Chariots of Fire

Ah, second aisle on the right all the way down on the left.😆

Here's where we are as of tonite. Most of the real work is now done with only a few details left. Compare the photo above with what we now have below and you can see there's been some real progress. In addition to the actual construction the decals are now done and some weathering has been completed. Several details added to the back of the tank including lights, handrails, steps, bumper, pintle hook and a set of small doors at the corners. Acrylic black and water was used to create a dirty look to the top. Weathering powders of black and brown were used on the sides. Tail lights are made from plastic tubing. The face of each was first painted with Molotow chrome, then Tamiya clear red. Then a decal was put over the top revealing just the lens area in red with the rest OD color. After the door decals were set, a new single edge razor blade was used to cut the decal at the folds. Setting solution was added to seal the cuts. The small doors open up long tube areas where the suction hoses are stored.

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WOW! Such a neat and clean area! Wish mine looked like that!

Couple more pix. Got the dome covers done and some louvers at the rear. About it for tonite. More a bit later.

Got door latches done so that the rear doors stay closed. Also finished up the landing gear that allows the trailer to stand on its own. Steady progress with plenty of details yet to go.

The tech manual has been very helpful and there are photos on line that show lots of outside detail that can be put into the build.

Here's an update on building progress. The main tank portion of the build is done and details are now the order of the day. Bottom plumbing is generally done with some fixtures needed at the end of the discharge pipes. Hinged brass doors were made for the rear compartment. Two more small doors need to be made for access to the storage area for the discharge hoses. The back is now enclosed and will have a small pump and a box of tools. Need to get the landing gear finished up as well. One thing at a time!!

Welcome! It's all about building!!

Hey, Steve! Getting the curves right is easier than it might look. I made templates on my graphics program and stuck them to some sheet plastic with contact cement (one surface only). Then I trimmed them out. Doing it that way made the bulkheads all the same. The double curved one the end was made last and the only thing I did was extend it some horizontally. I intentionally left the sides of the tank extra long and bent the bulkhead a bit and snapped it in place. Then it was glued in permanently. Trimming the sides to the shape of the end was easy after that. Take a look at the second photo down from the top and you will see what I just described.

Its got skirts now! Got them done this afternoon. Still some cleaning up to do on the bottom tank surfaces. Still to decide if the top where the two filler manholes go should be narrowed up. It looks to wide and high right now. Rear bumper to be added along with the typical pintle hook and rings for chains. More detailing to take place on the tank itself and get the landing gear made up.

A bit more progress today getting the strip stock glued in and sanded. Still some filling in certain spots but overall it looks ok. Nice and strong with no warping or unsightly dips in the surface. It's coming along and won't be long before it can be hitched up to the tractor.

Got the trailer started using a boat building method. Made up some bulkheads (trailers had them to keep liquid from sloshing around) and then began adding strips of Evergreen to shape the sides. Rather than try and curve sheet stock which has a tendency to buckle in the middle, the strips stay straight and only need to be sanded down and filled to make the surface smooth. I filled in the bottom with some 2 part resin to strengthen it and make it easier to sand the outside. Still plenty of work to do but it's a start.

What they said. That would be the normal location for them.

Oh, Man! Clean as a whistle!! 👍😉

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

Well done, George! Like it a lot!

Glad you like it David. Thanks for the kind comments, all.

Excellent work! Nice and clean, crisp details. Lookin' good!

HOw did you pick that out!?? Had to shave some of it away though.☺️

Nice job on the Magirus aerial!! Got a photo of the front view??

Finishing touches were added to the build today. A fine amount of weathering was done here and there. Fire extinguisher added to the interior of the cab and two GI gas cans were mounted above the fuel tank. Electric and air brake lines are coiled up waiting for the next build which hopefully will be a Heil F2 2000 gallon tank trailer.

Hey, Bob. I turned the mirrors from aluminum rod. Just drilled a small hole in the back for a pin and added the arm. The other end of the arm fits inside a small section of square channel and with a pin through both.

Beginning to close in on the finish line. Still plenty to go but many of the details have been added to both the cab and chassis. The wood decking over the gas tank and frame have been added along with door handles inside and out, rear view mirrors and the cab interior is done. The spare tires are mounted on separate brackets that are attached to the frame. Early versions of the U-7144 had steel deck plates but as the war wore on, wood was substituted for the steel. It did the job for uses that did not get a lot of wear. I used some basswood strips to form the decks and retained some of the openness of the grain for contrast. And work has begun on the soft top using two ply tissue with white glue/water mix to shrink and stiffen it. Decals have been added and I ended up changing the windshield wipers. The first ones didn't look that good and fortunately they were easy to remove.

Only one way to find out, Peter! Give it a try and let us know how it does! Most pieces are relatively small and don't take long to do. The only downside is that after a while the erasers get hard and have to be replaced with another pencil!😆