RichO

This just lovely. Always great to see a good scratching!

Hey, So I have finished with the back bumper and I have made a change in my build procedure. I will not build the hoisting crane next. The hoisting crane for the missile is located on the outer rim of the frame. All the launch equipment is centered. I need to work from the center out, not backwards. The build for the back bumper also contains items for the launch system. The main launch frame rests on top of the bumper assembly. Items for the back bumper......... Once I had all this put together, it was paint time. A few more items need to be installed with the launch system, to be built before the hoist crane. I'll be back with the start of the launch platform which all rests on the top of the big curved "I" beam. I get to dirty this up quite a bit to blend in with the rest of the metal, this all gets ugly with rest of the build at the end. I'm off the start the Launch System build. Part Two of the Frog Prince story. Thanks!.........

Hey Guys, A quick posting for now. I have come to the point of moving on from the cab. I still have a ton of items to be placed on the exterior of the cab, but I do not want to loose or break off all the items that hang off the cab. As you can see, a ton of things to add. Antennas, spot lights, mirrors, grab handles........a list of items that are very fragile to build and keep in good order, all the way to the display cabinet. So what I'm going to do, is just move to the rear bumper, and save all the delicate items for the final rendering. Including, fitting the doors and grates and straps and.........what ever else, when I come back to this. I'm creeping up on the end of the build for the Zill carrier. I have the rear bumper and then just the missile crane to build, and the truck will be finished. The launch system is a nightmare I'll deal with afterwards tho. Ill be back with the bumper madness next time. Thanks All.............

You guys are great with the enthusiastic comments! Hey All, Work with the cab continues. I have done most of the putty work and added most of the out side details. I still have a load of items to add to the cab, but, light at the end of the tunnel. I thought about leaving the putty work in the corners as is, just because when fiberglass gets bashed, you have to fill it with bondo putty to repair. I also started to add the exterior details. You can see that I still have a lot to do with this. Mirrors, grab handles, door handles........ Still a ways to go before all is finished. All the littles details are quite tedious to work on, so, Back Bumper time. The back bumper was partially started before the move and storage. I haven't seen this for a while, so I have to think on where I left off on this build. You can see tho, the Blast Brace extended...... The Blast Brace retracted. I'll do a good once over on this back bumper, get caught up on what's left to do with this, and get it painted and installed. Also sally forth on the cab details. Thanks All for dropping by.

I get very frustrated when my space is a mess. Hard to find things and build smoothly. This is a bout as messy as it gets.

Hey Guys, Not to much progress this posting, however this was a big step! I got the nose of the cab built and finally installed. I still have a bit of work to smooth things out, but, installed and in place. I have a bit of puttying to do, and sanding, with details for the nose to add, but the cab skin is on. YA! This is where the build is as of tonight. The single hardest part of the build is behind me. I'll report back with whatever is next. Thanks for looking.

Hey guys, Hubert, The living Russian truck, has a frame and drivetrain made from heavy metal, and the skin is fiberglass. I am attempting to replicate this by making the frame and drivetrain from heavy styrene, and I'm making the skin out of paper, to replicate the fiberglass. I cut the paper to shape and then superglue the paper into it's final configuration. ( Superglue turns the paper to cement.) Once that is done, I can sand, primer, paint.........whatever. The paper is indestructible.

Hey All, Spring has sprung and modeling has slowed somewhat. I've been busy working on a Dio and doing yard work. I have managed to skin the top and back of the cab. I started with an easy piece to get into shape. Once I had this portion bent into place it was off to the paint shop. A little more sanding ...... Nice clean paint..... This lives here.... The color's coming around... I'll be back with more skin next time. Thanks All.

Hey Altogether, I spent most of this week cutting out the craziest shapes, and getting stressed about fitting these into place. I bounced around a bit with the skin. I also worked on the doors. The crazy shapes to work with........ The doors are doors and not so hard to build. I made the leather stow bags from brown paper grocery bag soaked in water and PVA glue. I used the rod to hold the shape... Then I would go back to work on the cab skin and get thing bent into shape, sort of.... I test fit as I go but I think I got things a bit tight. More struggles ensuing. Then I would go back to the doors......... Making the little latches was about the hardest thing to build for the doors..... And these live here...... So that's about it for this week. I'll cut the windows and detail the outside of the doors and continue to wrap the skin. I might have something in place next time. Thanks All.......

You guys are just great with the comments. I'm glad everyone is following along. Hey Guys, This week was installing the cab into the cab frame. The actual install was just slipping this into place, but getting everything to squeeze into the cab when putting the roof on was quite a tight fit. The build for the roof was very simple, and only the interior lamp and the sun visors needed to be built. All I did for the sun visors was a bit of card, wrapped with .05mm styrene rod. This is turned over and secured into place. Once the fit was tight I sealed this up with the remaining cab skeleton top, so the roof is sealed inside permanent. It is such a tight fit in the cab that photos, are what they are. All tightened up and ready for some skin. And it all lives about right here. The skinning of the cab looks to be a ridiculous sort of affair. Wrapping around the cab, much like around the radiator vents. Just crazier. That's it for this week. I had an art commission so not much done. This week ahead, I will find out if this all is a really bad idea with the skin wrap. More photos to come. Thanks All.....

Hey All, This has been a fun and creative week of just making stuff up as I worked. I had references for most of the cabin control boxes but I sort of just made what looked good, but still resemble the real deal. I started the cabin build with the floor. I use the standard Evergreen Siding sheet to form the floor mats. Once I had these shaped, I started with the control boxes. I had to build so many, that I just set each apart like little individual mini kits... The control boxes are just that, boxes. lots of small styrene boxes. I cut separate faces for some boxes and added items to others. I was making things up as I was building. I also had to build and install the other components of the cab. The seats, floor peddles, steering wheel......... This is the first control box I secured into place. Then I became busy and built these items, over the next days, and did not take any photos, so you get extra ones now. All these control boxes and other items are to fit onto this window frame. Are you kidding me!!!! Well, who knows what will happen next. All these things actually fit into the cab! Along with the other items......... Something to sit on.......... Just more stuff......... All the items are now secured to the cab interior and everything is ready to slip into the cab skeleton. Once I get this installed securely it will be time to start skinning the cab. More fun and games next posting. Thanks everyone for watching!!!!

Thanks as always, for checking in you guys...., Hey All....... This week was a bit slower for working on this project. I had a wild impulse about building a kit OOB just to do something a bit different. But I did manage to get the cab interior built, and start on the cab details. One of the things I had to do was to perform a bit of surgery. I had secured the cab skeleton, ready for interior/exterior, last posting, but upon trying to get the cab interior into place, I had a really bad binding problem and could not gain access to the cab. I had to, with scalpel in hand, remove the back bit of the cab skeleton to get the cab interior to seat into the cab skeleton properly. Once I got it to seat, it was a breeze. Once I removed the back and things opened up, I could start fitting the cab interior. The cab interior was built from 0.04mm sheet, and is a bit on the flimsy side. Just strips together, with a door cut for the sides. The window frame in this shot is from the skeleton, just getting the fittings to match. I couldn't find the photo before painting, but I colored the interior a Russian military green. Now I get to wear it all off. It slips into the skeleton like this......... I think I have thing just right. I'll secure the interior to the skeleton and start with the interior details......... I have so many items to cram in here that I'll be busy for a while just building the boxes for the dash board. I'll be back with all sorts of items, that I have no idea what they are. Thanks All.........

Thanks for the comments guys. Hey Altogether, A small posting this week. I knew that this week would be a slow build. The skeleton of the cab had to support the skin, so there were so many parts to get things right. Some of the parts.......and nuts. This part is the floor of the cab. Once I got most of the parts cut and cleaned, it was time to assemble. You can see the back of the cab with the dash board skeleton and part of the door frame. I should have taken more photos, but every once in a while I get into a zen mode and just work. The cab to date...I still have a ways to go to get everything ready for the skin. I'll finish what's remaining to build for the skeleton and prep everything for the skin. I'm thinking ahead a bit and need to come up with a scheme to build the interior of the cab while I can still get to it. More later, next posting.......Thanks All. P.S. Gus, I have a hard wood floor that I diligently sweep before I start a build session. Just a flashlight to find things by the shadow.

Hey Guys, It's been a busy week. I have the cage dropped into place with the final connections to the engine, fitted and installed, with some extras. I checked what's coming next with the build and I did find a bit not right with the front fenders, but this is not an emergency at the moment. I'll reposition these when the cab frame is placed. Also the elevated platform is finished and installed. I built the Air Filters with a portion of a wood dowel cut to size and shaped, with styrene details. The Air Filter compartment has a dust liner to help the filter. Getting the cage into place was a pain, but I managed to get it to seat. Once the cage dropped into place I made the final connections to the engines. This was adding Air Ducts and Water Pipes. I knew when I started this WIP it was not going to be a new example of this beast that I was building, but a well used vehicle. I need to keep this in mind when things don't go just right and maybe it will add to the used look of the machine. The port side Mud Fenders don't match the curve of the cage. I have an idea of removing the fender to reposition it, or work with what I have and live with it. I'll let you know. Next came the Elevated Walking Grates. These platforms welded together are very simple to make, so I only took one photo under construction. These are all the same build technique. 1.5mm Angle styrene frames with 1 x 0.5mm stringers. I had so many to cut and string into place that I was going nuts. This is what took all week. It lives here. Like several places now, I need to add more grime, and also get some walking ware on the stringers. I have all my major sub assemblies now in place. I'll tweek things as I build, but I can set this aside for a bit while I start the Cab build. The amount of parts to cut and prep, just to get the Cab Frame into shape, will take most of the week. I'll be back with some strange shapes and the start of the Cab build. Thanks All for watching!

Hey Guys, The build continues at a steady pace and things are getting done. I have finished painting and installing the Mud Fenders, and also finished with the Launch Supports. The Launch Supports are installed, but only half of the full support. Fresh back from the paint dept. I only installed this part for now. The full support is a bit fiddly and I don't want to break anything off, so I will leave it at this point until quite some time later. I have placed the parts close, but will wait to finish the lower leg and Support Pad. These will get in the way and stick out to far, just so they get knocked off. Bolted into place......... After all that, it was time to place the fenders. Fresh fenders from the paint dept....... I caught myself just about to do something really dumb. I had a wet paintbrush loaded with paint and was going to rust out the new fender paint job when I realized the fender are made from fiberglass, no rust. I have installed all but the front fenders. I checked for more items to get in the way of installing the cage. I think I found something else, so for now the front fenders are just placed. I'm not quite happy with the shape of the fenders, so I will add a strong bead around the outside edge of the fenders to help hold the shape better. It's in the gap between the center fenders that the next part of the build will be placed. The Raised Platform Grates. I'm finishing up the outside details of the cage and will install this weekend. I'll check up on the details about the front fenders, and then get all this really dirty, but not rusted. I will have started with the Platforms by the next posting. Thanks All for following along.........

You guys are great with the comments, Thanks!....... Hey All, Building the mud fenders was easy enough, just very slow work. However I do have six new mud fenders. Also some work done on the outriggers for the launch system. The fenders were just simple geometry and bent to a round.... To replicate the fiberglass body panels of the original, I have decided to use a heavy card stock. My thinking is the original frame and components are metal, so I made these from styrene. The body of the vehicle is lightweight fiberglass, so I chose lightweight card stock. Once I got the parts cut I just bent them and glued into place....... I have a certain amount of clean up to do, but the fenders are done. I'll send these to the Paint Dept. and in the meantime I'll work more on the outriggers. Parts...... I still have a bit of building for the outriggers so the photo might not make any sense. These parts bolt to the frame So sort of a wacky report today. Just to let all know the work continues. Thanks all.......

Hey All, I've had a fun time of it lately. I got side tracked, again, because I found one more dang thing to install before the cage can go on. It just never ends. The state of the cage today is this. I have finished the installing of the outer skin and after primer and sanding, finished the paint for this small part of the body work. I left the finish somewhat rough and abused, and a banged up body, only to get worse later on. I still have small details to add. A frame around the fan screens, fill the hatch panels, and fill caps, and......... Then I discovered that there is still more items to install before the cage is dropped. The photo shows what's in the way next, before I can do the final install of the cage. I hope. You can see above how the finished cage sit on top of the forward and mid Mud Fenders. The cage clearly covers more than half of the fenders width. These will have to built and installed before the cage can be dropped into place. I should also install the "Launch Supports" while I can easily get to the space. The Launch Supports are the large round pad in the center of the photo. These lower for ground support and brace the frame during missile launch. I still have a ways to go before I can lower the cage into place and I have been at work on this part of the build for a bit, so I wanted to take a break and finish with the tires and wheels. Sharp eyed people will notice in the background that I have been working on the wheels for some time now, just a little at a time. I finally got to the point where, if I gave it a push, I could finish the wheels and tires. So to get away from the cage for a while.... All kinds of wheel parts....... I cut the rings by hand and mount each on top of the other to build up the sides of the wheels. After adding all the little bits, the wheels finally look like wheels. Then, with all the usual procedures for finished parts, and mounted to dirty tires...(witch means I didn't take as many photos as I should have). BIG DAY! I finally have my boy standing on his own eight feet. So now that the fun and games is over with the tires and wheels, it's back to the cage install with the building of the Mud Fenders. I'll be back later all, thanks.....

Hey Guys, The access doors build went fine but only after a bit of a time to figure the hinges. If you remember that I said I usually build a bit bigger scale, so I can see what I'm doing. I tried to build my hinges like I do for a larger scale, just smaller. A couple pieces of brass wire and a small tube. This works great on larger scales but I had a binding problem and also the hinge took up to much room inside the space... Scratch builders.......I found my wife's "Marbled Chocolate Brioche" tin in the trash. Great for thin metal to build proper hinges... I got all four access panels to open and close.... I have a bit of cleaning to do and then paint the side skins. I think I have everything for the final install of the cage around the engines. We'll see....again. Thanks all.

Thanks all for dropping by......... Hey All, Did ya ever build something, "over here" and forgot to consider what's "over there"? I don't do this very often but I totally spaced out about what I was doing on the inside of the "cage" build and forgot to check the flow through to the outside. I did this just fine with the radiator build. I punched a whole through for the fans and added the screens. It all looks good. I just didn't think at the time to do the same thing for the Air Filters. Lets see where things went sideways......... I first had to build the air filters and the air flow tubes. My mother-in-law worked as Lead Nurse at the local hospital, and one day she brought me a big bag of medical hoses form work. All different sizes and all soft enough to cut clean. I used some hose to cut out the air filters......... These air filters and flow tubes live on the side walls between the fans and the firewall. I have just placed these into close location, along with the Water Tubes from the Radiator. It was at this point that it all hit me......I did not cut the flow through for the air filters! Here you can see just what I have not done. You can see the Air Filter canister I have finished mounted into its location. I just forgot, in all the excitement, to make the pass through to the outside skin. I have marked where the outside access hatches are to be located. This photo shows the outside filter access doors I forgot to cut. Two access doors, both sides on each side of the Radiator Screens. One with louvers cut and one with water run off channel. This photo shows the doors and filters to be added.... The open filter hatch will have to be hinged and the filter made. I really hate working like this. I now have to go back and cut the hatches open... 'll let everyone know how this work out. Until later All............

great scratchin' here!

Thanks All for Watching.... The cage build continues, and I cant believe how much stuff there is to build, to get the engines wrapped. I have finished with the Radiators build. When everything was finished, these were a good size to fit into this space... I had built the fire wall earlier, just to see how things would match together.... I also stiffened this part with a back wall that separates the Engine Compartment, from the Fuel Tanks, from the Cab. The space directly behind this firewall is the space for the fuel tanks. I have good references for the fuel tank system, however the fuel tanks are so wedged and buried between the Engine Compartment and the Passenger Compartment that the only visible evidence that they exist are the fill necks on top. I built only a "place holder" for the fuel tanks just to help support the details on the top side. I cleaned these up a bit and fit them into place. Once I had the three tanks fit and tight, it was off to the details... And next here you can see, Ladies and Gentlemen, the first "External Skin" part applied to the bones...all hiding the Fuel Tanks, primered and ready for painting. This is why I didn't go to far with the fuel tanks detailing. The next thing to do was to apply all these little parts to the 3rd wall of the cage. All forward on the Firewall and Fuel Tanks. After all the parts were installed, it was time to get dirty........ These are the four "walls" of the Engine Surround so far. I can build the cage and install these three walls before I build the Top. The three walls fit like this... And with the top part of the cage, close to where it is to be placed... You can see I have just set these parts close to there install positions... My photo references show a bit more detail to cram into this space. I need to get the cage secured and square onto the frame before I can finish the connections between the engines and the radiators. I'm not totally sure how to proceed, if I should fit the skin before I finish the cage or try to get it all to fit in separate parts onto a finished fragile cage. I'll let ya know what happens. Until next time.

Hey Guys, I had a few thing to get out of the way before I do more work on the Radiator Cage. I had to place the cooling fans into the surrounding cage. With all the items that are crammed into the cage, things aren't looking so good. I just don't see how all this fits in there. So to get on with the cooling fans, it always starts with a load of parts....... This part of the build starts out with building the Generators and mounts with a couple of fuse ports and wiring. I keep an eye open for junk to use for scratching. I collected these off the ground at my local car tire repair spot. These are the air stems for putting air into your tires... I needed some heat ports for the generators and these worked out great after I removed a few things. I used some brass screen for the cold intake end, and not a bad looking generator. The generators and fuse terminals all mount to the fan side of the cage. Everything back from the Pain Dept. and ready for detail....... The next thing was to wire it all together........ Generator and Fuse packages installed and wired. The next thing to build are the fans. Checking the Fan Shroud for fit... Then finishing the shrouds and checking the fan fit..... You can see that my initial fan blade did not fit. I trimmed 1mm from the ends and the fit was fine. Now building the Fan Guards... Once I got it all together, I painted these and mounted everything into place. The drive shaft spins off the fan rotation and in turn spins the generator. The other end of the drive shaft connects to the pullies mounted to the engine, to spin the entire cooling/charging systems. You'll get to see all that later. New and clean from the shop... Old and grungy for the build... #2 fan tomorrow... I'll get the dirt and ageing under control and keep working on the cage. Until Next Time.....Thanks All......

Thanks everyone for watching! Hey All, The Engine Build has expanded to the Engine Bay Build. I have just about finished with the engine build, but I have a few connections to the radiators and then all is finished with the engine build. I have finished with the cross connections between the engines and installed the drive shafts. The cross connections control the carburetor linkage, and you can see the linkage that shifts the gears on the transmissions. Once I had the linkage installed. all was secured final, and then the drive shafts install. The rest if the engine build is just the air filters, and the water hoses. However these all integrate into the air intake radiator system. So the best thing to do is to start with building the radiators and the housings that support these large cooling fans. The radiator housings are a large cage sort of affair that wraps around the engines with supports for the air filter canisters and the fans and motors to cool down 16 cylinders of Russian muscle. This section of the build is a bit confusing with all the unfamiliar parts for the body. starting the cooling fans...... I used wire mesh for the radiators to see through the cooling system. The large wall on the right is the fire wall for the cab and the air openings are on the port side. building the radiator fan housings.... Fresh back from the Paint Dept. And this is how these relate to each other... This cage, along with many supports, wraps around the engines, witch sits in the middle of this, and hides the engine build I just finished. I should have the cage installed for the next posting, but not promising for sure. I have a bit of wacky geometry with the outside body panels and all has to match the inside cage. I'll be back with the fans and motors for the cooling system and maybe the cage. Thanks again for watching!!

Hey All, I hope everyone had a great Holiday Season with lots of modeling. I had a fun time just staying out of the way and building, but at a holiday pace. The engines have been finished as much for now, and installed. I finished with the silver painting........ I began the wiring with the spark wires. I chose Red to give things a bit of contrast. I had to build the exhaust headers and get these installed to check the install of the spark plugs. Once I had the spark installed, I started with the hoses...... After the installed hoses, it was the final touches of the build before I bolted these down. Do I have to get out my belt? I make my belts with masking tape painted black........ Except here.... OOPS!! I'll paint the under sides black also, and when this is installed correctly you'll never see it. This is about what I can do for now. I need to build the radiator cooling system that is very tightly integrated with the engine build. I do have a layer of basic paint stain over the engines, but more dirt to be added for sure. When I get the cage for the radiators built around the engines you will not be able to see much of these.... With the starting of the next faze, that is actually still the engine build, I have begun investigating the cooling system........ You can see where the radiator vent openings are located... I have accomplished a bit more with the sheet styrene around the engines and radiators, but I'll leave that for next report. Be back later All.

This is some really great stuff here. Scratch building with many tires!! I love it. Hurry up with more photos........