Paint on Living Van (1/35)

Despite one of the most challenging distractions arriving in the post today, I managed to get the living van primed and covered with the basic colours. Having run out of my favourite primer, I used some left overs from a can of a somewhat lesser quality. Despite that the priming went well.

White primer on the van. The windows are masked with tape. Various brackets are made from copper wire and pieces of left over etched metal.

While the primer dried I leafed through the recently arrived distraction - time flies when you are having fun! I then masked off the underside of the rear door, where I plan to fit a decal warning of a slow vehicle. After readying my air brush I sprayed a layer of medium faded blue on the van and front wheel assembly. I gave the underside a thin spray with dark grey. I brush painted the rear wheels red to create a little variety.

Main colours are on my 1:35 representation of a steam roller accompanying van.

I expect decals to arrive within the next few weeks. Until then I'll  be fitting tarpaper in the shape of painted surgical tape and do some detail painting. I probably also will pick up a new project.

And what was the dangerous distractant? The Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review of course!

Living Van Almost Finished (1/35)

After some slow and relaxing modelling hours the construction of the living van for my steam roller is approaching the time where I can begin priming and painting.

A test assembly of the van's main parts. With only minor details still to fit it is almost ready for primer.

Wheels were fixed on the axles and the front wheel assembly was glued together from Evergreen plastic profiles and parts from the spares box. As not much of the construction can be seen when the van is placed on a piece of road I skipped a lot of detail. Most of the work concentrated on the draw gear that I designed to be movable to allow the van to be posed coupled to a steam roller as well as parked at the road side.

Wheel sets almost ready to be added to the van's underside.

I made the roof from 1 mm grooved plasticcard formed in boiling water.  Usually I tape the plastic to a suitable solid rounded object and pour boiling water over both parts. After a few scoldings the plastic permanently takes the shape of the attached object. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find any object matching the required radius. In this case I simply poured boiling water over the piece of plasticcard and formed the roof's curve by hand. A case where it helps not having too sensitive skin!

The roof being glued to the van. While the glue dries the roof is kept in place by rubber bands.

Decals for the van have been designed and ordered. When I was at it, I took the opportunity to order some for the steam roller as well (and for at future water cart). Next stage is primer.

Ford A Tanker Revisited (1/35)

While the building of the living van for my steam roller is progessing a recent thread about civilian cars in 1:35 scale on a Facebook group has prompted me to dig out images from one of my old lorry conversions from 2004.

It started as a kit from Eastern Express of the Soviet copy of the Ford AA - the Gaz-AA. The tank is a shortened tank from the Italeri GMC tanker kit, which I had found at a low price on sale. The shortened tank was fitted with rows of home made rivets. I added the Italeri kit's pump housing on the lorry's left side and scratch built mudguards from plasticcard. The Shell decals are from New Zealand and I made the license plates myself. The driver figure is a mix of parts from several kits.


Almost finished with all major parts test fitted before priming and painting. The differing colours from each of the sponsor kits are clearly visible.

Ready for painting. I use kitchen aluminium foil to cover larger areas of a model to be air brushed. It is easily applied and removed and prevents any overspray.

Painted and fitted with decals. Weathering is still missing.

The lorry in action at the loco shed. Here it is seen backing along the track towards the gasoline pump behind the loco shed. New replacement skip bodies seen in the foreground. More images from the same day on this blog post.