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Aircraft Tug w/J-47 Engine [FINISHED]

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  • Member since
    October 2020
Aircraft Tug w/J-47 Engine [FINISHED]
Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 4:21 PM
This seemed to fit here a little better than the Armor section, even though it came out of an aircraft kit.
 
This is from an old 1/32nd scale Hasegawa F-86F Sabre kit.  I found it in my Dad's collection and always had been intrigued by that tug. 
The plane was used to fit the Scale-Master Decals artwork for the first release of the kit under the Mini-Craft name.  Some of the airplane parts are off the runners, but I assumed it was complete. 
Unfortunately there are no instructions in the kit, and the only ones I've found online are not for this deluxe kit.  It was only offered once with the tug, so the only instructions available just have the plane stuff. 
 
Some cool features are the rubber-like tires for the plane and the tug and metal parts for the plane's removable jet engine as well as wire and tubing for the engine.  There is also a trailer/dolly/stand for the J47 engine.  I may have to build the engine and dolly too, although ironically I am missing the instruction page for the standalone engine.  At least I have the wiring diagram.
 
These are the parts for the tug and dolly.
After the main body parts were cleaned up and assembled I scribed the panel lines in.  Some of the panel lines were at the glue joints.  There were a few sink marks to contend with too. 
These two sections are dry fitted as I figure out what order to assemble and paint it in.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 5:42 PM

Pretty cool to paint it yellow with black safety stripes.

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 5:49 PM

That is the plan.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 6:51 AM

AHA!

 Scalemaster! That is unique, can't wait to see what you do with it!

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 8:45 AM

Tanker-Builder

AHA!

 Scalemaster! That is unique, can't wait to see what you do with it!

 

 

My thoughts exactly. Smile

 

 

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 10:09 AM

Thanks guys.  It's just something fun to do between dry times on a bigger project.  But it is gain my attention...

 

 

I went with some decanted Tamiya Camel Yellow as it was the orangest yellow I had on hand.  I did some pre-shading and black washes before putting the yellow on. 

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 2:04 PM

Everyone knows it will be cool!

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, December 8, 2022 10:19 AM

Oh wow, I never knew that there was such a tug in one of their Saber kits. The perfect accessory for a scene on an airfield base. They can get nice and beat up too on some of those Korean War "austere" airfields.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Thursday, December 8, 2022 10:36 AM

Thanks guys!

I'm not going for "beat up" on this one, but it will have some wear and age.

 

I did a little grunge work on the wheels.

 

 

 

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Thursday, December 8, 2022 1:17 PM

That looks like a great project. When I was in the Navy in the early 80's we used one similar to that. We calledit the Booda. Used for moving the bigger aircraft like the P-3;s and c-130;s . I am sure they used it for others as well.I think that is a great subject matter. I like the idea.

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Friday, December 9, 2022 10:09 AM

Thanks Lurch.

 

 

I created all the decals for it too.  The hood is still dry fitted to the main section and more washes were applied to some of the panel lines.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Friday, December 9, 2022 11:22 AM

Looking good!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: UK
Posted by PatW on Friday, December 9, 2022 4:25 PM

It looks superb! It's something else I've been looking for, for years. 

Remember , common sense is not common.

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Saturday, December 10, 2022 10:20 AM

Thanks Guys!

 

 

I gave it a coat of clear flat and used powders to add some wear to it.  I'm keeping the two main parts separate until I install the pedals and maybe steering column.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Saturday, December 10, 2022 5:44 PM

Neat build. I've got fond memories of towing aircraft with vehicles like this one. lol

                   

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  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Sunday, December 11, 2022 10:24 AM
When I put the body on the chassis I noticed there was a lot of daylight visible through the wheel wells so I made some inner panels out of sheet plastic to remedy that.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Monday, December 12, 2022 7:33 AM

Eugene Rowe

Looking good!

 

 

Ditto Yes

 

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Monday, December 12, 2022 10:01 AM
I noticed a couple holes on the body that I could not find parts to put into them so I had to fill them and touch up/blend the paint. 
I went ahead and cemented the hood section to the body since the pedals and steering column are installed.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Monday, December 12, 2022 11:08 AM

Very clean build !

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, December 12, 2022 11:13 AM

Its looking great so far.  Nice build.

One question I have though, and I don't know the anwer.  Was the USAF using Toyota tugs in the 1950s, and was Toyota even making tugs then?

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, December 12, 2022 11:31 AM

HeavyArty

Its looking great so far.  Nice build.

One question I have though, and I don't know the anwer.  Was the USAF using Toyota tugs in the 1950s, and was Toyota even making tugs then?

 

Perhaps the JASDF issue of the F-86? I can't imagine the USAF outside of Japan using such a tug.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Monday, December 12, 2022 4:36 PM

Thanks guys!

The F-86 on the box art has Japanese makings on it, but I don't know what era it represents.  I assumed it was from the 60's, maybe even early 70's, but that's just a guess.  The year didn't really matter to me.  I'm envisioning it as something that would be used at museum with flying aircraft.

 

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 9:41 AM
I did a little research on this kit.  It was first released in 1972, but the same box art was used again in 1999.  I have no info whether the end panels were the same and the tug parts were included in that reissue.  
I also found a 1/72 scale version of the tug was offered in a MiniCraft/Hasegawa T34 Mentor kit.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 9:41 AM
I found the rear license plate so I removed the decal on the right rear and made a duplicate one for the new part.  I also added another Toyota decal for the rear; slightly different than the one on the front.  More weathering/wear was applied as I went along adding parts. 
The seats were done with washes of brown panel line accent.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 7:16 AM

Looks great.

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 8:43 AM

missileman2000

Looks great.

 

 

It does indeed. Yes

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 9:35 AM

Thanks guys!

 

 

This part is done, but the project is not finished yet…  

The mirror faces are foil.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Thursday, December 15, 2022 11:33 AM
I semi-dry assembled the engine to figure out how it all fits together.  A nut & bolt are provided to sandwich the metal parts of it together, and that was helpful.  The circular halved parts were cemented together and the rest is tacked together with white glue.   I'll use  it as a guide to help figure out the dolly parts.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Thursday, December 15, 2022 12:06 PM

Those engines have a lot of wiring and plumbing on their exterior.  Bright wire from the beading departmend of hobby/craft stores make good tubing.  Black insulated electrical wire is fine for hoses.  Electrical wiring can be a number of things.  Use Google Images to find the pictures of engines- there are a LOT of them there.

 

  • Member since
    October 2020
Posted by Scale-Master on Friday, December 16, 2022 11:14 AM
I thought once the tug was done it would easier to figure out what the dolly parts were from what was left on the runner, but apparently there are two dollies.  (Maybe one is for the armament?)  So I'm still playing the same guessing game to a degree, but I think this is the majority of the dolly parts.  Curiously there are still several more parts still on the runner.  I already assembled and shot these pieces the same yellow.

Build what you want and build it for yourself, the rest will follow... Mark D. Jones

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