Super-detailing RPM:s 1/72 T-Fords
by Luis Miguel Gago

On the gun itself

The Ford-T truck and the M.M.G.S. scout car where my first W.W.1 1/72 models. They where also the first RPM 1/72 kits I've tried, and I purchased them from Jadar Model. I couldn't resist those pretty boxes! Now we have a couple of photoetched sets from PART for both cars, and I am planning to get them, just for the fun, and because I know now, that they would allow me to do an even more  radical and perfectionist construction of these two nice WW1 cars. 

The kit have to be "completed" by you, and I begun with the radiator-grill. I used Evergreen flat strips nš100 for the grill. Above the grill, I made a Starter engine also, because it's so typical of these cars. You can bend a metal round-strip, and you'll get a perfect strarter. Another missing detail in RPM kit is the canvas-bar supports. On both side of the vehicle-cabine, you put 2 round strips of evergreen or brass-metal, and then you have another important missing detail. About the all, I have made a new "roof" or canvas, from epoxy-clay, as I wanted to give more "life" to the truck. In the back entry-compartment I opened the canvas, and I detailed them with photoetched strips with small buckles. I put small buckles in all the boxes and medicament closets on the sides. I also gave the cabine a completely new seat, made with epoxy-clay. (After trying all the the clays and epoxies: green-stuff, milliput, a+bputty, Duro,etc...I think the best clay/epoxy to be used for us modellers is Tamiya epoxy - it dries fast.) I also made lamp-lights with micro-cristal clear, after hollowing them out. For the painting I used the 102 green-army-Humbrol, but you must apply a "turpentine-wash" with raw-umber and sepia oils to brownish and accurate the green color. Right now, I would use WW1 green Humbrol-108.The canvas was painted with 186-Brown. 

The M.M.G.S scout car was done with the same technique. One detail that is really characteristic of the Scout car is of course the Machine gun and the cooling device. RPM only includes the Vickers gun in their kit. I swapped the RPM gun for a resin MG by HR-MODEL taken from a Nieuport 11, and I also connected the rubber-tube or hose to the cooling device. The MMGS rear compartment bottom have to be covered with wood-strips. Evergreen strips, painted with woodgrain gives you the perfect finish. Like the Ambulance I added a Starter engine, made a front-grill, and I also had to change some chassis parts from both cars, because they were not accurate. And thatīs it!