Komrades!!
While the painting of the
Ford G917 double cab dry, I'll post a case report about an old project I did and which I am very proud ...
I built this kit as a master project for the extinct Panzer Resin Models, in 2009. As always, it all started with a photo (or better: two photos ...) discovering into the intricacies of the Internet. Behold the beast !!
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Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer (10.000l)
front right side |
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Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer (10.000l)
rear right side |
Continuing research, I found these other pictures;
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| A convoy of tankers, led by a Ford. |
The photograph has been treated to remove stains and enhance the details:
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| Four heavy tankers in line... |
I love the internet....More treasures, this time, Chevrolets:
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| Chevrolet traktor with fuel tanker trailer... |
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| More details in the fuel trailer. Left side, now... |
And I found more two pics of Fords !!!
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| The Ford tanker negotiating a steep uphill curve ... The girl is brave!! |
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| A Ford fuel tanker quenches the thirst of a Me-323 Giant |
Well... Fabio, the owner of Panzer Resin Models, commissioned to me a master to try to make this monster in resin kit. And that's what I'm going to show you guys, today ...
History:
About german Fords , I had already written about
Ford Motor Company AG in the article about my
Ford Maultier G917. This vehicle was a Ford type V3000 tractor with the fuel semitrailer
DAF at Eindhoven (Netherlands) had build in the period 1940-1941 for the Luftwaffe. The tank has a volume of 10.000 liters. As the Fords type V3000 Germans only began to be manufactured in 1942, the presence of these vehicles in the year 1941 can be justified only by being Dutch Fords (with American design), which began to be produced in Holland in 1940. With the German invasion, the Germans captured the Dutch Ford factory starting the use of these vehicles. The DAF HD-semitrailer with the 10.000 liter tank was an own design of DAF and manufactured by Germans, to be used by the Luftwaffe. The profile, in 1/1 scale and 1/35, too:
The Master Project:
In 2009, there wasn't the (excellent) injected kit of ICM of the Ford V3000S. To make the tractor's squared cabin, I used a resin cab of the Ford V3000, from Panzer Resin Models:
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| Left: the new cab under construction; right: Foprd V3000S Panzer resin Models cabin |
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| front view |
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| Building the cab roof and sides in plasticard |
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| Notice the hood details... |
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| right side |
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| rear view |
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| Ford PRM resin cab interior |
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| Building the fifth wheel... |
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| belly view |
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| Testing the chassi and fifth wheel... |
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| Fifth wheel base. testing the movement...Up... |
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| Down... |
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| Testing the cab... |
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| Starting the 10.000 liters fuel tank... |
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| Testing the tank in the vehicle... |
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| The girl stood for the first time ... |
Here, notice the trailer rear suspension...I built with the rear suspension with semi-elliptic springs, such as 90% of the cases ...In the photos, it was not possible to know if the system would be another ... And really, I thought I was hitting ... and it was done. But it would have to be modified, as will be seen ahead ...
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The same suspension system in the tractor and the trailer...
Unfortunately, just found the right way later ... |
But, continuing the building of the master:
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| The trailer chassi in testing... |
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| The long footboard in the fuel tank |
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| and another details, like toolboxes, etc... |
Well, after this, Fabio make the silicon molds and casting the first kit...I built it as follows: The PRM kits were very raw, but extremely fun. A pity that so many casting bubbles to let us fix ...
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| Building the cabin with stering wheel bar... |
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| Cab interior under construction... |
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| Stering wheel in place... |
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| Internal view...After that, the cab was painted in Panzer-Gray (interior) |
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| testing the tractor chassi...Notice the bubbles !!! OMG !! |
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| The cabin and chassi togheter |
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| making the 5th wheel moveable...Drilling the base... |
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| ...and the 5th wheel... |
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| Moving !!! |
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The base of articulation of the fuel tank.
The tank was very heavy (massif resin) |
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| Testing the tank. The footboards was made in plasticard... |
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| Testing the tank angulation in the articulation of the trailer |
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| Notice the trailer's axle (aluminium) and suspension... |
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| 90° angle... |
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| Headlights with canvas, made with silk-paper and paper-tape |
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Measuring the distance from the pivot axis to allow free articulation of the trailer.
The building of the first kit is always very laborious ... |
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| The (wrong) semi-eliptical suspension and axle... |
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| Making the tractor's rear fenders... |
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| positioning the fenders ... |
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| The tractor's fuel tanks and rear deck... |
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| testing...testing..testing... |
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| Front bumper and license plate... |
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| The tractor almost ready for painting... |
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| The fuel tank with details... |
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| The supporting wheels of the tank. Articulated... |
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| The supporting wheels extended... |
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| Fuel tank piping systems |
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| Side by side with CCKW...A huge girl !!! |
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| More details... |
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| Tractor tail... |
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| Trailer suspension. This will be replaced later .... |
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| Support wheels... |
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| In parking position...They are sturdy to withstand the weight of the tank |
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| trailer tail... |
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| Fuel tank piping systems made with metar wire... |
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| Fuel tank piping systems - detail... |
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| Retaining strips of the tank |
After the building, time of painting: Panzer-gray:
Now, it's marking time. I loved the photo of Ford refueling a Heinkel 111.:
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| Ford in airfield duties... |
So, let's go research about Heinkels bombers. Got interested in this unit:
Kampfgeschwader 26. I decided to make the markings of a vehicle that was serving with Heinkells-111 of KG26 in France, in the period of the Normandy landings.
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| Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" badge |
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| Heikel 111 from Kg 26 |
I made the decals with my Laserjet Color;
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| Panzerserra's decal sheet art |
And the vehicle with the decals....Notice the glossy aspect to prevent silvering...
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| Ford G178T from Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" |
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| Kojak with Ford...very proud !!! |
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| Size comparison with three legends!!! |
And after weathering;
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Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer
from Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" |
Finished!!???
Well...The story ended here ... At least, I thought .... Fabio quit to sell the Ford tanker kit in to the market and I ended up getting with the only kit that was produced ...
I posted the pictures of building on websites in Brazil and Spain and forgot the matter... Years later, a colleague asked me for information about the Ford tanker and searching in the internet, I found a reference to my kit in a
German forum (That I did not know ...) and what was my surprise to learn that the suspension of my trailer was wrong. Thanks
Markus "Bauzel" for the tip and for the picture about DAF trailer's suspension. Something like this:
This suspension system has finally explained why the rear wheels were so spaced ....Since I discovered the mistake, we will mend the thing: time for radical surgery!!!
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| The wrong axle from thge DAF trailer |
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| Ripping the error ... |
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| The bloody parts of the victim... |
I redesigned the profile:
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| Wrong version |
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| Correct version |
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| Building the swing axis with Plastruct and metal wire |
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| Swing braces ready !!! |
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| Making the wheel trucks... |
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| Done... |
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| Making the big spring beams with plasticard... |
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| Spring beams done... |
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Reinforcing spring beams with steel blades (remember the weight of the tank)
These steel blades are scraps of orthodontists (elastics for brackets) |
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| spring beams done !!! |
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| The swing DAF suspension done... |
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| The swing DAF suspension with its keel... |
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| And in the trailer... |
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| Building the fenders (from my spare box) |
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| The air brakes apparatus and spare wheel rack |
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| Everything in place! |
And, finally, my Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer is ready for action!!!
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Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer from
Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" - France, 1944. |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor |
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| Hoses from the pneumatic system and refuelling... |
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| The correct DAF swing suspension... |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor ( DAF kraftstofftrailer ) with Kojak |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer - left side |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer - right side |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer - rear view |
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| Kojak extremely proud to take care of a unique vehicle in the collection of any modeler... |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor - rear view |
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| DAF kraftstofftrailer (10.000l) with swing suspension |
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| DAF airfield tanker (10.000l) |
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Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer with Panzer III
for size comparison |
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| Ford G198/TS (V3000S) traktor with DAF kraftstofftrailer (10.000l) |
Today, with the existence of the ICM Ford V3000 kit, I think a scratch this project is something easier. It is my suggestion and my invitation to modelers who want to have this magnificent vehicle in their collections ...
Danke !!!
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