If I were to build another it would probably be the Airfix kit!

 First there was one....

Then there were two!

Now, whilst the sand coloured model has taken me about 7 weeks to build, the green one took me about 10 days along with the tank some 10 years or so ago! 

The green Scammell is an Airfix kit that is in 1/76 scale along with the Matilda tank on the trailer. There were no etched brass parts and it is fairly robust once built.

The sand coloured Scammell is the ING kit in 1/72 scale so slightly larger than the Airfix kit but not overly noticeable unless you know what you are looking for. As you may have seen from my previous posts on this kit there was a lot of brass etched parts some so small only magnification made any sense of them!

So are the two finished models the same? Well apart from the IBG model having door mirrors they both look much the same detail wise from normal viewing distance. Look a bit closer at the cabs and there are differences in the side window sizes between them and I would put money on the IBG one being right! 

You can see the IBG kit is slightly bigger in this photo.

Whilst I like both models and I learnt much building the IBG kit, for the additional time and frustration the IBG kit takes, if I were to build another transporter it would probably be the Airfix kit!

At this point it looks a bit interesting but it was time to make it look a bit more interesting!

 With the acrylic mud dry on the diorama base for the tank transporter, it was time to add some more scenic treatment. First, PVA glue was applied to the wheel track areas.

This was then covered with kiln dried sand and a dilute coat of PVA glue was applied over the top to make sure it all stuck down.

Once dry the whole base was airbrushed with sand coloured paint.

A trial 'fitting' of the transporter was undertaken and the track spacing is right! Phew!

At this point it looks a bit interesting but it was time to make it look a bit more interesting!

So out came some scenic materials. a mix of static grass using mainly light greens and yellows was added.

Just the rest to do now! But that is a job for tomorrow!

Pizza base to diorama base!

Having built the tank transporter it was time to make a base for it to stand on as it is too fragile to be left sitting on a shelf!

My usual base is one of the styrene pizza bases that used to accompany a supermarket pizza. No longer supplied I do have a stock in store!

First job is to cut it to size.

Then the acrylic mud came out!

Applied with a stiff brush I created two sets of tracks and accompanying verges which turned this...

Into this!

That now needs to dry ready for the next course of scenic treatment!

Triumphal Tank Transporter Tuesday!

Triumphal Tank Transporter Tuesday brings you the completed, well, as far as I am going with it, IBG 1.72 scale Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank! it was started back on the 11th February so n early seven weeks to build although to be fair I have done a few other things as well!

The last parts to fit were the door mirrors, winch ropes for the trailer loading ramps and a shovel on the side of the cab of the Scammell.

So what does seven weeks bring me?

I'm pleased with that!  In fact I feel triumphal in having finished this kit that pushed me to the limits on occasions! Maybe I should call it Triumphal Tank Transporter Tuesday!

What you see is the dreaded zinc rot/zinc pest/zamac rot and there are other unprintable terms for it too!

I started dismantling the Lima Prairie tank that I talked about yesterday. It should have been a simple job to separate the chassis from the body. Just two screws and the two should part company.

Strangely enough the two would not part! I struggled for about 40 minutes before unscrewing the footplate to aid the release.

Once out I could see exactly why I was struggling on what should have been an easy, quick and simple job.

You may not notice it at first but have a look at the grey weight above the middle wheel.

That surface with the bulge is supposed to be flat and it is not!

In fact it is that bulged that it would not allow the chassis out from the body.

So how did they get the chassis into the body originally? Well at that time the surface was flat. What you see is the dreaded zinc rot/zinc pest/zamac rot and there are other unprintable terms for it too! I will let Google explain what this is: -

Diecast rot, also known as zinc pest or metal fatigue, is an irreversible, destructive corrosion process caused by impurities in zinc alloys used for casting. It causes models to swell, buckle, crack, and eventually crumble into pieces, often starting with paint bubbling. 

That all sounds fairly worrying and it can be and many expensive models in the past have been consigned to the bin because of this. But in this case I cannot see any such effect on the chassis at the moment so with the weight not being structural or in line of sight it can be dealt with relatively easily - famous last words!

Looking at the motor and its accumulated muck, that may not be an easy job to clean up!

Meanwhile, far from being cleaned, the Scammell tractor unit from the IBG kit is being made even more dirty with further weathering work.

I also glued in place the stowage cage on the chassis below the cab so that means there are just two door mirrors left to attach!

Ironic in that a UK Western loco ends up on a USA Mid-West layout!

The Pannier is now back together, which, as there are so few parts, didn't take too long. Some white grease on the bearings and some oil on the connector rods should ease the wear on the motor.

As the loco is not DCC it had to try its stuff out on my USA shunting layout - ironic in that a UK Western loco ends up on a USA Mid-West layout! Anyway, it runs and can run reasonably slowly although a crawl is beyond the 1970s motor. With the course wheel flanges it also struggles a bit going through points but other than that it is back to life and off life support! I did love the simplicity of the whole model, made to be played with, made to be easily maintained and made to be repairable! Just need to find some couplers!

The next loco on the bench from Mr. B is this Lima Prairie tank.

I'm on more familiar ground with this one being made by Lima and as it runs/stutters at least I know the motor works. I will start pulling this apart in the next few days.

In the meantime, back to the Scammell tractor unit which has had the start of some weathering on it commenced.

This will be a long process but it does make a big difference to the model.

All the parts could be brought together and suddenly it all seems worthwhile!

There comes a point when suddenly everything seems to come together and this is the case with my current kit build - the IBG 1.72 scale Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank.

With the wheels attached to the tractor and trailer all the parts could be brought together and suddenly it all seems worthwhile - even all that etched brass!

There are a couple of etched brass door mirrors to add and a chassis mounted cargo cage and it all needs weathering fully but it is just about there!

And so it comes together!

It has been a long a slow slog building the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit but it is coming together now.

Having fitted the cab base to the chassis the steering column and steering wheel could be added in place.

With that done the roof sections could be added bringing a finished lok to the cab but also hiding all that cab interior! 

Just a couple of parts and the wheels to add and that will see the tractor ready to be weathered.

Surprisingly, to me, with careful cutting to the lines the windows do actually fit!

 Before moving on with the cab of the tractor unit of the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit I used the opportunity to fit the 'glass' parts, These are actually clear plastic and the windows themselves are conveniently marked out on the supplied sheet.

Surprisingly, to me, with careful cutting to the lines the windows do actually fit the recess in the plastic window surround.

I used some gloss varnish to secure the parts. 

Once dry, I can get on with assembling the cab parts along with the steering wheel and its column.

Decal time!

It has reached the stage with the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit to add the decals. Not many but always wise to coat the areas where they are going with a coat of gloss varnish to minimise the chances of silvering which is where the carrier film takes on a matt whitish colour if applied to a matt surface.

Once applied a coat of decal Sol to soften them up and aid adhesion was added and then they have been left to dry. A coat of matt varnish will be applied and then the weathering can continue and final assembly can commence!

It looks like a small bar of gold but is actually worthless in monetary terms but so satisfying to have achieved!

I have been putting this off for sometime! The last (apart from two door mirrors which are a simple cut out job) of the etched parts on the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit. This required the use of the etch bender and required a flat brass piece to be bent with a curve and then two side parts attached. Nice!

Eventually I got the required bend.

And finally got the two side parts attached - it looks like a small bar of gold but is actually worthless in monetary terms but so satisfying to have achieved! It will go on the back of the cab - for what purpose I have no idea!

Having achieved that I went onto weather the tank hull again with dilute brown paint. It certainly brings out the detail.

I even mounted the trailer wheels to their axle beam! The tyres need some more weathering though!

More progress even if not much!

If only I had been that clever at such a young age things might have been so different!

It was a nice start to the day with sun streaming through the windows that need cleaning according to Mrs. Woody at WMD HQ this morning. Ideal bike riding weather! It was warm in the shelter but the wind was icy cold especially on a bike - I'm just glad, as are most of the local population, that I did not wear shorts! Anyway, being in the countryside means you get to see how animals deal with the cold and these lambs knew exactly what to do to stay warm. Up against a straw pile sheltering them from the westerly wind whilst being warmed by the morning easterly sun. 

If only I had been that clever at such a young age things might have been so different!

Back at the shelter of WMD I undertook the start of the growing season by preparing some seed trays for the recently purchased seeds that I blogged about on Thursday using the compost also purchased at that time. A bit of silver sand mixed in with the compost is supposed to assist seedlings so that was added! 16 trays done which will now warm in the greenhouse for a week before sowing said seeds and awaiting the growth of plants - or not if my luck goes as normal!

Despite being a busy boy as I informed Mrs. W I did find time to weather the other side of the tank tracks in the IBG Scammell Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit as well as the various tractor and trailer wheels. 

Slow progress but steps forward. If only I had been clever enough to take up a different hobby to model making things might have been so different like actually getting those windows cleaned!

Amazingly the parts all seem to fit as well - so far!

For a change of scene on this kit, I started working on bringing the tracks and wheels to life with the Crusader tank part of the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter kit. Firstly the tracks were given an overall brush paint of rust paint. It will require further weathering once dry but for now it is good!

Next, using my usual method of dilute brown paint I coated the outer surfaces of the wheels with it which certainly brings out the details. The picture below shows the brown paint still wet but once dry the effect becomes more subtle.

With both sets of tracks painted and the outer wheels washed in dilute brown paint, the next stage is to let it all dry before doing the inside surfaces!

In the meantime I temporally put the partially built cab on the chassis which looks good. Amazingly the parts all seem to fit as well - so far!