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Opel Blitz improvised fueltruck, 1/48

Started by Erik Gjørup · 57 ≡ · ↻ 2 weeks ago · 1/48, airbum, blitz, fueltruck, Luftwaffe, opel, quarter, Tamiya, WW II

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George R Blair Jr said 1 year, 8 months ago:

The new barrels do look bigger, Erik (@airbum). This is turning into are real quest to find suitable barrels. I am sure you have already checked this, but which barrels match actual size most closely? Is it possible the back of the truck has different dimensions than the truck in your photo? Visually I think most people won't know how they are supposed to look in the back of the truck unless they have a WW2 photo to compare with the model.
Erik Gjørup said 1 year, 8 months ago:

Quite right @gblair. I had the same thought regarding the size, byt the bed of the truck looks like it is just right in the Tamiya kit. One possibility is that there might have been different sizes of barrels? Perhaps the ones used in this field-conversion were 220L? Anyway, I shall convert a pair and check if it is worth the effort. It will require the drums being cut and 4 shims added as the distance between the bands need to be more to make them look right, and with the hole between tham being in the middle it will make it necessary to add a shim each side, half the thickness of the ones outside of the bands.

Time will tell. . . . .
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 8 months ago:

This is really turning into a barrel quest, Eric @airbum
It will be quite a challenge to lengthen those barrels.
George R Blair Jr said 1 year, 8 months ago:

This is an interesting problem, Erik (@airbum). I suppose it is possible that there was more than one manufacturer for the real barrels, with each one holding the same amount of liquid, but having slightly different dimensions. I also suppose it is possible that the 2 different sets of model barrels you have each represents a different manufacturer of the real ones, each with slightly different dimensions?
Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year, 8 months ago:

A real quest indeed, my friend @airbum! Your strive for accuracy has provided us with some really interesting research regarding those barrels.
Pedro L. Rocha said 1 year, 8 months ago:

I for one don’t think the real drums had any visible sizeable difference according to their capacity. The difference between Miniart and Tamiya drum size is a consequence of each makers approach, now which is the most dimensionally correct is a matter for rivet counters eheh.
I would use them both, the whole cargo looks nice. And how about some oil cans in there too?
Erik Gjørup said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Thank you for all the great suggestions and thoughts on the size-matter @johnb, @gblair, @fiveten and @holzhamer, I really appreciate it!

stretching

with the first two stretched the QuarterWerke was instructed to go with the conversion.

The first two had a thick piece of sheet both ends

Looks better gap-wise.

The rest of the batch had a thick sheet one end, and the kit-lids had a thinner piece

This will improve the looks, but of course they still need a bit of wotk to look right with the rolled edges and such

Still looking for suitable chain, and next place to look will probably be a jeweller?
Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year, 7 months ago:

What a great approach, my friend @airbum! Those barrels look nice and, yes, a jeweller's is a good place to look for a chain!
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Nice improvement on the fuel drums, Erik @airbum
Fitting in the back of the truck is much better this way.
George Williams said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Those drums look much better now, Erik @airbum.
Erik Gjørup said 1 year ago:
Chain

Today I found a chain

Having been looking for a suitable chain for quite some time now, I finally found one in a warehouse!
1. Need to be cut up in suitable lengths and hooked down
1. Bling to be removed 🙂
It is still a bit on the large side, but so far it is the smallest I have been able to get.

It will most likely take some time before I get to install these, but in order to keep the build active, I just wanted to give this small update.
Cricket said 1 year ago:

@airbum Hey that look GREAT! Got to dirty it up a bit 😉
George Williams said 1 year ago:

Yeah, @airbum, getting close but that chain still looks a little too hefty.
Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year ago:

The chain looks great, my friend @airbum!
Erik Gjørup said 1 year ago:
@bikequeen and @fiveten, thanks, @chinesegeorge, I agree, and even after being darkened they look like they could hold a battleship.

Burnished

Dipped the chain in AK Burnishing fluid

and while I was already at it, some work on the drums..
1. Dark matter falls off rather easily
1. dryfitted to check
Dryfitted the lot just to see how it is going to look in the end.

Now, as I was surfin’ a bit, I just discovered CMK has released some brass chains in different sizes, and one is a tiny bit smaller than the ones I got. AND they also releases a trailer kit (for their Zetor) that will make a perfect companion for another Blitz!

I shall need to get the trailer and chains – and while I’m at it, Planet Models will bring a generator and a search light in 1/48 (they have already been released in 1/72!)

Viewing 31 - 45 of 57 posts

Work in Progress – Automotive

Opel Blitz improvised fueltruck, 1/48

stretching

Chain

Burnished