Alright gents, my first WIP thread that is specifically devoted to a legacy build. The model is the 1:35 ICM Model T WW I ambulance kit...

The subject is the reproduction of an ambulance that my maternal grandfather, Roger Burrell, drove for the Ambulance Field Service before the United States officially joined the War in 1918.

I am particularly motivated by this project for a number of reasons. First, it is 2018--the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War. Second I cannot find another kit that so directly pertains to a close relative's military service in one of the great wars of the 20th century. Third, my grandfather preserved a fine record of his service through a fairly extensive archive of b&w photos, some of which I publish here for the very first time (outside out family circle), and more in the final reveal. I am using that photographic record to reproduce an ambulance from his unit (I do not know which one he drove, if indeed he drove just one in particular, which I doubt).

Here are a few of the photos in question:

The project presents a number of challenges. For starters, the kit's ambulance has physical configuration that doesn't match what I see in the pictures. There is a board running along the side of the rear (marked with the words "American Ambulance") that is not included in the kit. I shall have to scratch build that item. The ambulances I see also fairly clearly have distinguishable boards that make up the rear cabin, and those will have to be scored since the sides of the kit are smooth. I will also have to place the spare tire on top, rather than the side as shown in the kit's plan (a minor item).

More importantly, I have to make a decision on colors. The American schema uses olive green. However, the original AFS, made up of prep school men like my Papa, consisted of a corps that was actually an extension of the French army since America wasn't in the war yet. More than likely, these ambulances were painted blue, not green, like so...

...or as this colorized version I pulled from the web...

Furthermore, as anyone can see, the wheels and the tires are like--even white--not black as the ICM kit indicates. Obviously, they are drawing their conclusion from photos like this (from the web)...

...rather than this (also from the web)...

So I've concluded that I should use an intermediate blue for the ambulance, that I need to apply dry transfer decals to properly match the markings, and modify others (Red Cross yes; white field behind it no), and that the tires were natural (real) white rubber, and not black rubber.

One last item: I've never build in 1:35 before--not anything. I haven't built a 4-wheeled vehicle since I belonged to a lousy mail-order "model club" since I was 12 years old. I've never done a WW1 subject before. And I've never used dry transfer decals before. I've started on the engine, and so far, so good. ICM kits are top notch except being a bit foggy and inconsistent on the directions regarding what colors to use on certain parts; technically they are superior.

That's all. Wish me luck, mates!

This should be good!...

David, this reminds me of the movie 'The Razor's Edge' with Bill Murray. Not sure if their research was correct, but they had some colorful examples of these vehicles. I look forward to how this one develops!

Yep, Ferrari said the same thing about red to me when I picked up my car this Monday...

Here's my first comment of many to come.

Excellent article my friend !

I will be following along with you and your journey. Years ago I was an automotive machinist and I basically earned my living rebuilding engines and various other bits as needed that were automotive related.

I had the opportunity to overhaul a model T engine once. It's amazing how far we have come with engineering when you look at something that is so rudimentary and compare it to something only a few years newer. Needless to say, I had to ask many questions and do some research on this rebuilding process before I started any work on it. The nice thing about the model T was it was designed to be worked on (and be assembled) from the beginning. If my memory serves me correctly, every (or nearly every) one of the "wear item" parts were designed to be replaced and only a little amount of actual machine work was required on my part. Plus you only needed a handful of tools to work on it and no specific tools were needed. But I do remember something about how these vehicles were sold with a "standard" tool kit supplied with each new vehicle.

I can see how important this build is for you since your grandfather is connected with it. I must say that it looks like he was quite the photographer too ! He must have had a very exciting life.

Well done my friend. I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Thanks, Louis! yeah, that's pretty obviously colorized. But it is still useful. It demonstrates how varied these ambulances really were. I have made serious headway, but not ready to show more yet. The rub-on lettering is a nightmare but it is happening, bit by bot, along with all the other stuff. Slowly but surely!

Thanks, friend!