Danish Army Bedford QL (1/35)

During the Christmas holidays I started building a IBG-kit in 1:35 of a Bedford QL-lorry. The build progressed well despite some rather confusing instructions. I had great help from a build log on the military modelling website of Track-Link. The lorry is now finished and has already been out on a few missions around Nystrup - mostly driver training.

The Bedford QL during a pause around Nystrup. The tilt is supplied with the kit and must be one of the best out of the box-tilts made so far. Weathering has been kept to a minimum. The Cold War is on and conscripts are plentiful and the sergeants have to keep them busy - washing down vehicles is an obvious task. But where is the driver on this lorry?. 

I built the kit out of the box. Having had plans for a Bedford QL for many years I had a Resicast conversion for the open cab'ed Italeri Bedford Portee. From the Resicast set I used the seats as they had more detail than the kit's. I also used the Resicast resin wheels as a load to make sure the cargo bed didn't appear completely empty. The tires also hide the fact that the interior of the load area is devoid of any detail. I fitted a little of the missing detail with plastic strips and also added some bolt heads to the most visible part of the interior. The tires were secured to the cargo bed with some wooden balks and rope.


Cargo bed with Resicast wheels. The frame has been primed. In the cab the Resicast seats can be seen.

Cargo bed and tilt painted and ready to be glued together. Notice how the areas farthest away from the rear end of the cargo bed have been left in black primer. In that way the depth of the cargo hold is enhanced. The tires have only been hurriedly weathered.

A view of the cab interior. Not much of this can be seen, so detailing is kept to a minimum. The windows are covered with masking tape.

My QL ready for primer and paint. Fuel tank is from my old Resicast conversion set as is the turning indicator in etched brass on the cab. The yellow resin to the left is parts from the Wespe Models' Fordson 7V semi trailer truck.

The lorry is still missing Danish army license plates. I have sent a message to my usual supplier 'Skilteskoven' (Forest of Signs), and hope they can help. It may seem odd that Danish army license plates were red with a prominent yellow coat of arms (at least from a camouflage point of view) but I'm sure it will add a nice element of colour to the otherwise rather drab military vehicle.

Well, the driver wasn't far away. Here he poses in front of his lorry before he has to make his way back to the camp.