Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Interwar => Topic started by: Connectamabob on 21 September 2011, 05:12:21 AM
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A couple months back I read Summer of Night by Dan Simmons, and ever since I've had the hankerin' to do a version of the rendering truck for 28mm horror scenarios. I need an appropriate truck toy or model to act as a base though.
The truck in the novel is a large pickup or small hauler with a high-sided wooden flat bed used by the town government to haul away roadkill and dead livestock. The story takes place in a small, rural middle America town in the 1950's, and although the truck's make, model or age are not specified, it is said to have been in service for a very long time, possibly as long as twenty or thirty years. Long enough, at least, for the parents of the 10-14 year old main characters to refer to it in ways suggesting it was in service when they were kids too.
Anyone know of a die cast or other truck toy/model that might fit the bill? I'm okay with it being on the large side scale wise, as the truck in the book is implied to be quite beefy (so to speak :-X). I'm also okay if any of it behind the cab is other than as described above, as I'll very likely be chopping that area down to the frame & rebuilding it anyway.
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Are you familiar with Sloppy Jalappoy
http://www.sloppyjalopy.com/
The Ford AA truck might be what you're looking for : http://www.sloppyjalopy.com/fordaa.html
http://www.sloppyjalopy.com/Pickup.jpg
http://www.sloppyjalopy.com/stakebed.jpg
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Blue Moon Manufacturing do a couple which are suitable, but the quality isn't too grand on the casts.
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Blue Moon Manufacturing do a couple which are suitable, but the quality isn't too grand on the casts.
I don't think they're so bad. Better than SJ, definitely.
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Never again Sloppy Jalopy! After 35+ years of modeling one of their trucks nearly defeated me.
Force of Arms has some really good vehicles for the 20s and 30s including a bus in their SCW range Alas, I don't like/can't use solid cabins, but the castings are otherwise top notch.
Company B has the wonderful Mercedes G3 truck.
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My suggestion would be:
(http://theminiaturespage.com/news/pics/2010/aug/319919a.jpg)
Mercedes G3a truck. 28mm resin model. Comes with removable rear canvas top and optional bench seats. Mastered by Brent Dietrich. $36.00 USD
Available direct from Company B, Brigade Games and The Wargames Command Post.
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I don't think they're so bad. Better than SJ, definitely.
That's interesting because my BM ones were pretty bad, but my SJs were all fine.
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SJ casts are very clean without doubts but you're going through the hell trying to build them together.
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Yeah, a friend of mine gave me a SJ kit after he gave up on it and I very nearly chucked it also. I'll take the BM stuff any day.
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How about a WW2 Soviet truck like a Gaz? It's basically a Model T?
Or if your game is set in the 50s then a war surplus dodge or GM 1 ton or deuce and a half would be very appropriate. Those were going cheap as chips back then and a small county/municiple works dept would certainly pick a few up.
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There is a fairly inexpensive 1/43 die cast that I have used that might work as well.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/adwyn/Pulp002.jpg)
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I have two Force of Arms 1920/30s trucks (unbuilt) which i'd sell if you're in the UK as i'm wanting an Armoured Truck instead
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Thanks for all the replies! I looked up a lot of the suggestions, and most of them aren't exactly what I'm looking for, though that's my fault for not being as complete as I should have in my description.
The truck has to be very big and intimidating, and has to have wheels and suspension that look like it could go off road a bit without breaking itself. Most of the ones shown/suggested look a bit low and weedy for what I'm going for. I'll admit I know pretty much nothing about period vehicles, so the image in my head might not be at all period accurate.
From he pics I found googling some of the suggestions listed, the Mercedes-Benz LG3000 and L3000 models have the right look:
(http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/ma/mbLG3000p.jpg)
(http://www.trucksplanet.com/photo/mercedes/l3000s_a/l3000s_a_12504.jpg)
Not precisely the right period, I know, but I'm willing to fudge things a little if necessary to get the right vibe.
Is there a US truck with a similar look/feel? Jamesmanto's post is interesting in this regard, but I'd need more specific info.
Thanks!
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The G3A would work as a base to modify:
Better Picture ;)
(http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/G3_oil3.jpg)
But it sounds like you need the Italian Lancia 3RO. It was used to haul tanks after all.
(http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/IMG_5219.JPG)
(http://digilander.libero.it/lacorsainfinita/schede/lancia_3ROafrica.jpg)
The kit can be found here:
http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/companyB_models_Italy.html (http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/companyB_models_Italy.html)
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Hokay, after more googling, I've found a number of WWII-era American trucks that look close: trucks in the the GMC CCKW series, Chevy G506 series, and the M35. Most of these are not quite early enough for comfort re: my fudge margin though, so suggestions are still needed/welcomed.
*Edit* Company B posted while I was typing. Both those look good (especially the Lancia), and according Wikipedia, the Lancia 3O series started production in 1933, though I was unable to find pics of anything other than the 3RO, which came a bit later, so I don't know how distinct they are from each other. They're still both Axis trucks though.
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There are some nice die casts for mid to late 1940's trucks.
This one is a 1:50 scale International Stake Bed. $39 on Decast Direct.com
http://www.diecastdirect.com/asp_modules/add_item.asp?ProductCode=SC39503-FT (http://www.diecastdirect.com/asp_modules/add_item.asp?ProductCode=SC39503-FT)
(http://www.speccast.com/img/product_images/construction/ih_dump_truck.jpg)
There is also a small number of old style trucks made by "Old Motor Trucks" in Michigan. 1/60 scale, but maybe workable. No website though, so you'll need to do a search for his buddies that sell them.
(http://www.lbrenterprisesllc.com/t9.jpg)
http://www.fortressfigures.com/Fortress_Figures/Archive5/Pages/Old_Motor_Trucks.html#4 (http://www.fortressfigures.com/Fortress_Figures/Archive5/Pages/Old_Motor_Trucks.html#4)
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My suggestion would be:
(http://theminiaturespage.com/news/pics/2010/aug/319919a.jpg)
Mercedes G3a truck. 28mm resin model. Comes with removable rear canvas top and optional bench seats. Mastered by Brent Dietrich. $36.00 USD
Available direct from Company B, Brigade Games and The Wargames Command Post.
That's rather special.
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Fiddlers Green does a cardmodel Opel truck that looks good and is dead easy to make. My only change has been to add Sculpey tires/wheels to mine for heft.
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Miscellanous/Opel-Blitz-Truck.html
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That die-cast Firestone truck looks good, I may give that a go.
The paper model is a great idea, but again, Axis truck in 1930's-40's middle America...