Ford F60H wrecker scalemodel in progress...

[Alex van de Wetering]

A while ago I asked for information on the CMP Ford F60H Wrecker and I received valuable information from Dirk and David.
I then had enough information to build an accurate scale-model in 1/35. Here you can see an impression of the work I have done since. This picture was taken few months ago. I have now fitted the wrecking booms and I am working on the transferbox and detailing working of the wrecking equipment.
In the meanwhile I am working on a Sherman Firefly and a Sherman ARV I with deep wading equipment for D-day

Regards, Alex van de Wetering

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

What a good job! How was it achieved?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Well David,

The front end of the chassis, the first and second axle, fueltanks and wheels are taken from the Tamiya Ford (cab 12) Quad-kit. The cabin is taken form Italeri's Chevrolet 15-cwt-kit.
Everything else is scratchbuild form platic sheet, rods and strip.
The chassis, rear springs, and trailing axle are constructed according to drawings that Dirk Leegwater sent me.
The rear body is constructed according to the picture you sent me and according to a picture from a book. The Holmes wrecking equipent is being constructed according to detail pictures of the Diamond T Wrecker.
I am converting the Italeri chevrolet-cab 13 into a Ford cab. Allthough hard to see on the picture, I have allready removed the Chevrolet engine grille and engine hood inside the cabin to replace it with a Ford type.


Alex van de Wetering

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Again Wow!!!! Well DONE!!!!

[Howard]

G'Day Alex
I am very impressed with the model, do you have an updated picture?
Also can you please supply me the kit item number so that I may aquire one. I this model the only "Blitz" available?
Thanks
Howard.

[Frederic]

You're great !! Very good work !! Bravo !!

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Howard
G'Day Alex
I am very impressed with the model, do you have an updated picture?
Also can you please supply me the kit item number so that I may aquire one. I this model the only "Blitz" available?
Thanks
Howard.

This is the cab 12 model Alex mentioned:



But I'm not a modeler - there are, however many excellent modelers on this forum including Alex and Cliff. I'm sure they'll know!

This setting was sold at the Melbourne Tank Museum auction.

And another couple...



Is this a modded version of the FGT model?



These were both at the Cowra museum.

[Bill Murray]

Hi Howard:

You would want to search ebay, local flea markets and the like for the following.
Italeri 0233 Chev 15 cwt.
Italeri 0772 Chev 15 cwt
Italeri 0778 Gun Tractor

Tamiya 35092 or 3592 LRDG Chev
Tamiya 35045 or 3545 Quad Gun tractor
Tamiya 35044 or 3544 Quad with 25 pounder

I think I only have left the LRDG and the Italeri 15 cwt and one Tamiya quad.

I have seen them on ebay but I do not do ebay Australia so I don't know if you can find them there.

Maybe Cliff can help.

As I best remember, either or both of the Italeri or the Tamiya Quads were Fords and the others all Chevs but in any case one of them is and that is where you have to go.

Cheers
Bill

[cliff]

the Italeri kits are Chevrolet while the Tamiya kit is a Ford.

The Tamiya Ford Quad kit is still readily availiable here in Oz. Try Hobby HQ in Melbourne. I find this kit is more 1/32 in scale and it does contain a lot of inaccuracies but mainly in the chassis and interior

TheItaleri kits are not readily avaiable here. Still a lot availiable in Spanish model shops though according to a friend of mine and I purchased my last lot from an American Model shop through a friend but with the exchange rate and post it worked out rather expensive but I did end up with a couple which made up into an Australian Pattern ambulance and a nice Australian type15cwt. I purchase the kits when ever they become availiable and I have the funds to pay for them. Sorry I have no spare ones at the moment.

Below are three photos of an Australian Pattern tipper I have not quite finished. This is the first one I have done as a diorama. The wheels are off a Tamiya GMC kit and the Italeri 15cwt kit which was used as a base was sent as a gift by a friend in the US. He knows who it is so I will not mention his name but I thank him for it again.

I also did all the tipper gear as well.

Cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

Pic two.

I also like to do other things like make my own windscreen frames and have the windscreens open.

[cliff]

Pic three.

Apart from a dusting and the removel of the liquid mask from the windscreen and a few minor touchups it is almost done.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Cliff.Great work.Did you add sprue to extend the wipers to add the blades?Also,If I only want to paint the existing wiper on the clear plastic windshield,how do I mask them without getting black smudging all over the clear part,Is there a foolprook way without using liquid mask?Personally I hate the stuff.

[cliff]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
Cliff.Great work.Did you add sprue to extend the wipers to add the blades?Also,If I only want to paint the existing wiper on the clear plastic windshield,how do I mask them without getting black smudging all over the clear part,Is there a foolprook way without using liquid mask?Personally I hate the stuff.

The wiper arm is a piece of 10thou plastic rod with a small piece of rectangular plastic as the blade itself. I can only suggest using a small piece of masking tape (I use Tamiya) either side of the blade or make sure you have a real steady hand. There is no real easy way to do it.

Thanks for the comments.

Cheers
Cliff

PS> we should get Jif to add a modeling forum

[Howard]

Thanks for the info fellas,
So far all I can track down are the FGT's.
I want to make a F15 cab12 (Like the one I am about to restore see pics here ) so it looks like I will have to start with a FGT & improvise on the rest using an C15 Italeri kit? Italeri kits are proving to be difficult to obtain.
This will be my first model for 20 years. I was just a young fella then! Wish me luck...
And yes, let's add a modeling forum!
Cheers HH

[cliff]

Originally posted by Howard
so it looks like I will have to start with a FGT & improvise on the rest using an C15 Italeri kit?

To do a cab 12 you only need the Tamiya Quad kit. You do not need the Italeri kit as the cab roof & rear are different as is the rear body I think (I could be wrong though. The Italeri 15cwt kit rear body is a wooden Canadian type one). These you will need to make using plastic sheet and strips. You can get evergreen products from some model shops here in Oz (at a price).

Howard not being funny here but I don't think you realise just how much work & skill is involved with doing a model of your F15. While you may have made models 20 years ago it takes time for the skills to come back again.

If I can help you with anything let me know. I think I have a spare rear body off the Italeri kit if it is the same as the F15 one you are welcome to it.

Cheers
Cliff

[Howard]

Thanks Cliff.
I am under no illusion about the amount of work invilved. I have a lot of admitation for you blokes who do such a mighty job. I have a mate in Wagga Wagga who does the full kit who has offered help & guidance.
As for my skills returning... well... I'm not sure they were there in the first place!
I'll let you know if I need the back (if I get that far).
Thanks for your help & advice. I'll keep you posted, I purchased the quad kit today.
Cheers
Howard.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Hey Cliffy,
With a steady hand this morning.painted the wipers on the jeep.C-15 CMP and Chevy FGT.Using my modelers' magnifying glass,was able to do a superb job,if I don't say so myself.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

You got me to wondering so I measured the width of my C-15 and FGT by Italeri/Testor.Both roofs are 2" wide.Fromt fender to fender are both 2 1/2 " wide.We need a member and I know we have a junior member here in Canada who built the Ford FAT by Tamiya ,to take measurements of the above.Thereafter,if in line,use plastic sprue to build the rear bed.

Your thoughts !!

[cliff]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
You got me to wondering so I measured the width of my C-15 and FGT by Italeri/Testor.Both roofs are 2" wide.Fromt fender to fender are both 2 1/2 " wide.We need a member and I know we have a junior member here in Canada who built the Ford FAT by Tamiya ,to take measurements of the above.Thereafter,if in line,use plastic sprue to build the rear bed.

Your thoughts !!

Garry the Italeri/Testors kits I am fairly sure are accurate but my comments were more on using the Tamiya Quad cab 12 front and then using the Italeri/testors (cab13) roof and back to make an F15 cab as the cab 13 roof and cab back is different to a cab 12. I am not saying that they cannot be altered to be correct but to me it would be easier (and cheaper) to build new ones from plastic sheet.

The other thing to remember is you only use the nose of the Tamiya Quad so you have to build fron the bottom of the windscreen up as well.

The other problem is that the Tamiya kit is more 1/32 then 1/35 scale. So this just compounds the problem. I know this because I measured a real cab 12 and scratch built a cab 11 and the cab turned out narrower and lower then the Tamiya part. I used the axles, wheels and winch from the Tamiya kit and the rest is scratch built.

The photo below is of my 1/35 scale cab 11.

Cheers
Cliff

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

But first I have to say "WOW CLIFF".what a great piece of work.Haven't you gone blind yet?I just finished my FGT,jeep and carrier,was painting the accompanying troops.Been away from the kits for three days now.Can't see.How many finished models do you now have in your collection?Maybe I should go down under and sit with you for a week.Great work.

Garry

[cliff]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
How many finished models do you now have in your collection?Maybe I should go down under and sit with you for a week.Great work.

Garry

Garry you or anyone else that is up my way is always welcome and the kettle is always on.

I have about 30 finished models but only about 10 are true blue Aussie vehicles. I tend to stick to softskins but have an Aussie Matilda and 2 pound anti tank 'attack' carrier on the bench and a list of softskins a mile long. Soon I will be doing a scratch building basics class doing a surgical body on a GMC chassis (either Tamiya or Italeri kits) on the model web site http://www.armorama.com/ my callsign on site is MrRoo.

Also on the bench are an RAAF radio tender Chevrolet. This is a conversion of using the Tamiya LRDG Chevrolet kit.

below is a picture of a Maple Leaf Chev convoy fitters truck on the North South Rd (Stuart Highway). This one is a scratchbuild using spare axles from the Tamiya LRDG Chev kit and a Tamiya GMC kit engine and wheels. Made from a photo found on the AWM site.

Cheers
Cliff

[Alex van de Wetering]

WOW,

I haven't been present on the forum for quite a while and in th meantime there have been several responses in this tread, including some nice models from Cliff! Well Done Cliff.

To aswer Howards initial question. I will try to post an updated picture in the upcoming weeks. I have to say that the F60H project still isn't finished, because I have some other projects in progress at the moment (Sherman V Duplex Drive, Sherman ARV 1), but I did manage to make some progress after the picture above was taken. The wrecking gear is nearly finished.

I agree with Cliff that the Ford Quad from Tamiya is not exactly 1/35 and I am also going to scratchbuild my own cab 11 and cab 12 for future projects. The Italeri C15 and Quad are still great kits, especially for their age. I am also very happy with the 10.50 wheels in the " new" Italeri Quad kits, which are plastic rather than rubber like in the old kits.

Howard, there used to be a kit from " Tonda Models" of Czech republic of a Ford F15 in 1/35. But this was done in resin, rather than plastic. Of course this kit is probably even harder to get than the Italeri kit. I started my own " conversion-F15" some years ago, but the project came to a halt, when I realized that the nose section of the Tamiya Cab12 was to wide.

Hope this keeps the tread running,

regards,

Alex van de Wetering, The Netherlands

[Jan Mostek]

Just a short note that there were two different TONDA kits of the F15 with No. 11 cab, both vehicles were identical but one was, as mentioned above, resin, and the second (or better said, the first because it was issued earlier) was vacu-formed. I do not like to resin kits so I always preferred the vacu because you may use the same "technology" like with those styren injection-molded kits. But it is necessary to say that both TONDA kits, as well as all the other ones (Bedford QL and OY cabs, Russian GAZ and ZIL trucks and many others) were not the best and required a lot of effort. But on the other hand, to get the No. 11 or No 12. cabs from the Tamiya Quad is not as difficult as it might seem. It is only necessary to narrow the front end, make a new cab floor, rear wall and roof, but do not forget about a new windshield, do not use the original windows (I have seen it in several cases and such cab would be too high). If you are interested in drawings there was nice one in British MAFVA magazine. If you are not able to get this just let me know and I would send you a copy via email.

Happy Modelling, Jan (IPMS Czech Rep.)

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Guys,

I promised to post some update pictures of my F60H wrecker scale-model ages ago, so here they are. A few weeks ago I started work on the model again, when Dirk and Stefan Leegwater started restoration on their Cab 11 F60H. This gave me enough enthusiasm to continue work on my model. I am always working on more models at once, so it's basically a case of enthusiasm which model get's finished first.

Alex van de Wetering

[Alex van de Wetering]

And the rear

[cliff]

that is starting to take shape nicely Alex.

Cheers
Cliff

[Stefan Leegwater]

Lookin' good Alex, I think we have a lot of catching up to do!

Cheers,

Stefan

[Alex van de Wetering]

Cliff and Stefan, thanks!

@ Stefan. Well, I allready admire the work Dirk and you have done in such a short while! Besides plastic won't rust, that's for certain. So, that saves me a lot of time
p.s. I am also thinking of building a cab 11 Ford F60H next...!


Alex