Isuzu Type 94 Trucks in 1/72 Scale

I thought these trucks would be a straight-forward conversion of the Hasegawa Type 97 fuel truck kit, just add an extra axel in the rear and a cargo bed.  It turned out just about everything was slightly different on the Type 94.  I wound up re-shaping the hoods and scratchbuilding the frames.  The fenders were vacuformed, and the wheels are resin copies of the Hasegawa kit’s.  The cargo beds were built from Evergreen.

Hasegawa Isuzu Type 97 Trucks in 1/72 Scale

In addition to the Hucks aircraft starter truck, Hasegawa released an Isuzu Type 97 truck in a fuel tanker configuration.  In all, I think there were twenty-one different versions of this truck in service.  I wanted to have a couple of the cargo versions, so I converted some with a standard bed in both hardtop and canvas cab versions.

IBG Scammell Pioneer Tank Transporter Build in 1/72 Scale Part I

This is the IBG Scammell Pioneer Tank Transporter with TRCU30 Trailer, part of a family of Scammell truck kits released in 2020. I purchased the kit as part of my on-going fascination with tank transporters, this will be the third one I’ve constructed recently. I am hoping to knock this one out fairly quickly while waiting for the big box of Arma Hayates to arrive from Hannants.

Tank transporters build up into large vehicles when finished, and this one will be no exception. There are lots and lots of parts, ten sprues altogether. The box contains two copies of the sprue on the bottom left, four copies of the sprue on bottom right in order to account for the fourteen wheels of the prototype. I found it odd that there are no spares, you’d figure one would be carried. Both the cab and the frame have to be built up from their respective components, no slide molded wizardry here.

The final two sprues. The parts are well molded and sharp, but there is a mold seam on most parts which will need the attentions of an Xacto knife. Mold attachment points are on the thick side but clean up well. On many kits the photoetch fret is used to enhance detail, or provide an alternative to molded pieces. Not here. In this case the PE parts are required to complete the model and many are part of the structure.

This is the cab interior. The seat supports are PE which makes them a bit flimsy. The only way to ever see them would be if the doors were cut out and posed open. The various shift and brake levers were provided as PE parts, I replaced them with 0.015” round stock because it’s easier to work with and the levers weren’t really flat.

This is the state of the construction after Step 20 (of 35). Many of the PE parts are brackets to hold various rollers and pulleys. One set defied my attempts at alignment and was replaced with plastic card. I have left off several pieces of PE from the engine as they will be invisible with the hood panels in place. If you wanted to leave off the side panels and wire the engine it would be impressive, otherwise it is wasted detail.

Here the tractor section is complete except for the roof pieces which I will leave off so I can paint the interior. The white cover behind the cab is provided as PE. That was not going to work for me so I fabricated a replacement from Evergreen sheet. There is a mold seam down the centerline of all the tires but that can be removed with a sanding block.

Part II here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2022/07/01/ibg-scammell-pioneer-tank-transporter-build-in-1-72-scale-part-ii/

Willys Jeep Walk Around Part 5

Photographs taken at the Tri-State Warbird Museum, Batavia, Ohio

Part 1 here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2019/09/15/jeep-walk-around-part-1/

Willys Jeep Walk Around Part 4

Photographs taken at the Tri-State Warbird Museum, Batavia, Ohio

Part 5 here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2022/05/08/willys-jeep-walk-around-part-5/

Dragon Krupp Protze Kfz.70 in 1/72 Scale

Dragon’s Protze is a nice little kit, and useful for many diorama applications.  This one wears the Brown over Panzer Gray camouflage seen in the first months of the war.

Dragon Krupp Protze Kfz.70 Build in 1/72 Scale

This is the Dragon Krupp Protze Kfz.70, kit #7377 first issued in 2011. It is a nice kit. I often manage to run into these on vendor tables for a good price at the shows and have build a few of them.

Dragon has opted to provide a detailed suspension, and there are several very delicate parts on the sprues. Careful parts removal and clean-up is rewarded. The main sprue is slightly longer than the box and is crammed in there, but this has never resulted in distorted parts on any which I have built.

For all the small parts the kit assembles well. This boxing also includes a 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun. This is a little odd as the gun was more usually associated with the Kfz.69 version of this chassis which incorporated ammunition storage (also kitted by Dragon), while the Kfz.70 is a version configured for passenger / cargo.

Here is the model after priming with Mr. Surfacer 1000 and a black base coat of Alclad primer.

The model was given a camouflage of Panzer Gray with Brown for the Polish Campaign. I managed to break off the indicators on the front fenders while painting so sharp-eyed viewers will have noticed they are replaced with insect pins in this photo.

I washed the recesses with black and then dirtied everything up. The canvas cover is made from masking tape. The softskin trucks are ubiquitous and can be displayed in a variety of scenes.

Airfix Standard Light Utility Vehicles in 1/72 Scale

These are Standard Light Utility Vehicles which are part of the Airfix WWII RAF Bomber Re-Supply Set.  One is included in each box, it is essentially a light truck and a quick build in 1/72 scale.  Many of the kit parts are molded on the clear sprue, but mine suffered from the dreaded Airfix flow lines so I cut the portions representing glass off and replaced the windshields with acetate.  There were also gaps at the sides where the cab joins the hood which I filled with Perfect Plastic Putty.  Other than that they build up nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airfix Bedford Trucks in 1/72 Scale

These are the Airfix Bedford trucks which are part of their WWII RAF Bomber Re-Supply Set.  You get one truck in each set but have the option of building it as either an MWC water tanker or an MWD light truck.  I purchased two sets so I built one of each version.  The kits are well engineered and go together without any surprises, the only down side is the clear parts had the dreaded Airfix flow lines and so the windshields were replaced with clear acetate.  I modified the water tanker by lowering the equipment boxes on the sides of the tank and replacing the walkways with P.E. from Brengun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bomber Re-Supply Set construction here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2020/03/20/airfix-wwii-raf-bomber-re-supply-set-build-in-1-72-scale/

Airfix WWII RAF Bomber Re-Supply Set in 1/72 Scale

Here are some finished pictures from the 2013 Airfix RAF Bomber Re-Supply Set – or more accurately a part of that set.  This is just a portion of what is in the box – the David Brown tractor and bomb carts.  Below are the tractors from two sets and a mix of bombs and fuel trailers.  There are many more accessories and bits of equipment included, along with two additional vehicles.