Chariots of Fire

Looks like you have hit the nail on the head! The real one shows that you have!!

Thanks, Helmut. I've seen some really outstanding military models done with a brush and it was impossible to tell that they were not airbrushed, the finish was so smooth. It's too bad that paints today are not made with the durability and quality that they once had.

If that cab and hood is an example of brush painting, that is outstanding! What kind of paint and what brushes did you use?

I like Duplicolor paints. Prime first to get out all the flaws that don't show up on the bare plastic. Then sand and fill in bad spots or sand down high spots. Prime again and sand. Do that until the primer is smooth. Wash in warm soapy water and let air dry. Then start the color coats. Duplicolor sprays very fine and is at a good pressure just coming from the can. It also has an adjustable nozzle that lets you paint a fan type spray either horizontal or vertical. It comes vertical and that's the way I keep it. Sand the first coat down. Spray again to catch the areas that didn't get it the first time. Let dry and sand without going through the color. Wash, air dry and give a coat or two that covers well. Let it dry and polish it out with Novus.?

I did the PW decals a long time ago. I may still have them in the CAD file for the ALPS. Will get back and let you guys know.

That is about the best weathering I have ever seen. Show's that you know where it happens. Nice subtle stuff, not to heavy, in just the right places.?

Yesterday and today I worked on the front bumper using the smashed one as a guide. I was able to glue the pieces back together for the size and shape but there was no way to attach it to the front of the truck. These Corgi rigs have been around a while but it is amazing how brittle the plastic is that was used in the construction. It reminds me of the old bakelite stuff that was used in model trains back in the day. I made the replacement bumper from brass sheet and strip stock. The strip stock was annealed to soften it some for bending and was curved using a template from the old bumper. Then the bent strip was soldered to a piece of thin sheet stock. Once soldered together the edges were ground away to final shape and size. On top of the bumper I put a piece of stainless treadplate given to me by a fellow modeler. It is wonderful stuff but is ultra thin and only cuts with a pair of aircraft type shears. I cut away as much as I could without distorting it and then used the dremel and cutoff wheel to eat away at the edges. The final shape was done with a file. This material is peculiar in that it does not bond to CA or epoxy. I tried both and it just came off. I finally settled on contact cement and that seemed to work, although I did have a corner pull up a bit. A small amount of contact cement was eased between the brass top and the stainless and then it was clamped until set. The face of the Mack bumper has three chrome bars that run horizontally to the outside edges. Small brass wire was soldered to the bumper face to represent these bars. The bumper was given a coat of etching primer and then BMF was put over the entire bumper face. Next was a coat of red paint. After the paint was dry I removed the paint from the bars to reveal the BMF. They look decent as chrome strips like the real one. Having to make up the bumper, it was a good opportunity to salvage the two hooks from the old bumper, attach them after holes were drilled in the top of the bumper and then make up a Federal Q2B siren. That was turned from aluminum rod and with some decals for the slots in the outside of the siren and a decal face it is a good representation (IMHO!!). Lastly some 3M white tape was added to the sides of the platform to represent the heat shield. With the work done, the rig will go back to the builder's shops for finish of the body and to add some other details of the Mack Snorkel.

I just got an update on the project. The recipient of the project got his Springfield Mack via an outside source and it came with a completely smashed front bumper. So now the Chariots of Fire shops have to build a new bumper for the rig.?️☺️

There are a variety of ways. Depends on how fancy you want to get and what type of gages you want to reproduce. 1. Take a photo of the real gage and scale it down to where you could punch out the gage face. I used to take photos with a 50mm lens and stand away about 15 feet when I took the photo. Printing the photos out on a 4x6 sheet gave the size of the gage in 2/25 scale. 2. Go to Model Car Garage and purchase gage faces and photoetch bezels for particular cars or get the variety pack. 3. Make them on a cad program and print them out. Make bezels out of aluminum tubing.

Two last items were needed to complete my end of the project. Two Crouse-Hind lights in 1/50 scale were needed along with one more Deitz light for the platform. A master spotlight was turned from aluminum rod and a mold was then made of RTV. Two resin castings were made. The light bases are made of brass. Bare metal foil was placed over the lens and trimmed. Then each light was primed and given a coat of aluminum paint. After the paint dried the BMF was peeled off to show the translucent (casting resin) lens. A piece of thread was added to the rear of each light for the electric cord. The Deitz light was made from 1/8" diameter brass rod. The base and light itself were turned separately and then soldered together. The light was painted silver with a white dot for the lens. it will be mounted on the corner of the platform opposite the one already made. The spotlights are mounted on the pumper just to show the relative size. On the final rig the deck gun would not be there allowing more room for each light.

The snorkel is done and has been delivered for eventual mounting on the back of a completed Mack L. One small Deitz light has to be made for the corner of the platform but that's about it.

I was thinking the same thing, Jeff!?

I've got some vinegar left over from cleaning a Model A carburetor. Maybe that's a good bet. Will try it out. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yes, a lot of brass but it has been a fun project so far. Figuring out what to solder and where has been a bit of a challenge but it has worked. A small amount of work left to do such as the braces for the long sections of waterway. Then I think it is close to being ready for some paint. The biggest problem I have had with brass is that it does not hold paint that well. It tends to chip and wear easily. I've tried etching primer but that is not foolproof. I do have to plate the two hydraulic pistons but I have the plating solution for that.

More work completed on the Snorkel. The base is completed and the riser for the deck gun has been extended. It's almost ready for paint. The base will be red while the boom and turntable part and basket will be white.

Got some more work done. The basic construction is done. The waterway is complete to the basket where a deck gun would be mounted. The base of the snorkel has been screwed to the bed of the new body from the bottom. The rest of the base work can now be done knowing that it fits snugly into place. To get an idea of how the model will look I set the new body behind another Mack L and then took the photo at eye level. The boom appears to be lower than the beacon on the top of the Springfield windshield but I think that is just perspective with the boom being in the background. Getting closer to paint time but not yet.?

More study that actual engineering I think. Fortunately I have the photos but I also have a 1/32 scale Franklin Mint Snorkel that I can also look at and see how thing work together. Once I got started much of it came together quite smoothly.

This is a new build in a scale that I am not used to building in. 1:50 scale. Exactly half of 1/25 in overall size. But this Mack L pumper had a Snorkel worked into it so we are giving it a try in brass.

I put this in the wrong section. Should be in the WIP area! Future posts will be there.

have had a request to build a snorkel in 1:50 scale. The snorkel will go on the back of a Corgi L model Mack pumper that will be modified accordingly. I have the blank body from which to get measurements for the mounting of the base. The Springfield Mack is the correct size so I measured the wheelbase and adjusted the photo of the Forest Lake rig to match it. The photo above is lousy, I know. But I have a profile shot of a similar one that was transferred to a CAD program for sizing. Here's the beginning of the boom and basket made of soldered brass. The basket construction is of soldered brass using strip stock, sheet stock and rod stock. The boom is made using square brass tubing. The two lines in the upper boom section indicate how much has to be cut from it to get the correct length. Square brass stock telescopes nicely so a short section will be inserted in the boom after it is cut to maintain alignment when it's soldered back together. A similar amount needs to come off the bottom section as well but that will have to wait until the supports for the body are done. A piece of brass rod was bent to form a rectangle for the door. Sections of brass tubing were slid on and then were soldered to the upright on the basket. Now the door opens. The soldering around the edges of the basket are still rough but a little tlc will clean them up. Some of the holes near the edge need to be filled. The basket and boom will be painted white.

Len: Can you give us a look at what you are trying to do? That would help. There are several alternatives to trying to bend plastic that do not end in the plastic being in a stressed condition. Ok. Now I see. I have done similar things but I first try and take some of the stiffness out of the plastic by dragging the plastic over something round roughly where I want the bend to go. I do this several times until it becomes more pliable. Then I glue that portion of the strip that is the straightest first and then a little at a time wrap the strip in the direction I want it to go. Looks like you accomplished that.

Len: Can you give us a look at what you are trying to do? That would help. There are several alternatives to trying to bend plastic that do not end in the plastic being in a stressed condition.

Hi, Charlie: I found some VHT engine blue at Auto Zone. Closest I was able to find to the blue on the actual truck. Laid on nicely.

Watched the progress on this build from almost the beginning. Weathering is top notch and the craftsmanship is clean. A super job on one of the toughest old trucks around. Thanks for sharing, Daniel! Much appreciated!?

No, I know you weren't and I didn't take it as a criticism!? Meshanticut Fire Company in Warwick, RI had a blue Hahn back in the 1970's/80's that was pretty sharp. They are unusual, that is for sure.