Atlantis Gas Tanker - Sinclair Graphics

[Joe Nunes]

Being one to not leave well enough alone Joyce and I went to the local model club meeting yesterday afternoon.  And, of course, we rejoined the club. And, of course, I was immediately handed a printed sheet with the upcoming monthly build themes. The theme for March is Big Rigs and, of course, even with all the different big rigs I have driven over the years there wasn’t a big rig kit to be found in my model room.  No problem ?, I would get a theme model at HL at 40% off and be good to go.  Trouble was the only “big rig” model kit on the shelves was this Atlantis Gas Tanker kit and it is certainly not a very big model, being cast in 1/48 scale.  Nevertheless, I like the style and here we are.  ?

Normally it takes me at least a week to open the kit box, another week to get the instructions out of the box, another week to get the bag of parts out of the box….well, that’s usually how it goes with me. 
 

I surprised myself last evening by actually opening the kit box, putting the decals in a protective plastic bag, and then starting the parts cleanup process. Stopped this morning around 2AM (???) and even cleaned one part!  Thought it would be a good idea to get some sleep…?

My thoughts:  very nice box art, nice decals for either the Sinclair or the military tanker version, the instruction sheet is nicely drawn albeit without written instructions, and last but not least the parts look quite nice for the most part considering the age of the kit.  All in all the kit looks to be a fun build. 
 

Anyone having built this particular kit, or who may be working on one of the gas tanker kits presently is welcome to join in with your thoughts, comments and photos if you would like to share them with us. 
 

So, I am looking at building this gas tanker model OOB per the box art with additional paint detailing as the build progresses. Hopefully the model will be completed by the next model club meeting…which, for me at least, is comparable to thinking Santa is going to come early this year!  ??

Joe

[TooOld]

I built one of the originals many many MANY moons ago and it does make a nice looking tanker when finished .  Don't remember what was involved but a little tweaking of the interior floor/seats part and I was able to assemble and paint the body in one piece then install the floor afterward . I'm sure you can work some magic and blow everybody away and your next meeting !

[TransAmMike]

Good to see you are gonna get started on the tank truck.  I'm wondering if the plastic could just be polished...no paint.

[Joe Nunes]

3 hours ago, TooOld said:

I built one of the originals many many MANY moons ago and it does make a nice looking tanker when finished .  Don't remember what was involved but a little tweaking of the interior floor/seats part and I was able to assemble and paint the body in one piece then install the floor afterward . I'm sure you can work some magic and blow everybody away and your next meeting !

You are being way too kind, especially since I have not finished a plastic model build in over forty years!  I am learning how to "do the walk" all over again. ?

1 hour ago, TransAmMike said:

Good to see you are gonna get started on the tank truck.  I'm wondering if the plastic could just be polished...no paint.

Well, after taking a fresh look at the parts this morning I found there is a lot more cleanup and such than I originally thought. Have spent quite some time on the engine halves, for example, in order to get them looking nice; short shot divot holes, soft detail transitions and there is even a mismatched cylindrical item that has to be corrected...at least on my model build. The good news is that the plastic sands/works easy enough. Had actually given thought to polishing the plastic, however, I am glad I have the paint to use. ?

Joe 

[Gary Chastain]

What club did you join? I heard there is one in TC. 

[Joe Nunes]

Hi Gary, the club name is Great Lakes Scale Modelers and the meeting is held at the Traverse City Library (main branch building) on the second Saturday of every month. Meeting starts at 1 PM and goes to 3 - 4 PM or so. Come visit next month and bring your Big Rigs as that's the meeting theme.  ?

Joe

[Joe Nunes]

Spending time at the bench doing some additional cleanup work on the parts. This is a cool model folks with a lot more detail than I initially thought would be on a kit issued many, many, moons ago. I think it deserves some extra TLC, and that should reward me with a good looking, and darn cute if nothing else, model gas tanker.   ?

Joe

[TonyK]

I've thought about grabbing this model several times because it's such a unique vehicle and I like figures when they're included in a kit. Your pictures and comments are tempting me even more.

[Joe Nunes]

1 hour ago, TonyK said:

I've thought about grabbing this model several times because it's such a unique vehicle and I like figures when they're included in a kit. Your pictures and comments are tempting me even more.

Go for it!  If you can purchase this kit at HL during their 40% off week sale it becomes even better.  Be prepared for some extra cleanup and sanding time at the bench before you paint if you are so inclined as I am.  This is a pretty neat kit and I am even enjoying the preliminary cleanup chore...imagine that!  ???

Joe

[Joe Nunes]

Well, the honeymoon is over on this kit. ?  Tonight I thought I would fit the five engine parts together to check out the fit seeing as the engine parts are now cleaned up. Only five parts here so should not take too long..; nothing fit correctly...not one engine part.  The engine halves didn't fit together and I ended up drilling the receptor holes larger for the mounting pins and then fiddled around with adjusting the three location pins to line up with the pin holes. Finally got the two halves to fit properly though the detail on one half doesn't necessarily match up with the detail on the other half.  More match sanding tomorrow.  The head didn't fit the location openings, and, didn't sit flat on top of the engine block. Ended up sanding the top of the engine surface flat, adjusted the locating "pins" on the bottom of the head and then sanded the port side of the head so it would not touch the upright part on the port side of the engine. Now the head lays flat on top of the engine. Oh, there is an opening under the head, on the port side, that will need to be filled with a small piece of plastic...tomorrow.  Then there's the front piece for the engine that wobbled from side to side until that problem was addressed. Got the exhaust piece into position and realized I needed to add a small piece of round plastic stock to one of the mounting locations in order to make it look right.  Gosh...this was only five parts.  It is definitely going to take a wee bit more time to build this gas tanker than I originally thought.  Just thought you might want to know what I have run into thus far at the workbench.  However, I am enjoying the challenge and having fun. ?

Joe

[Gary Chastain]

Wow, gonna test your skills or patience 

[Straightliner59]

5 hours ago, Joe Nunes said:

The engine halves didn't fit together and I ended up drilling the receptor holes larger for the mounting pins and then fiddled around with adjusting the three location pins to line up with the pin holes.

Generally, with engine halves, I sand the mating surfaces with sandpaper, on a flat surface, then align them manually. It's the easiest way to go about that particular task!?

Edited February 16, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Joe Nunes]

That's exactly what I did, my friend, once when the halves were originally cleaned up...and again and again when the halves were placed together with the other engine parts.  ?  What fun!  It's all good now so onwards we go!  ?

Joe

[TonyK]

Thanks for the update. I've always wondered how pieces end up this bad when developed and no one cares.

[Joe Nunes]

These are pieces from an old kit offering that came out years ago. As such, and even with new boxing (that I think is pretty neat), and instructions and new glass, it's still the same 'ol kit. Actually, the extra time at the bench to bring this cute model kit to "life" doesn't bother me at all; my posts are nothing more than letting folks know what I have encountered with this particular kit. You may find your particular kit of this subject to be different in its own way.  The last thing I want to do is just "slap" the model together, spray some paint on the model, toss the tanker on the shelf, and then call it good. That's not going to happen in my hobby room. I have discovered that this build is going to require some extra TLC in order to complete the model to the desired level of finish that satisfies me.  It is all about the fun derived from the build experience.  ?

Joe

[Tcoat]

I have one of these that I have fiddled with a bit but never started actual assembly. Mine will be "curbside" for a military jet refueling diorama so I will be only assembling enough of the engine to fill the gap when viewed from below.

It is typical of the early 50's molds where it somehow manages to have a pile of detail and no detail at the same time. A little bit of extras will take it a long way.

Some of the things I plan whenever I get to this:

The interior consists of seats, a rough representation of an instrument panel and a steering wheel. That is it. I know it is a smaller scale and won't be easy to see in but I will do up some basic door panels with handles and winders, a shift lever and some switches. Maybe some nice floor mats since there would be no carpeting in these things.

The wheels do not fit on the axles well at at all. They will need some adjustments.

Although the piping and vale system are done fairly well it will need some hoses and separate handles for the valves. 

I may redo the valve set doors since they are about 8 scale inches thick. This is of course to allow the hinges to work though so I am on the fence still.

Will drill out the headlights and taillights and use some clear in there. 

Haven't looked up pictures but there needs to be some sort of air line mount for hooking up to the trailer. If above chassis and visible I will do but if underneath it will be imaginary. 

May come up with more when actually building.

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Tcoat

[Tcoat]

1 hour ago, Joe Nunes said:

These are pieces from an old kit offering that came out years ago. As such, and even with new boxing (that I think is pretty neat), and instructions and new glass, it's still the same 'ol kit. Actually, the extra time at the bench to bring this cute model kit to "life" doesn't bother me at all; my posts are nothing more than letting folks know what I have encountered with this particular kit. You may find your particular kit of this subject to be different in its own way.  The last thing I want to do is just "slap" the model together, spray some paint on the model, toss the tanker on the shelf, and then call it good. That's not going to happen in my hobby room. I have discovered that this build is going to require some extra TLC in order to complete the model to the desired level of finish that satisfies me.  It is all about the fun derived from the build experience.  ?

Joe

Yours has the "glass"? Mine is an older boxing and has no glass at all. Luckily it is all pretty much flat.

[Joe Nunes]

Yes, my kit has the “glass” tree included which is a nice touch for the model.  I took photos of the glass and instructions. You may want to check  with Atlantis and see if they sell the glass tree separately if so inclined. 
 

I also took a few photos of the engine items so you can see how small the parts are, and a photo of the small fire extinguisher too, all before final sanding and paint work.  ?

Joe

[Tcoat]

40 minutes ago, Joe Nunes said:

Yes, my kit has the “glass” tree included which is a nice touch for the model.  I took photos of the glass and instructions. You may want to check  with Atlantis and see if they sell the glass tree separately if so inclined. 
 

I also took a few photos of the engine items so you can see how small the parts are, and a photo of the small fire extinguisher too, all before final sanding and paint work.  ?

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like the windshield has a bit of a compound curve to it but should be able to get a flat piece to work. It will be years before I ever get to it though. That looks like some beautifully molded glass and it is obvious it is much newer than the old parts. Do your figures have big gapping holes in their torsos? Mine look like the truck exploded and there were fatalities. 

As much of what I have done in the past is aircraft I am used to working in the 1/48th scale. In fact I bought this kit specifically because it was 1/48 and would work with the early jets. 

[Joe Nunes]

Yepper, the two figures look as though they had a rough day on the job.  Your idea of using the tanker as part of a 1/48 scale aviation diorama interesting.   ?

Joe

[stavanzer]

What Jet are you planning on, Tony?

[Joe Nunes]

Have been continuing the cleanup task on the model parts. Added a bushing piece to the back of the engine because the opening was too large for the driveshaft. Cut off the mismatched generator from the engine frontal piece, redefined the generator location, added a pin locator to the generator and carved the thick engine belt down to a more realistic size. Got the engine front piece to fit square to the engine block and now the generator fits in there correctly. There’s another cylindrical piece on top of the engine that is also mismatched and I will address that situation in the same way. Have been cleaning up the cab frame and axles and they’re starting to look better. Started on the tank, which is two large pieces and it has a lot of short shot/sunken areas that will require attention. The rear elliptical panel was low all the way around the perimeter and I worked on it until I sanded the rear surface to a uniform surface. Still having fun with the kit though so onward I go…?
 

Joe

[TransAmMike]

Coming along Joe, I'm a watchin'?

[Straightliner59]

Very nice work, Joe. Looking forward to watching this come together.

[Rockford]

Good work being done here. This thing makes my snappers look easy!