Gentlemen!!!
Let's start a new double project: a Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), officially the Chevrolet 8440/CGT Tractor - 4x4 and a scratch project with Chevrolet CMP C15A 4x4 truck crane - field modification.
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| Chevrolet 8440/CGT Tractor - 4x4. |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT 4x4 |
History:
The CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), officially the Chevrolet 8440/CGT Tractor, 4x4, Field Artillery, was an artillery tractor of the British and Commonwealth forces during World War II. CMP stood for
Canadian Military Pattern (The Pekinese) and was applied to a number of trucks, artillery tractors and utility vehicles built in Canada that combined British design requirements with North American automotive engineering. As with other FATs, the CMP was usually used to tow either the
25 pounder gun-howitzer...
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| Chevy FAT 4x4 towing 25pdr. howitzer and limber |
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| Chevrolet FAT with limber and howitzer |
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Chevrolet FAT in the field with 25pdr and limber
The crew preparing the gun for basement. |
... or the
17 pounder anti-tank gun. A power winch was located above the rear axle for manouvring the gun or unbogging the vehicle.This winch could be used by both the rear as the front of the vehicle:
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| Chevrolet FAT pulling an artillery piece from the front |
The first models were produced in 1940/41 and the body went through a number of design changes throughout the war. Post-war examples were supplied to
Denmark who provided their own bodywork.
| Chevrolet CMP FAT 4x4 |
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| Type | Artillery tractor |
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Place of origin
| Canada |
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| Specifications |
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| Weight | 4.935 Kg (empty) 6.000 Kg (gross) |
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| Length | 4,62 m |
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| Width | 2,38 m |
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| Height | 2,87 m |
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| Crew | 1 + 5 passengers |
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| Armor | none |
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Engine
Transmission
Electrical sys.
Brakes
Tyres | Own 6-cylinder, 3.548 cm3 (216 cubic inches) displacement, liquid cooled, carburettor - 85 at 3.400 rpm.
4-speed.
Transfer case: 2 speed.
6 volt, negative ground
Hydraulic with vacuum servo assistance..
10.50 - 20 |
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Suspension
Fuel capacity
Range | Wheel, 4 x 4
91 l (Petrol)
290 km |
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The project (and kits)
As always, I'll do a double building: As I have two kits Peerless (# 3510):
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| Peerless precambrian kit...I have two of these dinosaurs!!! |
...one I will make a tractor type, standard. And another as a truck crane, with equipment made as field modification, by the engineers. The idea is to make a truck using a winch system of the tractor. A real Frankenstein!!
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| ...and the tractor. |
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| Closing the cabins... |
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| The girls, side by side... |
But now, the cakewalk is over ... time to scratch. As the CMP is typically a Canadian vehicle, I decided to make my girls with the colors of Canada.
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| Go Canada, go !!!! |
My idea is that one Canadian Maintenance Park needed a truck crane for fast maintenance, but the engineers did not have the "official" version of CMP wrecker:
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| Chevrolet CMP Wrecker |
The solution? Catch an available truck, strengthen the rear suspension system and install a winch tractor, to build an improvised crane with scrap parts. Let's review the concept:
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| Chevrolet CMP C15A with crane - field adaptation |
Get to work...Reinforcing the chassis:
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Reinforcing the chassis with Plastruct.
Notice the tractor winch in the interior of the chassis |
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| Chassis reinforcements... |
I did the loading platform with balsa wood. Notice the space for the winch device...
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| Balsa wood as bed platform |
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| side view |
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| Notice the internal reinforcments... |
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| The crane made in Plastruct and spare parts |
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| Testing the crane device... |
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| Notice the pulleys... |
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| The boom of the crane is expandable and is locked by a pin ... |
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Installing the lift steel cable and the tension cables of the boom.
The adjustment of the boom height is made by chain links
in a locking pins. |
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| Notice in the left background : accessories and a log for towing |
Well, I took advantage of the holidays year-end and finished the Chevys. Let's see the pictures:
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The Chevrolet 15CWT truck crane after primer and
with disruptive cammo in black |
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| Chevrolet 15CWT truck crane - right side... |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT in green... |
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| The toilette paper is to prevent patches inside... |
Now, it's (best) time of the markings. After some research, I decided to place the two vehicles at the end of the war, the final advance on Germany, in 1944-45. The two girls are Canadians. I drew the profiles to guide the application of decals. Thank the Gods and my old HP Laserjet Color, I even did the decals my own.
First, the tractor: The "puller" girl belongs to 1st Canadian Infantry Division, attached to 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, D Troop, B Battery in germany, 1945. The drawing was based in Armored Accorn art.
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| Markings for Chevrolet CMP FAT. |
And the Girl, painted with Vallejo and oils:
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4 |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4 - left side |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4 - rear view |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4 - right side |
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Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4
with Kojak, for size proportion |
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| The bald one, happy with his new toy... |
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| In old fashion way... |
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| Chevrolet CMP FAT (Field Artillery Tractor) 4x4 - bird view |
And the truck-crane. She proudly display the marks of 1st Canadian Army, providing services to Royal Canadian Engineers, Headquarters of 1st Canadian Mechanical and Equipment Company in Germany,1945.
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane - drawing based in Italeri art |
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane |
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| She's called Old Beth |
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane - right side |
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane - rear view |
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane - left view |
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| Chevrolet C15A 4x4 truck crane Old Beth with Kojak |
Finally, the two girls of this project, side by side:
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| The Chevy C15A working... |
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| The bald one supervising the work ... |
Well, Gents... Another double building finished !!!! A happy New Year to all and thanks for following the adventures of this Bunker.
Nice project and always twice shots as you do usually ;-) I never build any kits from Peerless so I do not have any idea of the quality and acuraty.
ResponderExcluirI'll follow this project with a great attention. Happy modeling enjoy these models.
Alain, thanks. The Peerless kits are very, very old, but (incredible!) very good kits.
ResponderExcluirThey have injection pin marks, but generally are in hidden places. The greatest risk is to find a kit with brittle plastic, like my green kit above ... but nothing to prevent the building. Happy New Year !!!!
Nice kits like I can see on your firsts mounting stages. I have also in construction a Chevrolet 15 CWT from Italeri but the quality and acuraty are not so good than your Peerless kits. I like the crane version because It's a fied adaptation and so it's very interesting and funny to buid. Your conversion is incredible and I like it.
ResponderExcluirHappy end for the lasts days of the year.
Alain, the Italeri is the same kit, but the quality depends of injection...Thanks for the incentive...Stay tunned and take care !
ResponderExcluirThanks your's post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I've truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
ResponderExcluirTruck crane Pakistan
Thanks, autolink!! be my guest!!
ExcluirMarcos, I’m very inspired by your build article concerning the Chevrolet C15 4x4 truck crane. So much so that I would like to attempt a similar build myself. The biggest challenge I see is determining the design for the lattice crane in the attached photo. Do you have any suggestions on how to attempt the design and construction of the boom crane.
ResponderExcluirUnknow, thanks for your kind words...the lattice crane you found in the Mirror Models. See here: http://www.mirror-models.com/135-CMP-C60S-Holmes-Breakdown-Wrecker.html
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