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1/35 Scale 'Flying Control' Dodge WC51


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My current model is another vehicle, following on from my 'Follow Me' Jeep. Once they are done, there's a chance I could put them into a diorama along the lines of our fullsize 1940's Flying Control display.

 

Here's the subject vehicle, the Dodge WC51 Weapons Carrier after I bought it and did some modifications.

 

elv1.jpg

 

The model however, was based on the vehicle when owned by a friend before me. We'd started working on converting it to a flying control vehicle in 2008. The sides of the rear body folded down to aid visibility for the driver when on the move, and the rear doors were on quick release hinges. We got the body work completed, but that's as far as it got before changing ownership to me.

 

Here's how the truck looked at the time and this is what the model was based on.

 

neam3.jpg

 

 

The model was started in the Autumn last year, but progress has been slow due to life getting in the way. The fact that I build models for a living also sometimes causes delays. Some days I don't want to sit and build at home after 8 hours of modelmaking at work. The work there is large scale radio controlled models, so most of the work is with wood, resins, and GRP moulding, with only the odd cockpit details being plastic bashing.

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The chassis was the first stage of the build, and the first parts to be added were the rear bumperettes. The mouldings were fairly thick compared to the real thing, so they were thinned to give a better appearance. The front bumper was attached to the short version of the chassis legs, to model the WC51. The WC52 had lengthened chassis legs to accomodate the front mounted winch drum. Also attached in this picture is the springs, axles and transmission.

 

dodge01.jpg

 

 

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The lower part of the rear body was built as per kit to start with, although it was going to need modifying. On the real Dodge, the left and right sides are different lengths. The right side extends further forwards than the canvas roof, and a Jerrycan holder is located there. The left side is shorter, the same length as the roof canvas, to give space for the spare wheel. Even with this shorter side, with the spare wheel in place, it is still virtually impossible to get out of the drivers seat and climb out past the wheel.

 

Here's the unmodified, but complete lower body.

 

dodge02.jpg

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The front body was built straight from the kit. The only modifications that would be needed were trimming/extending the sides next to the seats to match the rear body mods.

 

dodge03.jpg

 

The rear canvas roof was no use, as the truck has had a 'Field Mod' wooden body added over the original canvas supports. The beginnings of the front and rear upper body, plus rear doors are shown here made from 0.5mm styrene sheet and microstrip.

 

dodge04.jpg

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Part of the canvas roof moulding will be used. On the real Dodge, the canvas over the cab is a separate piece to the rear canvas. The cab section was kept on the truck after the new wooden body was fitted. On the model, the forward section of this moulding, will be trimmed off and used.

 

dodge03a.jpg.bb4684ab5d46c7cdf0d027d3b91e83a0.jpg

 

Here's the front bodywork attached to the chassis.

 

dodge05.jpg

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Here's the modifications made to the rear lower body. The right side had a 2mm styrene sheet added, onto which a small strip was added to simulate the slight lip. The upper part of the body also needed a small piece of styrene adding to extend it. The left side had around 5mm cut off, before adding a styrene facing piece which was has two scored grooves to represent two pressed stiffeners.

 

dodge06.jpg

 

Front and rear body are trial fitted and trimmed to fit around each other. You can see that the body on the right side comes to about half way along the seat while the left side ends flush with the seat back.

 

dodge07.jpg

 

dodge08.jpg

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By the end of Sunday evening, the front and rear body of the truck were attached to the chassis, and the steps were attached. They both needed the edges slightly rounding off. Stiffeners were also added to the bottom edges. The rear bench seat backrests are also now fitted to support the back panel of the body.

 

dodge09.jpg

 

Last thing done yesterday was to add the 'ply' sides which are glued to the backrests. These were painted internally before gluing.

 

dodge10.jpg

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Here's last nights progress. The front part of the rear body was trimmed to the correct height and glued in place.

 

dodge11.jpg

 

While that was drying, I started on the roof. This is the outside of the roof, with the hole and raised support for the astro-dome. The dome on the real truck actually comes from an Avro Anson.

 

dodge12.jpg

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The inside of the roof had the support structure added, and was then given a light coat of paint. The ply used on the truck was a fairly pale colour, shuttering type ply.

 

dodge13.jpg

 

When the paint was dry, the roof panel was glued on. The curved roof sections will possibly be next, while the opening parts of the sides will probably be left until last.

 

dodge14.jpg

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Tonights progress was slow, but all steps along the way. The centre roof support was shaped at its curved top end, and added to each side of the truck. While they were drying, I moved on to the canvas cab roof.

 

dodge15.jpg

 

dodge16.jpg

 

As previously shown, the forward part of the canvas was going to be used. The area was cut free with a hacksaw blade, and then slowly trimmed down to the moulded curved edge of the canvas.

 

dodge17.jpg

 

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Once shaped, the edges of the canvas piece were thinned down to create a more realistic edge thickness.

 

dodge18.jpg

 

The canvas trimming took quite a bit of time, but eventually I was able to move back to the truck roof, focussing on to the curved parts of the roof. Like the fullsize, these were made from slightly over thick strips of material, with chamfered edges, On the model, they are about 1.2mm wide, cut with a scalpel as I didn't have any suitable microstrip. The pieces were butt jointed around the curve and filler applied over to fill any remaining gaps. The whole lot was then left to harden over night so they can be sanded tomorrow.

 

dodge19.jpg

 

dodge20.jpg

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On my Jeep, the checkers were marked out in pencil, and painted in by hand. I'll possibly do the same here. The fullsize is quite roughly done ( as it would have been wartime ), so crisp masking probably isn't the best way. I know that scaled down, the rough checkers on the fullsize should look quite neat, but I quite like the not quite perfect look on my Jeep model. We'll see when the time comes!

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On my Jeep, the checkers were marked out in pencil, and painted in by hand. I'll possibly do the same here. The fullsize is quite roughly done ( as it would have been wartime ), so crisp masking probably isn't the best way. I know that scaled down, the rough checkers on the fullsize should look quite neat, but I quite like the not quite perfect look on my Jeep model. We'll see when the time comes!

Can't wait to see how you handle it. I have a 1/35 Jeep sitting around somewhere. Not sure if it is a Mutt tho. Think its a Tamiya.

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A bit more done tonight. The roof was sanded down which took quite a while. I didn't want to over do it and go through the 0.5mm roof.

 

dodge21.jpg

 

Inside of the rear body and cab were painted olive drab. It was a little difficult painting the olive roof supports with the brush poking through the various holes, but it had to wait for the roof to be on before they could be done. Theres a few touch ups to do, but overall, it went ok. The bottom of the rear body and radiator were painted, and the handles of the shovel, axe and pick were done too, ready for them to be glued into the tool rack. This won't go on until the checkers are painted.

 

dodge22.jpg

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I spent most of this evening carving, sanding and filing some small pieces of styrene which form the aerial mounts on the back of the truck, plus making the aerial base. The tools for the back of the truck had their painting finished, a spotlight for the roof was started and the wheels glued together and hubs painted, and a plate made and fitted for the rear registration.

 

dodge23.jpg

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Got a bit more done this afternoon, after getting back from photographing the local Vulcan sitting on its tail due to the weight of snow.

 

vulcan19.jpg

 

I finished off a spotlight that was started last night, and also made a small aerial mount that fits on the roof.

 

dodge24.jpg

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The cab roof canvas was trimmed to fit around the astrodome mount. The missing piece of canvas will have to be made up from filler where it fits over the mount.

 

dodge25.jpg

 

The roof canvas is actually a little bit long, so about 1/16 inch was trimmed off the front edge. The extra length can be seen in the following picture. Where the screen arms clipped into the body resulted in the screen tipped back slightly until the bottom edge touched the body. The screen should actually be vertical, not raked back, so the lugs that fit into the holes in the body were trimmed off to allow the screen to sit correctly.

 

dodge26.jpg

 

The screen arms were also too wide, so some styrene was glued to the inside edge which will be trimmed later once dry.

 

dodge27.jpg

 

All the tyres were painted today, along with the seat cushions, and the tools glued into the tool rack.

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