2021 Pierce Ascendent Tower

[Chariots of Fire]

I've accomplished what I wanted to do with the military models and am returning to fire apparatus modeling.  This one is going to take some time and it will be BIG!  Still at 1/25 scale but the real rig is huge.  There will be a lot to do but there is no hurry.  I've started on the frame and wheels and will show some pics soon.  The wheelbase is 280" (280 mm in 1/25 scale).  The Trumpeter ALF kit will a donor for some parts but much will be scratch built.

 

[Gary Chastain]

Will follow your build. 

[Engine 51]

Will be interested in following this. A very ambitious project for sure, please share your scratch building work. 

[vincen47]

Oh boy, this will be an awesome build to follow!

[GLMFAA1]

Looking forward to see all the working parts this fine watch that Charlie will build. You know I have a derelict Trumpeter ALF so if you need extra parts, let me know.

greg

[Rockford]

I think you need a medal for even considering it, I'd run away screaming! It'll  be real achievement.  

[Chariots of Fire]

Well I just made my first mistake with it.  It does not have a 280" wheel base, only 268"!  So I had to cut 12 scale inches out of the frame.  Got it back together ok.  Need to pay closer attention!!!?

[gotnitro?]

really looking forward to your progress ! 

[youngtiger1]

Now that’s a beautiful truck. Cannot wait to see how your skills at work on this. Don’t be shy about taking photos and posting ?

[Chariots of Fire]

I'll  be posting progress shortly.  A couple more things regarding the front axle to get solved and then the pics will come.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Chariots of Fire
spelling

[Chariots of Fire]

First posting of the work in progress.  This is a big model by model standards but is to scale in 1/25.  Wheel base is 268" which is 10.5 inches.  The majority of the frame is from the Trumpeter ALF kit with the back portion coming from an Ertl International kit.  Some liberties have been taken with the tandem axles to make them movable.  The IH kit parts when glued together don't move at all.  By drilling out the trunnion portion and the ends of the connecting rods to each axle they were pinned with brass tubing and rod sections.  They are kept in alignment using the torsion rods at the top of each axle and connecting them to the frame cross member.

The tires and wheels are resin castings from the Trumpeter ALF as well.  Why not use the soft rubber tires and chrome wheels?  Well, that's just me.  I'll use Alclad on the wheels and Tamiya TS-82 rubber black on the tires.

In the background is a drawing of the cab at 1/25 scale from the truck plan.  Evergreen sheet stock and PVC tubing will be used to form the basic shape.  The grill I have already made from the Jacksonville model of a couple of years ago so it's a matter of casting another one and then doing the Alclad thing on it.

Each axle has a brass tube to hold the wheels.  Inside each wheel is another brass tube that acts as a bushing to allow the wheels to rotate and without wobble.  The tubing also increases the strength to support the final weight which will likely be a lot given the size of the aerial device.  The axle tubing will be filled with plastic rod, which will be drilled out for screws and washers to hold the wheels and tires in place.  Each screw will be covered as part of the final build. 

The rear portion of the frame will likely be made longer once I know where the body will sit.  But that is a way down the building road.  Cab will come before that.  In the meantime there is some detailing to be done on the frame and get the wheels and tires mounted with the screws and washers.  More to  come.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Chariots of Fire

[gotnitro?]

Excellent start! Good idea using the brass rods for added strength 

[Chariots of Fire]

3 hours ago, gotnitro? said:

Excellent start! Good idea using the brass rods for added strength 

Done that a lot, Jeff.  It works well.

[Rockford]

Impressive stuff. The operable suspension is excellent. 

You cast your own stuff then?

Edited October 30, 2023 by Rockford

[Chariots of Fire]

4 minutes ago, Rockford said:

Impressive stuff. The operable suspension is excellent. 

You cast your own stuff then?

Yep!☺️

[vincen47]

I prefer resin tires too, in heavy builds like this, as they are stronger and don’t have the potential to fail over time. A smart choice. Excellent design of the axles, too. Do you have plans for an engine?

[Chariots of Fire]

13 hours ago, vincen47 said:

I prefer resin tires too, in heavy builds like this, as they are stronger and don’t have the potential to fail over time. A smart choice. Excellent design of the axles, too. Do you have plans for an engine?

HI Vince.  I don't think so.  There is enough to do without getting into that.  To do so would mean having the cab tilt just to see the engine.  One of the few models I have built outside of the 1/32 scale Monogram Macks that don't have engines.

[vincen47]

10 hours ago, Chariots of Fire said:

HI Vince.  I don't think so.  There is enough to do without getting into that.  To do so would mean having the cab tilt just to see the engine.  One of the few models I have built outside of the 1/32 scale Monogram Macks that don't have engines.

Understandable. It’s a massive project, and that would be a huge cab to tilt. It’ll be a fantastic build regardless. I have a Trumpeter Eagle in the stash that I’ll get to someday. Whenever I think about the build I ponder putting a Series 60 under the cab. I remember seeing someone do that before.

[Chariots of Fire]

4 minutes ago, vincen47 said:

Understandable. It’s a massive project, and that would be a huge cab to tilt. It’ll be a fantastic build regardless. I have a Trumpeter Eagle in the stash that I’ll get to someday. Whenever I think about the build I ponder putting a Series 60 under the cab. I remember seeing someone do that before.

That would work for sure.  It's really a shame that Trumpeter did not include interior side panels for the cab.  But I'm opening the doors on this one so the panels will be done.  Doors will be brass on the outside with inside plastic sheet.

[Chariots of Fire]

Got a bit more done on the frame, tires and wheels.  The tires are mounted and painted.  I used Tamiya TS-82 rubber black on the tires and Molotow chrome on the wheels.  The wheels have to be super clean.  Any tiny bit of dust particles gets picked up in it.  But they didn't turn out too bad.  I made the hubs of plastic tubing and gave them a chrome finish as well.  The Trumpeter kit has two but I needed four for this project so they had to be made up.  The tie rod is done and the frame is now painted black.  Work has begun on the front of the cab.  Will post some pix soon.

[gotnitro?]

Looking forward to your progress pics

[hct728(Bob)]

A very ambitious project! I'm still hesitant to start building my kit straight out of the box, there's so many parts! 

Nice work on those castings, the wheels/tires look great already

Just wondering if all those rivets on the stock frame (in white) are supposed to be there

[Chariots of Fire]

I don't know about the rivets, Bob but they are there and I'm not sanding them off except where I have to.  Anyway here are some up to date photos of the progress on the build.

The frame has been painted and the wheels and tires mounted.  The wheels were done with Molotow chrome.  Tires painted with Tamiya TS-82 rubber black.  Still the best looking rubber simulation I have found yet.  And it dries quite quickly.  The pump is from the Trumpeter kit but I'm not mounting it until I'm sure where it needs to be.  

Here's the under side.  The tie rod is fixed to the wheel backings and is made of strip brass and brass tubing.  Exhaust is right from the kit, painted with Duplicolor chrome and then given a wash of black and brown acrylics.

The cab has been started.  It's a combination of 0.030 and 0.040 Evergreen sheet stock with strip stock stiffeners at the corners.  The front corners are PVC pipe sections.  The grill was done in Renshape but it needs to be done again.  Studying the photo of the real truck the mesh grill sits real tight to the face of the grill surround and this one won't do that.  I need to carve out the back first so that the mesh will have a place to sit and then sand down the front.  Too late to do it on this one.  Top edges of the cab are 0.060 half round strip stock.

The cab interior needs some additional stiffening before the doors can be cut out.  The kit interior tub will be used but modified to fit and more closely resemble the interior of a Pierce Arrow cab.  The doors will be made of brass with brass tubing hinges.

This is not where the cab will sit on the frame.  The back needs to be notched out and the front of the frame needs to be shorted some.

[Gary Chastain]

Scratch building is so rewarding, the skill to build something not offered and to allow creativity, fun to watch your builds. 

[gotnitro?]

Excellent progress on your Pierce cab. I never would've thought about pvc for rounded corners, gotta save that idea!