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Modeller Build Logs
Scratch-building an Sd.Kfz.61 Radio Truck |
| By Paul Cunningham | | Started: | Jan 27, 2007 | | Updated: | Apr 2, 2008 |
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It's been awhile since I built a model, life gets in the way. My last real project was my scratch-built Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf. A in the gallery ( http://www.track-link.net/gallery/1103 ) and that was several years ago. I had a great idea for a diorama of that with a radio truck so I decided to pick up where I had left off.
The Sd.Kfz.61 was built on several chassis including the Mercedes G3, Bussig-NAG G31, and Magirus M206. I decided to use the Magirus as the chassis because I have some pretty good references for it and I just like the look of that truck with its knobby tires. The M206 was a 1.5ton truck built from 1934 to 1937 with several different bodies including the Kfz.61. It served with the Wehrmacht at least through the beginning of the Barbarossa campaign. It had a 70hp 6 cylinder 4.5 ltr gasoline engine.I will try to make the model as accurately as possible however where references lack I reserve the right to take "SWAGS" (scientific wildass guesses) and use a little "Gizmology". I,ve started with my own scale drawings which I will include for your reference. Please note that not all the detail has been added to the drawings as I only needed to work out the basic dimensions.
Thanks,
Paul |
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| The Frame | Apr 2, 2008 |
The one area of the project were I lack any decent reference material is in the frame. I have small glimpses of it in some of the better close up photos, but not a good overall view. Based on some of these photos and the scale drawings I was able to design a basic framework that matches the photos in the visible areas. From here I laid out the suspension and then the modeling gods smiled upon me.
Italeri released its Sd.Kfz.232 kit! the Sd.Kfz.232 was built by three firms, Bussing NAG, Daimler Benz,and Magirus.these three companies all used the same frame for their medium weight trucks including the M206. The Sd.Kfz.232 was built on the same frame albeit somewhat beefed up.
I began playing with the frame from an Italeri Blitz I had in my spare parts box, I eventually carved and cut it up so much that in hindsight it would have been just as easy to start from scratch. The only parts I ended up using were the side frames and even those I hacked up pretty good.
As far as the suspension is concerned I used a pair of rear axles from the Blitz kit that I had and scratch built the double leaf spring assembly around them. I was also able to use the front leaf springs from the Opel kit. The axels had to be cut down to the proper width and then a plastic rod was inserted through them to attach the wheels.
When I finally aquired an Italeri kit my scratch built parts and frame matched up perfect with the kit parts. This kind of affirmation gives one a lot of confidence in your scale drawings.
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