forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => WW1 Vehicles and airfield equipment => Topic started by: Borsos on July 11, 2016, 06:10:16 AM
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Hello everybody,
I actually love these old "brass cars" from about 1900-1920, but I never had in mind to model one, it had nothing to do with the stuff I used to built. I knew about those staff cars that were to be seen on wwi airfields, but as I used to build in 1/72 and later 1/48 there were no kits on the market besides of the good old Ford T, still one of my all time favoured. The I saw the wonderfull conversions on this site, Rolls Royce Ambulances, Renault airfield trucks and so on, that were made out of old "Pyro", Airfix or Revell kits, that I never had even heared of before. When I then saw Des' great 1911 Packard tourer I was lost: I wanted to build such stuff too!
I have a certain diorama in my mind where I need a British staff car or a Crossley light tender. Although I had the luck to pick up an out of production Tommy's War Crossley, it was the Vauxhall type D 25 HP that I wanted to have. There are so much pretty pictures of this beautiful car on the web
(http://www.classiccar4you.com/gallery/vauxhall/dsc_1617.jpg)
but I didn't find any scale plans or other informations I needed to scratch build one. Then I found out that Airfix once produced a 1911 Vauxhall "Prince Henry" in 1:32.
(http://www.oldmodelkits.com/jpegs/Airfix%2003441-1%20PrinceHen.JPG)
Wikipedia told me, that the D-type was just a heavier, larger version of the prince henry, the "weight carrying chassis". Sadly the length of the car seemed to differ, 4,420 mm for the D-type staff car and 4,039mm, 4,115 mm respectively for the Prince Henry. Anyway, I thought, couldn't there be a way to convert one of these Airfix Prince Henries into a 25D Staff Car? These kits are old and rare nowadays, but on ebay I found one almoust finished and painted and another just bagged kit without box and with some parts missing. As both didn't attract kit collectors, I won both bids and soon I had my basis material in my hands. The kit looked quite nice besides of the terrible spokes of the wheels. At last I begged for help on this forum and Bern was so kind to send me a scale plan from Ken Musgrave (Thanks again!!!) http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=7449.0.
Although these plans are not always too precise, for me it was enough to start, because I didn't want to get deeper into the materia. I just want something that looks like a Vauxhall staff car for a diorama, I don't mind the underside of the car too much, as it will be quite muddy. Excitedly I printed the scale plans in 1:32 and compared the Airfix parts with them. It could be worse. The chassis is too short, but it fits in width, the wheels have the perfect diameter and many many small parts are at least a good basis to built my own from scratch, if I wouldn't use them anyway due to my lazyness.
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsp8mu8m9i.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsp8mu8m9i.jpeg.html)
Here are the chassis parts of correct length next to the kit parts. Having these done I connected them by using the reworked kit fuel tank. Besides of that I used all the kit parts reworked for the longer frame. Even the springs were usable with a little extra work. Only the front axle needs a bit more time, because the Prince Henry, as a sports car, is lowered.
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvakkl1ar.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvakkl1ar.jpeg.html)
Here's the reworked chassis from the underside next to the kit's chassis. The exhaust is still missing, I don't like the kit part.
As I wanted to use the kit's wheels I removed the spokes which are much too thick. Luckily I had an etched spoked wheels set from Tom's modelworks that fit these wheels perfectly
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsokgmte25.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsokgmte25.jpeg.html)
Here's the chassis almoust finished, the wheels are loosely attached for the photo
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsrswmmtdm.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsrswmmtdm.jpeg.html)
The bodywork of the Airfix Prince Henry is too short of course and I intend not to use it at all. I am planning to vacuform a new bodywork over a balsa mould. If that shouldn't work, I still can get back to the kit parts here...
At the moment I really enjoy this fun project before the next large biplane build.
I hope you like it too!
Borsos
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You are doing a great job with this conversion Borsos, the wheels turned out really well.
Des.
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Thank you, Des!
When women and kids are asleep but it is still too hot outside to find some sleep for myself I take shelter in my basement where my workbench waits - good opportunity to sand some balsa wood...
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsglqhenhw.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsglqhenhw.jpeg.html)
So this is going to be the mould for the bodywork. Quite improbable that I can vacuform that as a whole. Looks like a two part affair. I'll have to cut it into pieces...
Best regards
Borsos
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Borsos,
Excellent conversion project my old friend. Having done several such conversions myself,I'm very looking forward to following along here.Can hardly wait for the next update.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Excellent work making the balsa mold, I'm looking forward to seeing how the vac forming works out.
Des.
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This is quite a project and you are putting a lot of good modelling technique and talent into it, Borsos. I too find it refreshing to model something "completely different occasionally, lots to be learned and it keeps you motivated! I'll enjoy following you through this project!
Cheers,
Lance
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Hello friends,
Thank you Des, Gregory and Lance for your kind and motivating words!
Lance, I couldn't agree more. Changing between different subjects and techniques is essential for me too, otherwise it can get boring.
Gregory, I know your work and you and Des brought me to try building my own vehicle. Your works on the Renault Truck and the Rolls Royce Ambulance (are there more? Please let me know!) are wonderful and very very inspiring!
As I had expected, the mould cannot be vacuformed as a whole. After several failed attempts I cut it into two parts:
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshkifelym.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshkifelym.jpeg.html)
Now it went fine. Here's the bodywork glued together onto some sheet and positioned onto the chassis for the photo
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgzgygt1r.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgzgygt1r.jpeg.html)(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpstqdicgbs.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpstqdicgbs.jpeg.html)
To connect both parts I added some plastic that was left over from the failed forming tries. It had the propper curving. I only used super glue, as plastic cement would melt the thin plastic walls.
Then I used some Green Stuff to cover up the seams and irregularities. Here's the bodywork after first sanding and a coat of Mr. Surfacer:
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsa3ivu8qz.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsa3ivu8qz.jpeg.html)(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpslubseycc.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpslubseycc.jpeg.html)
Thank you!
Borsos
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Wow, you have done a great job forming the body, it is thin and really looks the part.
Des.
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Beautiful work, Borsos! Always a pleasure following your
builds, my friend!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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It's surprising to see how thin the walls are. It will be interesting to see how you will form the radiator.
Stefan
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Beautiful work, Borsos! Always a pleasure following your
builds, my friend!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
I am in complete agreement with Ernie!
RAGIII
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Wow, I've just caught up with this. Fantastic work, I'll be following from now on to see how this turns out.
Ian
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Hello ladies and gentlemen,
Outstanding work !! :)
I'm going to follow.
Best regards.
Alain.
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Oh wow! That is amazing!
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Hello,
thank you very much for your kind encouraging words!
I fact the radiator was the next step. I sandwiched two sheets of plastic, one where I engraved several parallel lines as cooling ribs and the other where I cut the hole for the radiator covering. Glued in front of the body and sanded to shape I added stretched sprue melted with plastic glue around the radiator frame.
(http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/borsos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsjh6vu76z.jpeg) (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/borsos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsjh6vu76z.jpeg.html)
Next step would be the inner and outer detailing of the body and building the mudguards. Here I have to wait for another PE set for the spokes of the spare wheel.
Thank you!
Borsos
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Borsos,
This project just keeps getting more impressive with each new update my old friend. To answer your question from earlier I've not anymore vehicle
projects started. I do have a number of early vehicle types remaining in the stash,so further conversion projects are possible at some point in time. I'll seen enough here to peak my interest again. Keep up the high standards of excellence!
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Excellent work with the radiator Borsos, just keeps getting better and better.
Des.
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Borsos,
How's the little gem of a Vauxhall coming along my old friend.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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When I came home from holidays some hours ago I found happily new Tom's modellworks spoked wheels sets in my mail. Now I can go on :)
Thank you very much for your interest, Gregory!
Borsos
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Well, as this car is intented to be a part of my diorama for the Group Built, I'll close this topic here and will switch to the group built threat, if you don't mind. You'll find more progress of this Vauxhall here:
http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=7647.0
Borsos
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A bit of random Googling has lead me right back to this forum. I've been chasing one of these kits (unsuccessfully) with exactly this conversion in mind, so this thread is helpful
Clearly great Minds Think Alike!*
Richard
*or Fools Seldom Differ...
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Great to hear that, Richard! :)
Andreas
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Great to hear that, Richard! :)
Andreas
The challenge is finding a kit!
Meanwhile I have an Airfix bus that is becoming a lorry, a Model T to become an RFC tender and a possible conversion of the Dennis fire engine
Richard
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I know, it wasn’t easy back then when I did it.
You know about the fantastic lorry Miniart produces? That’s also the type of vehicle the London busses were made from.
Please keep us posted when you do these conversions! I am very keen on seeing your progress!
Andreas
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Ahh, but - the Miniart kit is 1:35 and I work in 1:32. Also, the Airfix kits can be very cheap!
The LGOC lorry is here: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12434.0 (https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12434.0)
More later
Richard
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I must admit I never cared about the scale difference between 1:35 and 1:32 too much :) I know, it is there, but I find it hardly recognizeable when the different elements of a scene (vehicles, planes, figures, …) are carefully arranged.
Andreas
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As you've probably realised, I like modifying kits. So bashing the Airfix kit is right up my street
I need to buy some paint, so I've started surgery on a Model T Ford:
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12443.0 (https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12443.0)
Richard