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Modeller Build Logs
Humber LRC MKIII |
| By Alex Hill | | Started: | Jul 5, 2006 | | Updated: | Oct 8, 2006 |
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The LRC was part of a group of Humber vehicles which were, to varying degrees, derivatives of the Super Snipe. Whilst the MKI and II were limited by the use of a 4x2 drive train, the MKIII utilsed the independently cross sprung front axle from the Humber Heavy Utility and 4x4 15cwt trucks.
Armour plating was a less than confidence inspiring 1/2'' maximum, off-set by a respectable 45MPH top speed courtesy of Humbers own 4.1 6 cylinder petrol engine. In practice armament varied, but officially it was equipped with a .55 Boys anti-tank rifle and a Bren. However, as the war progressed the Boys ( already out classed by enemy armour in 1939)was relegated to use against light bunkers and anti-sniper duties, so most late war LRC's are generally seen without the rifle fitted.
Which brings me to the BLOG. The primary aim is to build IMA's Humber LRC with a detailed interior, but if sufficient references can be found, the scope may widen to include an engine and an improved drive train.
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| Wheels | Sep 25, 2006 |
The IMA wheels are OK, but not great. The tread pattern is a little generic and the wheel nuts are indistinct. To provide a more interesting alternative I've borrowed the spare from my Scale Line Morris CS8 water tanker to help make some replacements. I wouldn't pretend to be an expert caster, so the following is kind of a rough and ready guide to copying parts. Of course this stuff is strictly for private use only. Anyone who starts up copying bits for sale isn't doing modeling as a whole any favours- don't do it folks!
The pictures:
1) The original kit wheels. The outer set of nuts that hold the split rim together are fine. As far as I can tell these must have been dome headed coach bolts with the nuts on the inner wheel face. The inner set would have been better with a distinct hexagon.
2) The first step is to create a mold. This involves filling the holes in the Scale Line wheel as shown in picture 4. I've used PVA glue because it peels away later without doing any damage to the original details. It also gets a short length of square section plastic stock attached which will form the 'pour plug'. By gluing the other end of the square section to the inside face of the molding box, the wheel is suspended somewhere near the centre. A couple of spare stowage boxes are also glued temporarily to provide some room for escaping air and excess resin. They will be unharmed by the process, so it doesn't matter what you use. With that done, the whole thing gets a squirt of aerosol release agent and the rubber is poured in.
3) A day or so later, the rubber is set and with a little gentle persuasion the block containing the wheel can be removed from the casting box. Now a razor blade is used to cut an opening for the original wheel to be removed. The smaller this opening is the better. Now small channels can be cut to the breather holes. It's important to this. Obviously as the resin goes in, air comes out. If you rely on it escaping through the pour hole, there's a good chance that an air lock will prevent resin reaching every corner of the mold. Moving back to the casting box; drill a good sized hole where that square section of plastic was attached.
2) (again) Now the rubber can be pushed back into the box. Because the mold is basically still in one piece and because the rubber is a perfect fit in the box, there's no need to worry about alignment or clamping. All that's needed now is to pour the resin in. I find the best results come from injecting the resin with a syringe fitted with an extension tube. This means the mold filled from the bottom up. When the resin starts to show in the breathers it's a good idea to tap the thing on the work bench to release any air bubbles.
5) At the end of all this buggering about, you get an ugly specimen like this. Large quantities of filler show that I didn't do very well at getting the air bubbles out of this one.
6) Where the pour plug was attached there's a flat spot, which is no bad thing as it provides a 'weighted' effect at the bottom of the finished wheel. The Humber wheel centre is a lot different to the Morris, so it's cut out ready for replacement.
7) The wheel is completed with a plastic card centre and the hub piece from the IMA kit. The bolt heads are Grandt Line. These are old news to a lot of people, but it's the first time I've used them (thanks to Roy Chow for the recommendation) and they are by far the best nut and bolt product I've tried.
8) A lick of paint and that's a completed wheel!
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