Three Wheeler from Banke's Bakelite

The small company Banke's Bakelite is known from previous posts on this blog. I have built part of the company's factory and one of their lorries in 1:35 scale. Now it's time for a 16 mm version of a lorry from Banke's Bakelite. The factory itself was located right next to Nystrup Gravel's track in Nystrup, but used lorries for transport of both raw materials and finished goods. Only on a few occasions due to flooding of roads did the bakelite factory use the 600 mm railway.

... und noch weiter! German advertisement for the Tempo Hanseat showing a Hanseat with a hefty tire pattern on its front tire.

The Tempo Hanseat in service at Banke's Bakelite is fitted with much a more relaxed tire pattern. The driver has left the cab and is obviously examining the little lorry. A mechanial problem, perhaps?

I decided to keep the vehicle in the colour as supplied by its manufacturer Minichamps. I only air brushed the rear end with yellow paint. This would enhance visibility and traffic safety of the little, slow lorry in the dark months of the long Danish autumn and winter. I had decals custom made using the same artwork as my previous decals in 1:35 scale. The decals were applied on surfaces prepared with gloss varnish. Mr. Hobby decal solutions helped get the large decals integrate well with the surface of the model.

I used a combination of Tamiya masking tape and a plastic bag to make sure I only got yellow paint where I wanted.

Decals being fitted on the lorry. Company name and telephone number. Rear license plate removed awaiting fitting of a new plate in line with my modelling period.

The plastic injected tarpaulin was also gloss varnished in preparation for the decals. After decal application the tarpaulin was air brushed with flat varnish. The tarpaulin was then treated with detail painting and diluted oil paints in very much the same fashion as when I paint clothing on figures. The model's original black license plates were exchanged with new ones made from plastic card, painted yellow and fitted with decals.

Decals are on and the tarpaulin is getting details painted and some general weathering added. The new license plates are glued in place. Next task is to paint details and add weathering to the rest of the little lorry.

I picked out a few details on the lorry with acrylic paint. Windshield wipers were painted with chrome and the head lights also got a shiny chrome ring to keep the lens in place. The exhaust was painted with a thick layer of acrylic paint stippled with a stiff brush while drying. That creates a nice 'ripple' effect on the exhaust looking like a layer of rust. The exhaust's texture was enhanced with a wash of rust coloured diluted oil paint. Several other parts of the engine was treated to somelight wrathering as well. The underside of the opening bonnet wase air brushed lightly with dark grey.

The doors were given an unfair number of dents and scratches to represent a victim of rather careless drivers. The load area was also distressed with both acrylic and oil paints using several sizes of brushes. I gave the car a few light passes with two tones of sand coloured paint to represent dust thrown up from the road surface. I will probably add a bit more later.

The Hanseat was primarily used to ferry finished bakelite products to the standard gauge railway station in Skovby. As most products were shipped out in cardboard boxes the tarpaulin protected them from the wetness of the Danish climate.

A splash of yellow helps to protect the slow Hanseat with dim lights being hit by faster cars on the dark roads around Nystrup.

The driver now seems to have given up all hope getting the Hanseat started again. He will now have to walk to the nearest telephone to phone for a mechanic to help him take his load of bakelite products to their destination.

The Tempo Hanseat is my fourth road vehicle finished as Danish cars matching the Nystrup Gravel universe. Now it's back to finish the brick shed and finishing the build sketches and design planning for my Pedershaab locomotive. And soon it's December with all the associated activities. After more than 15 years of modelling Nystrup Gravel, the company has not once sent out a Christmas Card. Perhaps it's about time?