A-34 Comet Mk1 and Scammell transporter with 30 ton trailer.
Starting to turn.... Thank goodness it missed the petrol pumps!
Cables attached, from a recovery vehicle in the background
Don't ask me, I just got here ?
How did you manage that!? How can a transporter turn over? Too fast round a corner, perhaps?
Kit for the Comet purchased...
Good box art shows the lugs for lifting the hull and turret. Those on the hill are part of the kit parts, but I'll need to add those on the turret.
But the kit is simplified, so if I need them, I'll have to improvise.
Watch this space....
Spare turret and gun, for practice. Dremmel bit used to open up the muzzle brake.
First attempt, using copper wire. I need some shackles as well as lugs. I may try spare PE too.
I now have a good idea of how to make lifting eyes and shackles. This first attempt is 5/10 for the plate and 3/10 for the shackle. But I know what to change when I make a start on the real turret, etc.
I'll need to make at least six more, for the Comet's turret and deck.
A start on the kit, requires the storage bin to be opened up. Here, the floor and the back of the turret made to measure and installed.
So, saw cut the lid off and make a floor from spare sheet.
The loose fitted lid looks neat and tidy.
The floor, recessed into chamfers created around the three sides, fits flush.
Next, let's make these holes into something useful.
Plates for the lifting points coming along. Some more filing required. I've used plastic as the PE prototype was too thin.
Closing up the underside of the turret. It's not essential but is good practice for when it might be important.
Reasonably neat fit. I will infill the slit later.
Okay, so there's where some plastic card infill will be required. The fenders' edges have been thinned down to less than half the cast thickness.
The offending empty space... And fenders that needed to be thinned down
I'm thinking about try to open up the grills, so have started by scraping away the cast texture from one grill. If I can make a recess deep enough, I will fit some open mesh sheet.
Lifting plates made neater and fitted, plus the cupula hatch thinned, cut into halves, and fitted.
Progress on the wheels, with the hull sides painted first.
The kit's diorama base.
Two more lifting plates added, to the rear of the hull. Grey paint overall, then light grey, then white for high-lights.
Hopefully, this will show through the top coat colour.
Oils used for dusty hull sides, behind the wheels and under the fenders.
Dry fitted top to bottom.
Wheels and tracks to be painted next. Small extras also to be made and added, then the main gun, etc.
Today's progress.
Extra bracket to secure the towing cable.
It's coming together..
Scratch building two fire extinguishers, for the rear bin.
Extinguishers mounted, and the spot light.
Scratch built a spot light from copper wire and a spare piece of clear sprue, ideally shaped so just a hole needed to be drilled.
Wheels painted, and ready for the rubber tracks.
Tracks painted, so not much left to do.
Loose fitted the deck to the hull. Add ons painted.
I just need to find the correct adhesive, to stick down the nylon mesh for the exhaust grill.
It's the first time I've made little extras, based on period photos, and am pleased with the results so far. No doubt I'll re-visit some areas to make improvements, so all comments welcome! Driver's mirror and decals later....
Mesh added for the exhaust. I left the inlet grill just as the cast texture.
Fine wire for the headlamp guards . I need to find some slightly thicker wire, as these look too thin. I'll leave them for now.
Some dust overall, using Ammo MIG oils. I'll re-visit when fully dry. I decided against adding a driver's mirror.
Suggestions for improvements welcome!
Hasps added to the toolboxes, and a couple of extras added to fake some vision slits.
More weathering, hopefully an improvement...
All suggestions welcome🙂
Sprues for the Scammell transporter.
Some lumps need to be removed, flash tidied up, etc.
Cab started, with some fine detail to bring out, plus plastic to transform into canvas...
But first, the interior needs to be cleaned up, painted, fine details created, then assembled 🙂
I'll try to add pedals and hand-painted speedometer. The windows need glass too. The mould bumps need to be removed too.
I'll also try to add the gear lever, hand brake and a few levers. More work needed on the seats...
Loose fitted, to give an idea of where this is heading. Fitted the external tank lower, so it's pipes connect through a hole in the bonnet better.
Holes drilled to each side of the winch drum. I need to deal with the open joint.
Cable wrapped on the winch.
Developing the painting of details.
Still working on the seats, and a base for the gear lever.
Lumps sanded off the windscreen frame, and painting improved.
Clutch and brake pedals installed.
Accelerator pedal, hand brake, and a couple of winch control levers installed. A blob of CA gel used to create knobs on the ends of the levers. I'll gloss black them later.
Excess plastic removed from the step, so it looks more realistic now.
A little fading and wear added to the edges of the seats. The gear lever installed too.
The mesh frame has been filed thinner, so a little less chunky, and the ends of the box thinned too.
Driver installed on a blob of white glue.
Meanwhile.....filling circular recesses has to be done on the ramp components.
Ready for assembly
These all need to dry thoroughly before I can think about the next steps. The seam on the fuel tank will be filled and sanded next.
Front windscreen added.
And the two side windows too.
Cab joined to the engine compartment, and the steering column and wheel squeezed in.
The gear lever has been painted dark grey, so it is slightly more visible.
Definitely coming together at last 🙂
Loosely fitted roof need to be painted and installed, together with the rear canvas curtains
Enough for one day 😉
The first few pieces have now been assembled
The next few parts require as much care.
The wheels are intended to freely rotate on the axles.
Front wheels.
Rear wheels.
The front suspension pivots but the pin to the front was off centre and too large. Sawed it off and added a replacement
And now the chassis and front suspension can be installed.
Time to think about painting parts that will be awkward if installed first.
Various parts being added to the chassis.
A tiny hole drilled to allow a cable to be fed between the sheaves.
Cabin roof suitably weathered.
Storage bin added. I'll make a step for the rear door.
Fuel tank added. I'll make a step for the rear door, but the step on the tank looks neat.
A mock up to see where it is heading. The wheels for the trailer still to be done (two halves to be matched and cleaned up, then painted).
Wheels loosely positioned, but wheel arches added and underside primed.
Almost looks like it could be converted to a hot rod!
Trailer ramps and various small parts added, then primed. Wheels are just loose at the moment.
The holes in some of the hubs are off-centre, so need painting of the hubs progressed.
Rear wheels and hubs.
Front wheels and short axles.
Painting continues....
Trailer painting started.
Picking out details started.
Rear rollers and sheaves picked out. Leaf springs too.
A dark wash here and there ...
Wheels added. Every axle shortened slightly, so the hubs fit closer to the wheels.
Step for rear door added. Yes, the steering wheel needs to be reinstalled. Going to be tricky....
Fuel filler made, and step added.
Timber deck painted.
Ready for first customer.
Comet hitching a lift. Oh, and wheel nuts painted too.
Just for size comparison.
Decals applied, sealed and some light weathering to the wheels, etc.
I'll revisit the wooden tool box, to make it darker and more brown. That seam on the wheel needs to be seen to, too....
My clumsy fingers snapped off the left indicator, and I'll have to ask the carpet monster for it back.....
The right indicator is intact and painted.
Comments
45 27 May 2023, 09:19
Bruce HuxtableWelcome, John. Many thanks for your 'likes', everyone. I'm going to try to add more small extras, based on the photos. Two fire extinguishers on the outside of the storage bin, driver's wing mirror, spot lights.... Let's see how this goes 🙂
13 August 2023, 19:22
Bruce HuxtableSome more progress..... thinking about undercoat, pre-shading, highlights , etc.
14 August 2023, 19:03
Bruce HuxtableLots added, and tracks installed, so the deck now fitted to the hull too. Decals added, so more piccies soon. I'd like to try to make the driver's mirror, and cages for the front lights.... Oh, and weathering....and make some shackles too......Still to find a recovery vehicle, so plenty still to do.
19 August 2023, 20:16
Bruce HuxtableIndeed, Ben. A recovery vehicle will be the minimum, but it would be good to have a few figures too.
20 August 2023, 20:05
Bruce HuxtableWelcome, James I've ordered a Scammell tank transporter, so the next phase will start soon..... I still have no idea how they spilled a tank off and managed to flip the trailer too!
4 September 2023, 10:11
Bruce HuxtableMany thanks, Walton. My motivation comes from the old family photos 🙂
8 September 2023, 06:58
Ahmet Eren İspirThis kit was one of my first AFVs and seeing how much you improved it by adding these details is impressive and it gives me a nostalgic feeling. Great build so far
8 September 2023, 09:36
Bruce HuxtableMany thanks for your encouraging comments, Ahmet. I need to make some small shackle for cables too, so let's see how things progress. I too have re-made a few kits that I made many, many years ago, and enjoyed them all over again (hopefully a little better this time around!).
8 September 2023, 12:07
Bruce HuxtableI have now started the Airfix Scammell transporter. Lot's of flash on some of the sprues, which is expected. A few circular recesses to fill, but also several raised circular lumps to neatly remove.... The over-simplified cab needs a few levers and door handles. I'll upload piccies as things progress, but I need to do some research first.....
10 September 2023, 21:51
Bruce HuxtableLots of filling and sanding to be done, before anything more can be glued....
14 September 2023, 12:32
Bruce HuxtableWelcome, Ralf. I need to prepare lots of parts today, before any further assembly, plus scratch building of driver.'s controls (fingers crossed...)
16 September 2023, 09:10
Ralf TopetersYou just hit my area of interest and your build looks very resourceful!
16 September 2023, 09:16
Bruce HuxtableWelcome, Marc. Many thanks for your 'likes', everyone. I hope you like the driver's controls, Ralf. No PE anywhere 😉
16 September 2023, 14:24
Bruce HuxtableI'm looking forward to preparing the trailer's wheels, and lots of detail painting on the whole rig.
21 September 2023, 12:55
Bruce HuxtableWelcome, Petr. Not too much assembly to finish, then comes painting...
21 September 2023, 17:13
Bruce HuxtableMany thanks, Guy. Slowly but surely, I think things are heading in the right direction.....
21 September 2023, 20:53
Bruce HuxtableIt would be tempting to obtain another of these, just to try some modifications, Walton 😉 It's crying out for a tall, shiny exhaust stack too! And then there's the paint job.....
21 September 2023, 20:55
Bruce HuxtableMany thanks for your 'likes', everyone. It's starting to look as intended, so only a few last things to do.
24 September 2023, 15:02
Bruce HuxtableI'll have to make a suitable base, Ben. But not sure about having no figures.... suggestions?
22 October 2023, 19:55
Ben MOh yes… and the airfix 1/76 infantry wouldn't fit well here. Maybe something could be 3d printed…
23 October 2023, 11:30
Bruce HuxtableMany thanks, Jennifer. it was very enjojable trying to make the best of these old kits, and make some improvements too 🙂
26 January, 15:24
Album info
Photos of an accident in Italy, during WW2. Somehow, a Comet tank fell off a transporter.... I think the trailer in the photos is a 40 ton trailer.
