which does not usually get rolled up.  The rear is rolled up in the set.

I'll have to figure out how to create rounds, powders, egg crates, section boxes etc. but now that there's an option for canvas, this seems to be a very appealing next build for me.

AFV Club makes a set of 155 rounds, powder cans, and pallets, with decals for them.  They are very nice.

You can see them on my M923A1/M198 build:  http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=150116&page=1

EDIT: I just noticed the truck is actually a LMTV, not the FMTV.  Will the kit fit on a 6 wheel 5-ton?

No, the top will not fit an M1084 FMTV 5-ton.  You would need to use two top kits and cut/mate the pieces together to fit the longer bed on the FMTV. 

Now that is a nice looking build.  Minus the old style 5 ton, brings me right back to my Bragg days.  After looking I figured the canvas wouldn't fit on the 1084, and had already mused about molding the two together.  Great minds eh?  We also had plastic "egg crates" to tote around the bullets in the back, but that should be easy enough to fabricate out of a sheet of thin plastic.  More to follow as I build, right now I'm working on the Paladin, which despite my previous claim as to a well assembled hull, I have a gap between the drivers side glacis and the front battery hatch.  Going to putty the seam and see how that turns out.

James

PS. Thanks for the welcome to the forums :)

ChiefSmo

Now that is a nice looking build. 

Thanks.  I'm glad you like it.  It was a fun build.

...right now I'm working on the Paladin, which despite my previous claim as to a well assembled hull, I have a gap between the drivers side glacis and the front battery hatch. 

 Sounds like you have the Italeri M109A6 Paladin kit.  This is a flaw in all the Italeri M109 kits.  If you want a really nice Paladin or M109A2, get the AFV Club models of them.  They are light-years ahead of Italeri's kits, the fit and details are awesome.

Here is the AFV Club Paladin.

Build article:  http://www.track-link.com/blogs/19096

I also have their M109A2 along with a Black Dog full interior set and a Real Model engine set for it.  It will be a big project, but should look great when done.  I also have a second M109A2 with Black Dog interior set and CMK engine set that I plan to backdate to a Vietnam-era M109 as well...eventually...

It doesn't help you right now but there will be a series of FMTV tops in the future. Lenthening the 1078 top would be more problematic than than just simply cut an splice. The distance between the three bows is much farther and you'd need to cut it in two places and those cuts depend on the particular top you use. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, just giving you a fair heads up. :)