ModellTrans Modellbau Ford V3000 conversion kit - Part 4

Having got this resin conversion back on track after my little faux pas it's time to move this project along. It's time to add the cab details...

The extras are taken from my scrap box, mostly left overs from Opel Blitz kits I had going spare. I could have gone the extra yard and added a tool set - pick and shovel - on the side of the bonnet, but when I tried them for size it looked a bit cluttered so I left them off.

There are some really nice reference illustrations over on the Engines of the Wehrmacht web site. Each German army truck has it's own page and each page shows variants and differing equipment set-up so it's been invaluable.

With the cab 'dressed' I turned my attention to making the cargo flatbed. The German version of the V3000 truck had a slightly different flat-bed configuration to that of the usual Opel Blitz (from which I am modifying this model). It's an issue of height, the Blitz has a high-sided cargo bed - about 7 planks high - while the Ford had lower sides - of about 4 planks high.

It was a very simple operation to cut down the Italeri Blitz flat-bed to four planks height...

At the back you can see one of my Pegasus 'German Army Trucks' which have
the high-sided cargo bed typical of Wehrmacht lorries. In front you can see
my modified Italeri Opel Blitz bed.

Despite reducing the height of the cargo bed I found that the canvas tilt cover did not, then, look too low when placed on the new lower sides of the bed. I had thought that I was going to have to make a new taller canvas tilt but I really don't think that will be necessary as it looks OK to me...

One issue, however, is the very plain and undetailed look of the Italeri canvas cover - which is a good and a bad thing. Good because the real Opel Blitz canvas cover - with all it's distinctive 'window flaps' - is very different to the plain old cover of the German V3000. So I don't have to remove any detail, just add a little - some folds here and there to give it some 'character' (at the moment it is just a sort of plastic 'box').

On the right is the rather uninspiring Italeri Opel Blitz 'canvas cover' next to a
similarly plain Pegasus cover which I added extra detail to. I will add extra
material texture to the Italeri canvas just like I did with the Pegasus one.

And finally, one very small detail that cannot be left out is the actual vehicle tow 'hook'. The Germans didn't seem to use a hook as such but rather a bolted contraption. The Italeri donor kit did not have this but luckily for me I found one in my scrap box (originally from the good old Airfix Opel Blitz). It's a sort of  'U' shaped item, if the 'U' were turned so the open end were on it's side. The towing equipment's hook was slotted into this 'U' and a retaining bolt slotted through to hold the gun or trailer in place.

The funny German 'tow hook'. This example was pinched from
another kit I happen in my 'spares box'.

As my truck is intended to tow a German Pak40 anti-tank gun this is a small but very important detail.

Well, another stage done. So now I have to base coat the cab and all the new bits and pieces I have added. Next on the agenda is the detailing of the canvas tilt cover and fixing that to the flat-bed before base coating that.