Bedford QLC Dromedary 6 ton tractor 4x4-2 - case report

Gents...
      I love British lorries and as I got tired of waiting for IBG or SKP release injected Bedfords, as a announced, I decided build my Bedford in scratch... I choose this girl:

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary with Mickey Mouse cammo

       I got this profile of Bedford. Thanks to Andy Cusworth, from Maple Leaf Up Forum, for their courtesy and care ...

Andy's profile

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary with Mickey Mouse cammo - rear view

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary with Mickey Mouse cammo - side view

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary under painting...

      This project has long been on my list of "priorities" ... It's time to realize it !! So, let´s go !!!!  I´ll use this jurassic kit, as doner: Peerless Bedford Gun Portée

Peerless old school kit Bedford QL gun portée

      To transform the cabin, I´ll use an old (again) resin conversion kit from Resicast. The kit consist in a metal roof with windshield, two doors and no more.

      I had this kit Peerless deep in my closet for centuries ...When I opened it, I discovered (or rather, I remembered ...) that this kit had been cannibalized for other projects. But the kit is complete, but it is a miscellany of pieces Peerless (yellow) and Italeri (dark green).

      Also, I found the kit box a set of wheels in resin

Resicast cabin plus Peerless/Italeri and resin wheels

To complete the "cake recipe", Plastruct, plasticards and tons of sweat and fun ...

Who dare, wins !!!

      As I believe in this motto, engage !!! The madness starts by chassi: The wheels in place to confirm the chassi and suspension alignment.

      The engine in place...

      In your feet, Girl !!!

Chassi with wheels. Notice the Resicast roof

Notice the resicast doors and, in background, my Bedford half-track

      Surgery time: I need cut the cabin  front panel to adjust the Resicast roof. Planning...

the players...

lines for panel cut...

      ...and execution:

cut done...

      Using plasticard to do the loading platform, in  chassis ... scratching...

plasticard scratched in wood form

like planks of wood.

  Testing in the place:

chassis cargo bed - the floor

      ...And making the sides of cargo platform:

carving plasticard

       Ok...Done !

dry-run of cargo platform...

      The Plastruct is a wonderful material for details!!!!

Notice Plastruct in 90°

close-up

almost there...

belly view

       Almost done:

almost a truck !

       One detail overlooked in the cargo dock. I had to do 4 sets...

cutting 4 pieces of  1.5 mm thick plastic 

But it was worth it ...

the platform detail in place

see arrows

fuel tanks and tool-boxes in place

another belly view

       Starting the semi-trailer:

carving plastic 2mm thick

wood made in plastic

Big girl !!!

Carving more plasticard....

floor and sides of trailer 

      The cargo-bay is growing...

      Making the semi-trailer sub-chassis, with Plastruct. (I love this stuff...)

      Almost complete...

left side

rear side

right side

front side

      In the next steps, I´ll make the details of semi-trailer belly...Another dry-run:

the truck is growing...notice the Shermie, waiting his time...

      Sunday I build the Tasker coupling. This ball-type coupling was very primitive, allowing only 20° to the side branch ...It was a permanent hitch but, in my model I'm going to just snap, to facilitate handling of the model ...

      The tractor part:

Tasker coupling ball-type

      And the trailer part:

      After that, I build the trailer axle: Plastruct with metal "core", for reinforcement...

trailer axle with resin wheels

      And the rear suspension, using kits spare parts:  Almost there...

      Checking the 20 ° angulation of the coupling Tasker:

only 20 degrees...

      To facilitate the painting of the spare wheel, I did the spare support articulated. See below:

the trapezium support, plus spare wheel and the lock pin (red arrow)

range of movement of the trapezium

the spare wheel in trapezium...

the spare wheel locked in his place, with pin

trapezium belly view

trapezium articulation

       And a size comparison with a Bedford halftrack:

After Warren Inman and colleagues in Armorama warn, actually gave notice that the box truck was oversized. The way is to redo the thing. 

      Removing the box from the truck´s chassi:

      ...and breaking up the box to remake with the correct dimensions.

      Much better...

      Since I am getting better at it, redid the support of the box on the truck´s chassi, according to the original. The previous was wrong ....

       ...and:

      I did the air reservoir to the trailer´s  brakes.

 The semi-trailer, after resizing:

      The semi-trailer can rotate 90° without touching the box of truck:

      A bird-view:

      ...another views:

      Pneumatic connections between truck and trailer:

       And this make the strongest cry: Seventy  little hooks for the tarp (cooper wire):

       ...and tarp structure:

      Talking about tarp: tracing-paper plus white glue and water...

          Primer time:

        In good company:

      ...and the first colors:

 I choose the markings of my truck:  Guards Armoured Division - Royal Engineers

Well,  finally the final pics of my Bedford "Dromedary"... The Mickey Mouse cammo...Like the real, I made my cammo paint with brush....

         The final markings (thanks, Dick Taylor and Alan McNeilly...): Bedford QLC Dromedary 4x4-2

Guards Armoured Division, 14th Field Squadron - Royal Engineers - July 1st, 1944 – Battle of Normandy.

      I made my decals with Corel Draw art, Sirap decal paper and Laserjet color...

      And the final pics:

left side

Tasker coupling

Sorry for the stains on the glass ... the glue is not dry yet ...

front view

rear view

the cargo box in chassi

right side

Comparative pic , with half track Bedford

Comparative pic , with half track Bedford
top view-

Bedford QLC Dromedary 4x4-2

Guards Armoured Division,

14th Field Squadron -  Royal Engineers

July 1st, 1944 – Battle of Normandy

Thanks for following this project ....