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Hasegawa 1/48 Jeep with Hauler PE set


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The reference photo for the LCM I'm building shows a Jeep being loaded. My original plan, when I first bought the LCM, was to included a Sherman in wading gear. Yeah, that didn't happen in Normandy. My research indicates that the Shermans coming ashore using either wading gear or duplex drive systems deployed from LCTs and LSTs; not LCMs. Fortunately, I had Hasegawa's 1/48 Jeep and the matching Hauler PE detail set, so I'm going to try and build this now that my LCMs is primed and awaiting Mr Color 5-N Navy Blue from Sprue Brothers.

 

I started this Friday night, at IPMSOC's build night. I managed to get the frame and drivetrain off the sprue, build the engine block, and remove the bumpers in preparation for replacement by parts from the Hauler set.

 

Here are the (after the fact) starting photos.

jeep-start4.jpg

 

 

jeep-start3.jpg

 

You can see at this point that the bumpers were replaced with PE from the Hauler set.  When I removed the rear bumper, I cut the outside frames right at the forward (inside) face of the bumper and the bottom of the center frame parts. Well, I should have included some of the bumper at the outside frame so I had a mounting surface for the C-shaped PE bumper. So, I added a little small rectangular Evergreen strip to the outside frames that now fit inside the PE bumper.

 

jeep-start2.jpg

 

Up front, Hauler replaces the bumper flanges as well as the bumper, so that was a little easier. I used 5 minute epoxy for this job,

jeep-start1.jpg

 

 

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I used loop forming pliers to form the PE Rear Bumperettes (per TM9-1803B) and then painted the chassis Mr Color C-38 Olive Drab(2). I used Mr Color C-302, FS34092 for the engine as that seemed a good match for photos.

jeep-chassis0.jpg

 

I'm now working on the body. Lots of removing plastic bits to replace with PE.

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  • 5 weeks later...

With the LCM3 done, I'm back to this. I've been working my way around the body, removing plastic, filling holes, and adding PE. I hollowed out the horn with a drill and a hand-held Dremel router bit.

jeep-body0.jpg

 

jeep-body1.jpg

 

And the dash is done. The original plastic part had blobs for the handbrake and switches. Hauler provides a brass replacement, but has you lay the handbrake handle atop the dash, with dimples for the switches. I drilled out the handbrake and switch pads with a #80 drill and used some 0.0115 wire. The handbrake was easy to do--place the wire and put the handle atop. The switches took some more thought. I tried cutting bits of wire for the switches, but they were impossible to hold at 0.03 total length. I then realized I could thread the wire through, leave the right amount protruding, about 0.02, and then cut off the back of the wire after I put a drop of CA on to bond the wire. This also let me dress the exposed part of the wire with a file so it was flat. In any event, here's the completed dash.

jeep-dash.jpg

I use wooden sticks with tape wrapped around--sticky side out--as a tool for holding small parts for painting...

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Hauler provides PE windshield frames along with plastic sheet to replace Hasegawa's IP windshield. To the best I can figure, Hauler wants you to overlay the 2 PE frames atop the Hasegawa frame. That would have looked quite thick, so instead, I decided to cut the inner frame out so only the Hauler bits would be used. A new #11 blade and repeated scoring removed the plastic, then more patient filing with 2- through 6-cut equaling files enabled the Hauler frame and plastic sheet to fit. A JLC  took care of the other to-be-replaced windshield paraphernalia.

jeep-windshield0.jpg

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