I started the tractor to pull my recent M1062 Bulk Fuel Trailer. I’ll finish up the trailer along with the truck, so more to come on it soon too.
It is an M1088A1 5Ton Tractor from the FMTV family of vehicles.
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I am using the Trumpeter M1083 5 Ton Cargo Truck as a base.
I am also using the Legend M1078 Update set to make it a more modern A1 vehicle.
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Lastly, I will be using the old Pro Art M1078 Interior Set, which has separate doors and and pieces to update and add details on the cab interior.
So far, I have started the frame by cutting the upper frame rail off that is used as a spacer to attach the bed to. I left the sections above the rear wheels as this is where the 5th wheel plate will attach. Luckily, the tractor is the same wheelbase and basically the same overall length as the cargo truck, so no shortening of the frame is needed. I have also started building up the drive train.
Here is the rear with a Legend part that is better detailed than the kit part at the end of the frame.
Lastly, I cut the plastic doors off the cab and sanded the openings to fit the Pro Art doors.
It is so cool to do conversions like this. I love watching the change in the look of the rig to something different that you just can’t grab a kit for and build. Looking forward to watching this.
Been a while (a long great while, really) since I spent any time around the Trains.
Would they sent three or just two E4 with a road trailer of fuel? Or, perhaps two E4 and an E3:
Driver attached to Truck
Hose puller assigned to Fuel
And SGT to supervise the mafia?
Whoa, very cool! Looking forward to seeing how you modify the kit.
I’m curious about the difference between the 1/35th of this kit and the 1/32nd trailer. Are you going to hitch them up? Looking forward also to seeing how you match them up.
I have pretty much completed the basic frame. The front wheels are steerable. I will add the steering gear box and linkages and be gluing them in a turned position. I added the lift rings in the middle part of the rear frame from sheet styrene and some sliced hex rod for the bolts. I still need to add air brake cylinders front and rear as well.
This is the Legend update set front bumper, with the kit lights and turn signals added.
Here is the front of the cab with the Legend grill piece added. It has a really nice Stewart & Stevenson logo in PE.
On the cab interior, I added the support across the rear of the cab roof from a piece of PE from the Legend set.
I also added the support structure for the gun ring on the inner roof from styrene sheet and strips. The PE sun visors are from the kit.
I built up the cab interior using the Pro Art dash and detail pieces. They look pretty nice. The dash is much better than the kit part. The storage boxes and gunner’s floor plate, along with the padding on the sides of the engine tunnel are nice too. There are very nice seats in this set that will be added later as well.
These are the Pro Art doors with handle details added inside (left) and outside (right). The new outside door pull is from the Legend update set.
Lastly is the air cleaner with a couple added pieces from Legend.
Next up is to get started on the 5th wheel, work platform and other tractor-specific parts.
