19 Nov 2013

USAF & U.S. Navy 1950s Utility Pickup Truck Model

This type of Ford F-1 pickup truck was in service with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy throughout the 1950s. It was used for various utility roles mostly on the Continental U.S. air bases.

This 1:72 scale model kit is from F4Models (cat. # 7020). The kit contains resin, photo etched and clear parts. Decals are provided for three versions: USAF, U.S. Navy and civilian.
Some photographs of the real vehicles: U.S. NavyUSAFCivilian 1, Civilian 2.

10 Nov 2013

Royal Navy 1970s Flight Deck Tractor Model

This purpose-built 4WD/4WS flight deck tractor saw service on the Royal Navy's Audacious class carriers (HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal) as well as on HMS Hermes since the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s.

This 1:72 scale model kit is manufactured by F4Models (cat. # 7022) and contains resin and photo etched parts, decals and instruction sheet. Parts for building a tow bar that was in use by the Royal Navy since the 1970s till the present day are enclosed as well.

This tractor can accompany your 1:72 Scimitar, Sea Vixen, Gannet, Buccaneer, Phantom FG1, Wessex  or Sea King.
Here are some photographs of this type of tractor in action: linklinklink.

3 Nov 2013

U.S. Navy A/S32A-31A Flight Deck Tractor Model

The A/S-32A-31A flight deck tractor was in service on all U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious ships between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s, including Kitty Hawk, Enterprise and Nimitz class carriers as well as Whidbey Island, Harpers Ferry, Austin, Tarawa, Wasp and San Antonio class amphibious ships. On aircraft carriers this type of tractor was typically equipped with a gas turbine unit for starting jet aircraft engines. 

This 1:72 scale model kit, manufactured by F4Models (cat. # 7002), contains resin and photo etched metal parts, decals and instruction sheet. Parts are provided to assemble the tractor with or without the air start unit (two variants of the air start unit are offered).
Note that the assembled kit on the photographs above contains an inaccuracy: in reality the driver's cutout should be slightly narrower. The resin parts have been corrected since, and the kit content photograph (see below) shows the correct driver seat layout.
Here are some photographs of this type of tractor in action: linklinklinklink.

Externally the A/S-32A-31A tractor differs from the older MD-3 (in use since the 1960s through the 1990s) by wider rear fenders, slightly raised rear deck, different wheels and, starting from the mid-2000s, a totally new air start unit, as indicated on this diagram: