Small Scale Military Headquarters

I finally got around to starting on my True Heroes Dragon Wagon conversion. I am setting out to see how much of this I can do with found aka free stuff. The styrene sheet I am using is from hotel key cards and gift cards. The styrene bits and copper tube are leftovers from other projects. I have some cool chain left over from plumbing repairs and I plan on scratching new headlights out of some pen parts and syringe plungers for the lenses. I made the cover over the hatch in front of the turret out of a sheet magnet so I can remove it for figure placement. It will have a camo net strapped over it. Although under scale, I think this can look pretty cool with some detail work and a nice paint job.

Wow 33 views and no replies, this must look worse than I thought.

Looks pretty good to me, seems like you've put a lot work into it so far, keep posting as you go, I would like to see it with some paint on it.

You always do great work.

But I do not have one of these and I do not know how they looked originally so I am not sure what you have done. The armor panels look good so far.

YT wrote:Wow 33 views and no replies, this must look worse than I thought.

lol

You nerd.... do you sit there refreshing every 3 secs....

Looking good!

I need to finish some crap today...like my m16 halftrack mod...

flyboy_fx wrote: You nerd.... do you sit there refreshing every 3 secs....

Hey I need validation to compensate for the crazy looks my wife gives me!

YT
I've seen these at TRU and they have so much potential. It will be great to see what you can do with it. So far your detail is great. Wish I had the time to do one.
Eric

Thanks, I picked up the I-beam stock today to start on the winch.

Some more work tonight:

Added lights on the cab back, handles and levers for the winch system, and the crane. Lenses will be added to the lights after painting.


Closeup of the levers and handles and what will become the gas cylinders.


Added headlights and brush guards. The driverside guard looks bad and will have to be re-worked.


Had to see how it was coming together.

I really like the mock up with the Sherman on the flatbed.

This is looking cool.

Thanks, I was debating on cutting out the tools, but I think the molded on ax & shovel have to go.

wow, looks real cool. Great job!

Using the sample vials for Acetylene and Oxygen bottles is really a good idea, with some kind of gauges and hose that will be great.

A little more work this past weekend:

Dremeled off the terrible molded on cable and hook and filled. I also worked up a cover to add actual shovel and ax to cover up the molded on versions. The cover is just sitting on, it will not be attached until after the painting. I also decided to use brass tubing for the muffler, I will drill out some vent holes.


Reworked the driver brushguard and added another light. Removed the hedge chopper thingie and filled. Added I-beams and worked on the headlight mounts.



Added some more detail on the boom and filled in the dinosaur claw marks on the door, yes I said dino claw marks. Also added some more control handles.



I am thinking about removing the molded on "jugs" on the bottom of the cab and adding a few detail plates and then I am ready for paint.

YOu mean fire extinguisher?

Whatever it is, I hate it.

Looking good, it's really starting to come together

I got most of the detail work done on the cab including removing the molded on fire extinguishers, adding side view mirrors and a dash. Also got the pre-shade/primer coat done. I am going to have to order the diamond plate for the trailer online, so I went ahead with the cab painting.

Does anybody know where to find the proper diamond plate online? My LHS doesn't carry it.

I wish I knew..!

Great work.

For comparison, here is a 1/6 scratch built Dragon Wagon from out Brit friends -



1/6 makes greater detail possible but 1/18 is very nice.

TTT

Wow, 1/6 that is serious!

And as good as the 1/6 M-26 is, it is not perfect. An easy thing to notice......... the tires are more NATO tread instead of the NDT we are used to seeing.

Finding NDT in big truck sizes in 1/6 are almost impossible.

More pics of "real" M-26 are:

http://www.toadmanstankpictures.com/dragon.htm

Again, great 1/18 work.

TTT

I got the OD base coat on today. I debated on Tamiya or Model Master and ended up going with the Modelmaster. The brightness should get cut down with washes and weathering. I also got started on the trailer but that should go pretty fast. I need to round up some decals. I would love to put some sort of pin-up nose art type picture on it, but I don't have anything and don't feel like going to the trouble of making decals.

lol My MM OD came out yellow..