Clarktor 6 Tow Tractor Scratchbuilt 1/33rd Scale

[Bomarc]

Then it was simply a matter of painting the back side to keep it consistent in color:

 

 

And mounting it on the tug:

 

 

NOW it looks like a Clarktor!

 

We’re at the seventh inning stretch guys.....almost done!

[Tallyho]

Absoloutely amazing. A quintessential modeler.

 

I remember seeing those in use on the DaNang airstrip in 1965.

 

Fred

[JCote]

I don't know how I managed to miss this build up to now, but , that really is first-rate modelling!

[JRutman]

My eyes can see from this thread that this end result is made from paper but I can't seem to quite believe it. Wonderful work.

J

[Tomek]

Hmmm, I'm having deja vu ...

I always like to watch again good movies .

[Bomarc]

I remember seeing those in use on the DaNang airstrip in 1965.

Hi Fred, thanks for the kind words. A fellow modeler told me that while he was in the Nav, they would take the govenors out of their Clarktor and they would really scoot across the airfield.

 

I have to ask: "Dog&Butterfly"?

 

I don't know how I managed to miss this build up to now....

Happens to me all the time JCote. In fact there's a couple of threads I need to catch up on and comment. I'm just glad you here now, and thanks!

 

My eyes can see from this thread that this end result is made from paper but I can't seem to quite believe it.

Hi Jerry and thanks. Working in paper is kind of off-beat, ain't it? Well, you wanted to see how I got there....

 

I almost want to say that the fact that it's all paper is immaterial (is there a pun in there somewhere?), but that's not really true because using paper does drive the modeler down paths not normally taken in plastic models. However, and I think a seasoned master scratch-builder like yourself can appreciate this, there is lots of interchangeable method here.

 

See 'ya around the SIG....

 

Hmmm, I'm having deja vu ...

I always like to watch again good movies

Yes, but this is the "director cut" edition, with additional commentary, added features, and souvenir DVD case.....

 

I'm not on my usual computer this weekend, so updates coming in the new week, but not much left! Then it's on to bigger and better things....

Edited January 19, 2011 by Bomarc

[Bomarc]

OK guys, last few entries. Really, the last major pieces to add at this point were the “S” shaped fenders that run along either side of the cowlings. To make these identical, I used a method somewhat similar to what I used for the round rear fenders.

 

First I drew up some parts and assembled a fixture using white glue and CA glue spread along the top to get things hard and flat:

 

 

The other key ingredient for this was a layer of ordinary clear packing tape burnished down over the top and trimmed (last pic). Next, using Elmer’s white glue, I glued one layer of card directly onto my fixture, burnishing that down to make sure it conforms to the shape:

 

 

To the top of that I added another layer (printed with color this time, but it turned out to be wasted effort as I will relate a little later):

 

 

The white glue doesn’t stick to the packing tape well (not at all actually), so once dry, the whole assembly pops off the jig with little effort:

 

 

Do it again for a second fender, and now I have two identical ones:

 

[Bomarc]

Added some details, including the last use of the diamond plate stuff introduced way back when:

 

 

After trying to cut and fit these fenders to the tug without success, I determined they were just too long and floppy, so I ended up notching one side and CA gluing a length of music wire to stiffen and straighten them:

 

 

This made trying to preserve the printed side pointless and I painted the whole assemblies (the wire stiffeners made nice holders while painting).

 

Then it was just a matter of snipping off the excess wire and fitting the fenders to the tug:

 

 

Not much left now.....

[Out2gtcha]

Very cool techniques used here. Good on ya Bomarc!

 

Keep the pics comin.

 

Cheers,

Brian

[Bomarc]

It’s down to the nitty-gritty now. Not much commentary needed I should think.

 

Steering wheel:

 

 

Shifter:

 

 

Emergency brake:

 

[Bomarc]

Those three things installed:

 

 

Seat was next. First added a pad for the seat to sit on (is that redundant?):

 

 

Then made the seat:

 

 

Installed:

 

 

Gas and radiator caps:

 

 

Paint the gas cap red, seemed like the thing to do at the time. Tow hitch was second to last item:

 

 

 

And last (drum roll please), the cowl latches:

 

 

And THAT’s how I got there. You’ll have to look at the very first post of this flashback thread to see how it all turned out.

 

I started this build around mid- August with a completion date of October 21st, a little over two months long and just two days before the International Paper Modelers Convention, which was the reason I was building it in the first place. The theme for the 2010 IPMC was “wheeled vehicles” and this was my “small” entry. The IPMC is an annual event held in Sterling Virginia. Not nearly as big as an IPMS Nationals (think Regional in terms of size and venue), but still a great event. This year’s theme is “Civilian Aviation”, hope I can drum something up in time.

 

Hope it was fun guys.

[Tomek]

Well, I enjoyed this director cut version of the build. It's a great build thread after all. What I admire in you is your creativity and persistence. I know this build had ups and downs, but all the troubles never discouraged you. That is something I lack as a modeler... Anyway Bomarc at his best!!!

 

There is one thing though. The director cut has no "The hair" episode*!!!

 

 

*For those who haven't seen it, Mike at some point lost a lot of hair due to stressful problems. The evidence was everywhere around the cutting mat! A quite horrible thing to watch, I must say...

[Loic]

At the risk of repeating myself, what an amazing and educative build thread!

Marvellous work and mindblowing result!

Cheers,

Loic

[Gil]

Boeing-Michigan Aerospace Research Center [aka Bomarc],

 

Nice intro to the art of using paper as a cheap and available modeling medium. This, I think, is one of the strongest attractions to its use as it requires a new level of creative effort to achieve status in the "suspension of disbelief" category.

 

Bravo! and Boffo!

 

+Gil

Edited January 19, 2011 by Gil

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks for sharing Bomac. Lots of great things, processes and and techniques in this thread that I personally could apply (and WILL apply) to my plastic modeling, including incorporating some CA saturated card stock pieces.

 

Your molding techniques on both sets of fenders and the way you made the wheels/seat/ gives me a lot of great ideas for scratching pieces on my own projects. I think you will fit in great around here, for this is the type of thing that makes LSP the best forum around: taking new processes and showing them.........then members look on, and attempt them for themselves........everybody wins.

 

You should be rightly proud. Job well done!

 

Cheers,

Brian