AUTOS, AIRCRAFT, ETC. - Emergency vehicles (6/30/2004 to 10/31/2004)

Allright, tommorows the day to get the knives and glue to work. I've allready been messing with mine figureing out how to change what I ned changing. Hopefully it will be easier than I am thinking it is going to be.

Ok, I've got 2 projects to work on for this, the Community Services Truck I mentiond before and a1/72 Revell S-2 Tracker done as a California Department of Forestry Air Tanker. I'm waiting on light bars and assorted stuff and need to finish casting some bits so the S-2 will give me some time to get that done, plus I just made up some nice CDF decals (my first time doing my own decals). I will be using AMT's 55 Chevy pickup for the truck and ladders from AMT's Ladder truck.

So, anyone else?

Sounds great Aaron. I'll atleast be doing a 1946 Ford American Lafrance pumper that we have sitting behind our main station. Hopefully one day we are going to restore the ole girl. Heres pics of 1:1 version http://www.lizardsworkshop.50megs.com/46.html I think I have most of the stuff I need for it, alot of the hard to come by stuff thanks to Dave. I am useing an old monogram 1940 Ford truck kit as the base. That was the closest I could find. So far the only thing I have done is remove the vents from the hood. Hope to get alot done this weekend though.
And if I get that done somehow, I always have the AMT pumper on the shelf. Thats if I feel like reliveing some nightmares left over from the ladder though.

HI GUYS, i know its only 6 days into the group build, but i kinda got an early start on my build, you could almost say it's done, only need to install the 'glass', and add a few small details, you can see the pics in my boyd's hauler fotki link, in my sig bloock, this was a resin kit from uptown automotive, i scratchbuilt the high side compartments over top of the resin sides, this is my version of an older rescue type truck.. hope you like, and if time permits, i will do something else, see ya, dave.

That looks great, I've always liked those old Seagraves. Glad to see you back I was starting to wonder if it was just Lizardqing and myself .

Dave I can't believe you cheated Just messing with you . As always anotehr great build. I think that could be your best yet. I can spot some stolen items from the AMT Ladder kit that you used, spent enough time stareing at those pieces to know them easily. As far as building another , I'm sure you will find something laying around. Not like you are going to be doing a plane or tank next

Well here's my progress so far. Not really much since I think I have spent maybe an hour tops on it so far. I am using an old Monogram 1940 Ford Custom Truck kit for my victim. It is the closest to the 46 that I could find , that and I got pretty cheap on Ebay. Here is the kit



Here is what I have to work with, almost going to hurt to put the saw to this one, might have to try and find another and build it OOB. I just love the look of these old trucks.



First thing I did was get rid of the vents on the hood. This is after one side was sanded off. Now just have to figure out how to put slits in the side of the hood like the 1:1 has.



After taking a deep breath I went at it. Sure hope this works out.



And then reattached the halves putting an extra 1 1/2" in the body. Which scaled out would be about 36" on the actual vehicle. I can only guess if that is right since I never got around to measureing it but anyone is welcome to prove me wrong



Ok , kept at it today since I had an empty house and here is how it is going to going to sleep tonite. Right now it looks like Farmer Bill can take his hogs to town but it is supposed to be the supports for the water tank. Hopefully it works.



Well I seem to have gotten a bit long winded there , so I'll let someone else take over from here. I'm always open to any comments and suggestions.

chris that looks simply awesome.

joe

LOOKS GREAT CHRIS, just like the 1:1, good luck on the rest of it, and thanks for the kind words on the seagrave guys, gives me enough motivation to start something else.

Thanks Dave and Joe. I finished up the tank today. Just need to find that link again for doing weld seams. After looking at the pics of the real one again, it seems that I am going to have to rework the rear fenders and more than likely construct new ones. So far everything is working out rather well, that has me worried.

Quick pic of the tank with the skin on it.

Here's a view with some color added today. Iused Krylon Fusion paint on it, first time giving this stuff a try and it looks great. Best gloss job I have ever turned out so far.



Going to be getting the cab assembled and mounted since I have to get some thicker styrenne for the rest of the body. After seeing the engine that came in this thing and how crappy it is, I figure the hood is getting glued down and it is goin to a curbside model. No big loss since if it turns out like I want it to, it will be in a display case with hands off.

Chris...that looks great. Thanks for telling me about Krylon fusion paints. I'm going to have try that on 2 Tamiya Formula 1 cars I recently got off of Ebay.

Regards, Dan

The '46 is looking good, I have that same kit but I'm thinking about doing it with an open cab (I hate building opening doors on plastic, they're a pain and are only good for one or two openings before someone breaks them off). I didn't see how you opened up the side slits in the hood.

Anyway I'm still going along with the S-2 Tracker, sort of added in a P-2 Neptune as well, never realized how big that plane was, I guess technically it is a 4 engine aircraft but I never think about the outboard jets.

I've got a DC-6 stashed away for another build which is even bigger, I'm starting to wonder how smart it was to do the set in 1/72, the C-130 is going to be huge.

Nothing worth posting a pic of yet the only non standard building so far has been the removal of the various radar bulges from the planes, I'll probably post a pic when I get to the retardant tanks.

Thanks. I'm probally going to glue the doors shut on it. Nothing to really see inside of it and I hate curious fingers. Thought about tossing the first aid kit that came with it on the seat or some where though. I have not doen the side slits yet. Trying to figure out how to do them. It seems that the 1940 has a bit if a shallower hood than the 46, plus there are already gaps between the hood and the fenders theat I also have to fix somehow.

Look forward to seeing those pics. Should be a really cool build. Might even be a learning experiaence for me. About all I know of air tankers is that it was cool haveing one make a drop over our heads.

QUOTE: Originally posted by lizardqing Look forward to seeing those pics. Should be a really cool build. Might even be a learning experiaence for me. About all I know of air tankers is that it was cool haveing one make a drop over our heads.

I've been lucky to have them be a fairly regular experience, I worked for the US Forest Service for 6 or 7 years doing wildland fires where the Tankers are almost always on the initial dispatch, even worked close to a tanker base and got to go on board a few (although never a flight ). It was the last place you could still see WW2 warbirds working but sadly that is no more since the PB4Y2 's (Naval B24's) were the last I know of and they were grounded after the accident in Colorado a few years ago, its all up to the Korea / Vietnam era now. The S2 has been fun although its going to be the least modified, and I've got quite a production line planned now, but I'm going to have a bit of a storage problem, if I keep it up its going to look like an air museum around the house by next summer, luckily the wife is very supportive of my hobbies (she says she doesn't care as long as it keeps me from getting crabby ).

Anyway until I get some pics of my work here are the real aircraft I am basing my models on.

Tanker 81, an S2 tracker based out of Hollister, CA
http://www.s2tracker.com/html/fire_bombers/h17.htm

and Tanker 55 a P2V7 owned by Minden Air, it was based out of Arizona, the year I saw it.

http://www.wildlandfire.com/pics/air9/t55.jpg

I'll be very interested in your conversion from the custom to the stock since I will eventually be doing something similar, please include some detail of how you do it when you get there.

Could I join this Group Build with my British Ambulance Rover 7 1:35 ive started few days ago?

I will wait for instructions, rules, etc.

Look my topic here:

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23678

All I've done so far is paint the body. Still, that's a hurtle behind me. Getting the 94 Caprice chassis to fit the body is the real chore to this one.

http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/body.jpg

Aaron- Those are some pretty cool planes. I have not seen those around here. I think the one that we had for a drop was a C-130. I could be mistaken though. We were supposed to get more drops but the smoke turned to thick for them. Was real cool seeing the lead plane come zipping by to. Fast little thing it was. So far the only thing I see with the custom that I have to convert is the hood vents which I sanded off and the bed which is the main part being scratchbuilt. The lifted rear end lookslike it will work out great since the real one has a bit of a high rear end. Going to have to stick with the custom wheels though since they are all I have and I know makeing wheels is a bit out of my talent.

carlosecheverry- Jump on in. That ambulance will fit right in and the more the merrier. Build guidlines are on the first post, pretty much wide open and plenty of time to finish.

Plymonkey- Can't see the pic, says it is unavailable. Getting chasis and bodies is the thing I always seem to have problems with myself.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do next. Haveing no instructions to follow sure make it a bit more interesting. Can't decide whether to finish the cab all the way out or start ont he rest of the body first. Decisions decisions.

thanks Chris, Im on my way then...take care guys..I'm here

the color coat looks great chris, glad you decided to use the fusion, i've had good luck with it on most of the models i've used it on. good luck with the rest of the project.

Thanks Dave. I think I am hooked on this paint. I have never gotten a gloss job to come out this good.

Did a bit of the trim last night. First time trying this stuff to. What do you think?

Chris your build is looking NICE!!!!! I still have a bit of post reading to catch up on, but everything is looking great so far!!! I opened the box up last night (I've been busy the last couple of weeks!) I am getting ready to jump on this thing right now!

Thanks Heath. Been a fun one so far. Look forward to seeing what you will be doing.

awesome. really awesome.

joe

Thanks Joe. Why don't you jump in with us Joe? Yuo could do a potato with a red light on it.

Still nothing to show but as an attempt to sucker in some of the diehard military builders how about something like this

http://www.dodfire.com/Album/Library8/html/class%20110%20rf%20%20view.htm

or this

http://www.dodfire.com/Album/Library6/html/530-B-early.htm

or for the truly brave this

http://www.piercemfg.com/apparatus/TFFT.cfm


Lizardquig,

I start my vaction Monday (and its a real vacation, I'm staying home ) so I promise to put up some pics of my progress next week.

I'd take any of those. I would really like to build one of those TFFT. My station captain is on one on Iraq right now. That is just a cool looking truck. Someone has already done one from scratch, here is a photo



And here is a pic of some progress on my project. Had alot of wrestling with the door hinges,dash and getting everything to just work to gether in general but the cab is finally together and trimed out. Next up the rear fire truck parts.

Ok, got a bit more done today in between fire calls. This is where it started to get a bit challengeing. I added the plate across the top of the sides useing .030 x .060" styrene strips,wooden board supports useing 1/8" x 1/8" brass angles, the round grab handle is a q-tip shaft ,pump access doors useing .015" styrene. Also added were the angled pieces on the back of the body. Next in line is figureing up how to do a booster reel and hard suction hose racks. This has sure been a learning process all the way so far.



Shot of the 1:1

Don't know if it will help but I have a demo on building a hose reel on my website.

http://www.geocities.com/floydreinstien/models/Hosereel.htm

It's pretty basic but might give you an idea to start with.

Of coarse now I see that. I did one out of sheet styrene. Cut out the circles and then used a rectangle piece wrapped around an exacto handle to get the cylinder shape. It's not extremely pretty , but since it will be up under the rear of the truck, it should be good enough. Also put on the ladder racks. These were a pain to do. Once again not real pretty , but the ladders will be pretty much covering them up. Heres the pics.





Stared on the hard suction racks today. Have on assembled and hopefully will have the other one done tonite. The second one is a bit more challenging due to haveing to be set off the side of the truck more than the top one.

Heres the first one.

I thought I would at least post a few before photos, although they are of poor quality. The final photos will be with a friend's camera and much more clear.
The first is the kit and the tank to make a Firecat, all I have to wait for now are the decals.


These sketches were made by my father in 1971 at the Placerville, California airport while they were being serviced to fight a fire. We sat for hours watching them, and for a twelve year old like me, I couldn't have been happier!
These are three sketches, one of the Tigercat, one of the Catalina and of the Avenger.

This is the Avenger and the final sketch he would have made the painting from, but he never did. Dang!