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Post by bowman on Feb 24, 2013 17:35:38 GMT
Apologies if this starts a little terse, but this is the third time that i've typed these words, but thanks to "windows updates" and various other IT "features" the previous two have been lost (anybody who wants to see Bill Gates slowly spit roasted, please sign up here!) Anyway, back to the plot... I have started a new build to go with my next major project - JCB 410M FLRT (Fork Lift Rough Terrain) at 1/24 scale, because the JCB was hardly ever seen without a ULC on the forks. The ULC was a fabricated steel container that was welded to its own steel pallet, and held 34 tubes containing 17 155mm HE shells and 17 charges. They were usually delivered to the RA eight at a time on DROPS flatracks, which gave the Royal artilley 136 opportunities to worry someone other than their intended target.... A picture of the ULC
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Post by okdoky on Feb 24, 2013 17:55:20 GMT
Hi Steve I see they have a mesh grill inside as well !!! Is that reinforcement on the inside of the thin panels ?? Nige
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2013 18:30:38 GMT
Another build to look forward to Steve ...
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Post by bowman on Feb 24, 2013 19:02:36 GMT
Nige,
Not all the ULCs had the "weld mesh" inside the back panel. That said, it might be an area for further research...
Nick, thanks for looking in - more to follow soon
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Post by bowman on Feb 24, 2013 20:04:59 GMT
this is just a "taster" to give an idea of what the finished ULC will look like, although the final version will be a lovely cadbury's chocolate brown... I shall attempt to show the scratch build in a stage-by-stage progression. Here's the first (the front panel): and the second (back panel with the supporting framework, which was added using 1.0mm x 1.00mm square rod) The door release rods were then added using 0.7mm rod the next stage was to build the main frame for the ULC using 2.0mm x 2.0mm square rod The next part to build was the lower part of the pallet base, which was constructed from 4.0mm x 1.0mm strip
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Post by okdoky on Feb 24, 2013 20:13:46 GMT
Steve
That is a cracking step by step !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looks like I will need to get to Wonderland or Marrionville and stock up on appropriate sizes of plastic !!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep em coming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nige
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Post by bowman on Feb 24, 2013 20:16:54 GMT
This is a view of the pallet from below Having completed the main frame it was time to turn attention to the pallet base, which was made using 0.5mm plastruct card The tubes that form the matrix of the ULC were put together from 7.3mm diameter tube, wrapped with 0.4mm rod. It's worth noting which way round the rod runs, as I managed to get it wrong on the first two! Couldn't resist adding a few tubes to the frame to see what it might look like. More to follow tomorrow. Cheers, Steve
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Post by bowman on Feb 25, 2013 9:30:10 GMT
Having fixed the main frame elements, the next bits to be tackled were some of the detail around the top of the frame. On either side of the top are three strengthened brackets; two short ones at front and rear and a longer one in the centre. Not the best photo in the world, I'm afraid. This view shows the triangular strengthening brackets: This gives a slightly better view of the two rounded brackets fixed to the underside of the front top frame which are drilled to accept the front panel locking rods. Still only managed to finish seven tubes - all the others are cut to length and de-burred, but I've run out of 0.015" rod for the spiral reinforcement (each tube uses about 7"). I also decided that it was about time to fix the pallet base in place. I decided that the next area to tackle was the intermediate shelf and its frame, which was again made from 2mm x 2mm square rod, although the side members which poke through the front and rear panels were "wrapped" in very thin plastic card to represent square section, open ended tube. The shelf was cut slightly short of the length of the side members to allow for the thickness of the front panel. The two perforated components fixed between the uprights and the top frame are lifting/slinging brackets. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to fabricating the top cover, with its angled side panels. I started by forming four 4mm x 4mm triangular brackets which were fitted between the uprights and the upper middle cross members. The sloping side panels were then cut to suit and fixed to the abgled brackets and finally the centre section of the top cover was cut to fit the gap (three times before it fitted properly ) Time for a quick coat of halfords finest on the ULC (less the front panel which still has some minor parts to be fitted to the locking rods) As ever, all comments welcome Cheers Steve
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2013 11:23:38 GMT
Steve, you've just been promoted to plastics engineer, superb job and really quick
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Post by okdoky on Feb 25, 2013 12:25:54 GMT
You have this one totally sussed Steve !!!!!! You were asking me earlier about decalling it, aside from making your own using photoshop or the like, have you thought about basic lettraset for the white numbers/letters ?? Nige
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Post by bowman on Feb 25, 2013 16:48:52 GMT
Thanks Nick - plastics engineer indeed! As Nige says, I've been wondering about how to produce decals for the ULC and I've also had some very good advice from someone on another forum about using Serif PagePlus desktop publishing software to create decals, so I've been experimenting a bit today. Now just waiting for some decal paper to turn up for our office laser printer so that I can give it a try. If it doesn't work then I'll see if I can remember how to use Letraset ... must be thirty years since I last used any. Do they also do it in yellow, as some of the lettering is that colour? Steve
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Post by okdoky on Feb 25, 2013 18:29:14 GMT
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Post by bowman on Feb 25, 2013 19:07:21 GMT
I'm thinking that the dio with the JCB and the ULCs may include three ULCs (one on the forks, one on the ground at the side of the JCB, and a damaged one on the ground being inspected by an RLC Ammunition Technician . Does anyone know of a good source of 1/24 scale military figures, or will it have to be the Tamiya rally team? This is starting to feel like a project measured in years rather than months...... Steve
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Post by okdoky on Feb 25, 2013 19:38:27 GMT
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Post by okdoky on Feb 25, 2013 19:39:45 GMT
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