I am slow continuing to add to my WW1 Palestine campaign armies with the addition of some more Turkish units and a machine gun. My intention with adding units is to give myself the option to expand the forces involved on the tabletop to 8 units rather than just the 6 unit One-Hour Wargaming style games.
In addition to units I want to represent a few trucks on the tabletop regardless of whether the rules require them. They can be there just as scenery. This is because supplies were a major feature of the Palestine campaign with the inhospitable terrain.
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| A scratch built truck makes an appearance on the tabletop. |
The trucks are made from wood and cardboard. They are not trying to represent a particular type of truck and are very generic. Here is a brief overview of the steps involved...
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| The basic shape is cut out used. My schoolboy woodworking skills are proving to be useful again some 50 years later. |
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| A piece of MDF is used for the cabin area. |
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| Balsa wood is used for the front arches. I first cut out the shape in card, glue the card to the balsa wood and trim/sand to shape. Card is also used for the rear arches and tray area. |
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| Surplus figures are trimmed and added to the cabin area. The wheels are made from thicker card and stuck on. |
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| A number of trucks at different stages in the process. Green stuff is used for the head light and can be seen on the unfinished truck with wheels. The prototype gets a couple of coats of PVA before painting. |
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| With most of my scratch build models I rely on roughly painting on areas of detail. |
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| Another view of the finished truck. These photos are probably a tad to close, but they show the detail painted on which looks fine for me when wargaming. |
A couple of Turkish units completed this week. They are Strelet's figures in tropical uniform, a change from HAT Industrie figures I have previously used.
They look great even close up - they have a lovely vintage tinplate toy look. The gloss finish and painted on detail enhance this and the black really creates an impression of depth in the cab and flatbed.
ReplyDeleteIt did make me wonder whether headlights could be made from round headed ‘push pins’ with the top filed flat? Probably depends on where the pin ends within the head… just a thought.
The pin idea could be very useful. I will have to give the idea a go with the last two trucks.
DeleteExcellent scratchbuilding skills 🙂👍🏼👍🏼. Really look the part.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It helps keeps the cost of the project (hobby) down.
DeleteThe trucks are excellent! Very impressive.
ReplyDeleteI always seem to get a lot of enjoyment with scratch building. Thanks.
DeleteVery effective Peter. What makes you decide to scratchbuild something over buying a pre made version? Is it just the joy of making?
ReplyDeleteThere are a combination of reasons. With this project it was partly due to: 1) only having a few models to scratch build, 2) the availability of models, and 3) it is fun and takes me back to my youth when I had little money for wargaming and had to improvise.
DeleteAmazing trucks! Hats off.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am looking froward to getting the remaining three painted and on to the tabletop.
DeleteA nice bit of scratch-building.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I have plans for a couple of staff cars next.
DeleteLovely scratch building as always there Peter:).
ReplyDeleteThanks, two more to complete before attempting some staff cars.
DeleteImpressive little models there! Looks like a lot of fun to make.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, they are fun to make.
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