Airfix model WWII U.S. GMC TRUCK 1:72 scale

[alwayzsidewayz]

Hi, Going to take the plunge and build my first model.
Decided it will be a truck, so it can then go nicly with other 1.72 planes, vehicles etc. plus the kits are cheap so if I make a complete horlicks of it, its only really time I have wasted.
has anyone any experince off this model at all.

[Eric Mc]

Not built that many Airfix vehicles but the main thing to watch out for is ensuring the wheels sit square on the ground. It's annoying when you discover that one wheel is cocked in the air

Most Airfix vehicles are actually 1/76 scale (which is a railway model scale), which means they are very slightly out when placed alongside 1/72 models. Even Airfix's airfield buioldings and vehicles sets are in 1/76 - which was a major oversight in their thinking back in the 1970s when the mouldings were made.

Having said that, the scale difference isn't too pronounced and no one else does a WW2 control tower or a WW2 RAF airfield ambulance/tanker/transporter.

There are other manufactures out there. Last weekend I bought a Luftwaffe airfield refueller made by Academy and it was in 1/72.

[alwayzsidewayz]

Cheers Eric.

My plan is to slowly build up a diarama, which vehicles and planes from 1944, I am hoping to build it as a temporay runway base after D Day, as I love the look of the planes from then.
But after your advice on the wrong scale, I thing I will maybe look elsewhere. Not keen on a 3 wheeled truck either.

I only want to spend upto £10, as I have no idea if I will be any good at model building.

[Eric Mc]

I don't think the discrepancy between 1/76 and 1/72 is big enough an issue to worry about. Airfix (as far as I know) are the only company that produced plastic WW2 RAF airfield service vehicles at reasonable.

There is a series of white metal kits available from Matador Models which might be suitable for your needs.

This is their 1/72 vehicle range

http://matadormodels.co.uk/yairfield2%2072nd/lists...

[rhinochopig]

Having done a few 1/72 vehicle models my advice would be don't bother. The detail isn't there and they're too fiddly. If I were you I'd go with a tamiya 1/35 scale instead. Much better detail and accuracy IMO.

[72twink]

This falls into your price bracket and will be a better kit than Airfix as it's much more recent - 1/72nd too!

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/IBG72001

[Zad]

72twink said:

This falls into your price bracket and will be a better kit than Airfix as it's much more recent - 1/72nd too!

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/IBG72001

You mean apart from "Availability: This has sold out but will be back in stock again soon"?

[72twink]

I simply used Hannants as they had a good pic of the box lid - I'm sure it's available elsewhere

[Eric Mc]

Airfix kits are cheap and generally available - and that is sometimes enough.

1/35 is the most popular military figure and vehicle scale but there are not many aircraft kits in this scale (although the number is growing). This makes it a difficult scale in which to construct airfield dioramas.

[alwayzsidewayz]

Thank you guys for the help and links.

A lot to think about, I think I will stay 1:72 as for no other reasons other than space, The display area I have in mind is limited and I want to get a few bit on display, rather than just one or two items. But thank you for the info re the bigger scale models, If i get good, then I would like to build up some other vehicles.

I like the Albion truck link shown by eric I must admit, with the fuel tender as well.
watch this space! I will commit soon and then you will all share my possibly painful model making journey

[SlipStream77]

A nice collection to look through here...

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/-c-173_182.h...

I like the tank transporters

[gruffgriff]

SlipStream77 said:

A nice collection to look through here...

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/-c-173_182.h...

I like the tank transporters

Nice collection indeed; currently I`m having great fun re-living my youth by building some of Matchbox`s classic 1:76th scale military/diorama kits (the Puma coming together on the bench is copywrited 1974!) so I`m a bit out of touch, but had to seriously reign in temptation - what a lot of juicy, little, stuff there is out there! Couldn`t resist seeking out the Academy Dodge WC-54 Ambulance though.......it`s just been delivered and the detail and crispness reminds me with great fondness of the Italeri 1/35th kit!
Thanks for the eye opener!

[Eric Mc]

Matchbox started releasing plastic model kits in 1972. Their first ever kit was the 1/72 Hawker Fury biplane, which has just be re-released by Revell.

[gruffgriff]

Yeah, old as me (nearly) but ageing better! Interesting site at www.matchboxkits.org ; glad to find enthusiasts are keeping the multi-coloured flame alive!

[Eric Mc]

gruffgriff said:

Yeah, old as me (nearly) but ageing better! Interesting site at www.matchboxkits.org ; glad to find enthusiasts are keeping the multi-coloured flame alive!

Quite a few ex-Matchbox models have resurfaced since the original demise of Matchbox kits themselves. Revell have most of the old Matchbox moulds. The only major differences between the Revell issues and the original Matchbox ones are that Revell mould the kits in standard grey polystyrene (which is actually better for "serious" modeller), the instructions are different and, by and large, the decal sheets are better.

The Fury in its Revell and Matchbox guise -

Revell



Matchbox

[dr_gn]

This box art was on Britmodeller a while ago. Strange thing is, the Revell aircraft illustration is *identical* to the original Matchbox version in terms of geometry, but has a different setting and colour scheme: