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Sunday, December 11, 2022

The Airfix Dodge 1 1/2 Ton Personnel Carrier - The struggle begins!

Having identified yesterday that this bargain £5 kit is nearly 50 years old and the chassis that had already been built was in three pieces I knew that building this would be a struggle. The previous construction has probably been done with tube cement from what I can make out. The joints are poorly bonded which is good in a way because many of the parts come apart easily and with no damage such as the front bonnet assembly pictured here which literally fell apart as I gently eased a joint! I just don't know my own strength!

Airfix Dodge 1 1/2 Ton Personnel Carrier

However when I try to re-glue them the tube glue that remains on the surface of the plastic acts as a barrier to the liquid cement I am using. I am therefore having to clean these joining surfaces as much as I can before applying liquid cement. 

I have managed to get the chassis rails back into one piece and the rear axle is in place. However like much of this kit there are a lot of warped and twisted parts which means there will be issues fitting further parts as I go along. This is despite me trying to correct as much as I can by applying a bit of twisting force myself. I will just have to wait and see how bad it is as I get further into the construction. In addition I have also started the Load bed. Again the floor part of this is severely warped. I have applied as much pressure and twisting forces as I dare without it snapping but I can still see a slight twist. Oh well!

This is where I am so far. Not much really but this is only the beginning of the struggle! Why do I do these basket case kits????

Airfix Dodge 1 1/2 Ton Personnel Carrier




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