Rockford

Oh yeah, cakewalk that! ? I do see what you mean. Still inventive though. Good idea on the paper templates. It's amazing how your brain processes things like this, that's why I find scratchbuilding so interesting.

Tidy job. Great work on the tanks and brackets.

Quite a challenge to get the elliptical shape of the tank right, especially the end panels with their double curvature. You did it though! Impressive stuff.

Something very impressive about that interior.

I DO like a Cummins. Well done with it.

I made the three inclined lines match the three ridges on the Aerodyne cap. I can't deny being quite pleased with myself.

It looks like a proper W900. Just hope I don't mess it up!

Brush painted the aluminium on the boxes, also masked and brush painted the tank straps. Printed my stripes on paper to determine the sizing, 17% seems right. The colours will be richer on the decal paper. Couldn't resist blacking the windscreen rubber and doing a quick mock up.

Of course, I've still got to paint the battery/tool boxes. I just thought I'd let the red cure a bit before I started masking up.

Had a nice day so decided to paint the thing. Used Post Office Red left over from the flatbed I built and some Vauxhall Arctic White which must be 15 years old. Because I don't get many good paint days it had to be prime and paint same day. I just used a grey Scotchbrite on the primer which seems to have helped the topcoat. Now the long job of reassembly.

I'd go with the winch close to the cab, the structure would also provide protection for the cab and driver so they'd want it as close as possible.

I've decided on a colour scheme for the truck. It's going to have a Post Office Red chassis with white cab and I've drawn a stripe set up for it. I took a picture of the truck as side-on as I could and opened it in Paint®. I could then draw the stripes on the profile of the truck and have a fairly certain idea that they will fit ok. Once I've got the basic shape I can fill the colours in and then erase the truck from around them. I lengthened the narrow ones to accommodate the curve of the sleeper front corner (I might print spare sections to use on the air filter housings), and then just copied and flipped the design for the other side. I'll have to do a few test prints on plain paper to determine the right size of print. Actually applying them is many moons away but the Pepsi® trailer has given me confidence.

The 1/32 AMT Snap-Fit kits have few highlights but one of them is the Holland fifth wheel which, with some careful attention, can be excellent. I've only got two, both used, so I thought I'd try making one of my own to use on this KW. I used the one off the W900 as a pattern and used masking tape to trace the shape and the details. Then I transferred that to card stock and got a basic shape. I carefully cut out the well in the middle of the plate and put another layer underneath shaped the same. I've practiced scribing the grease channels in the plate, will try that tomorrow.

I'm getting near to paint but I the weather is far too damp and I can't think of a paint scheme. In the meantime, I wondered if I could use the quarter fenders that come with the kit. For me they're far too big and crude looking, so I trimmed a piece off the bottom of the fender and the top flap. Then I filed away the three vertical braces and replaced them with 0.8mm aluminium wire, squashed flat at each end with pliers. Added a temporary mudflap on the top edge. Fairly happy with the result but as I've already drilled the chassis for the previous set of fenders they sit a little low. I'll have to see what I can do about that.

Insanity is one of my better qualities Lee! Thanks for your kind words everyone.

Looks great, interesting subject. I like the fifth wheel, looks very realistic.

Like this, you mean? I don't know, I was going to use one of my owner operators as traction providers. I don't know whether they'd like being tied in. I'll have a think about it. Thanks for the comments gents. I had to do a liveried box eventually.

I built this trailer when UK was in full lockdown, circa April 2020, the shops were all shut and I had to use what I had to hand which, after a gap of 12 years, wasn't much. I had some silver paint and BMF, so I did my best. Chassis all silver, anything white left unpainted, suspension height adjusted by leaving the slide rails out. At the time I was quite pleased but as I got back into the hobby and gained some experience with these kits, I realised it wasn't up to scratch. I decided to paint the wheels and ended up doing the whole running gear. Reworked the mudflaps to be more accurate, also converted the landing legs so that they were operable. Added BMF to the front bulkhead. Altered the reefer from the aero to the old metal cabinet type and added tell tale lights and pipework. Then I saw this, the 1/43 AMT kit and decided I would use the decals from the ESCI 20ft container kit and make myself a Pepsi trailer! Red and blue banners are decals drawn up on Paint®.

Well done. Good looking trailer.

Thanks gents, my stuff is tame in comparison to some of the jobs I see on here, wish I could build to their standard but I'm fairly happy with my work so far. Next step is the dreaded paint. I'm looking at so many pictures of W900s looking for something I like.

This is really impressive stuff, miniature engineering.

Excellent engineering!

The KW hood from AMT in 1/32 and 1/25 is great on the outside where it matters, but is missing the inner mudguard which leaves the engine compartment exposed under the fender. It's not an extension of the hood sides, it's moulded into the arch itself and has a zig-zag shape to accommodate the front wheels steering I assume. I looked for something close to the radius of the arch and found a roll of tape close so used that to get my arc, then added a piece at front for the headlamp housing. Used this as a template. Also cut a rubber flap from electrical tape, I'll glue it on later. Cut a couple of 2.5mm strips and formed the brace across the rear of the hood. Ran a bead of cement around the joins to mimic the pieces being moulded in fibreglass. Adds a little detail...

Good looking vehicle!

Some very nice touches on this job, I particularly like the door jamb sections in aluminium, there could be a risk with black of it becoming featureless. Well done sir.