100' Aerial Platform

[austinvfd]

Greetings everyone!

Just joined and figured I'd share a project I'm working on.

This is, as the title says, a 100' aerial platform, not based on any particular prototype, but incorporating several different prototype aspects.

This is a modified Boley Spartan pumper frame, with the roof chopped off the cab. The ladder is a 100' Herpa, with a Boley turntable and scratchbuilt brass hudraulic cylinders. The platform is scratchbult with Plano diamond plate brass and styrene. The body is 2 chopped halves of the Boley Spartan Pumper, and the rear stairs and roll-up door is from a Boley Mercedes model.

Details are still left to add on the platform, as well as the working outriggers (completed but in-painted).

The paint is automotive primer and Dupli-color brand paint, right out of the rattle can.

I am an HO scale railroader, but due to space constraintes, I have no room for a layout, and thus am working on vehicles for my future layout

This is my first ever attempt at kit-bashing / scratchbuilding / painting ever. I have always gone out-of-the-box with my hobby (until now )

Comments welcome!

[DavidJohnson]

Getting outside of the box to create the models we want is where many of us find our fun. Your work looks very neat. Keep us posted!

Dave

[skunk]

Wow, that's your first attempt?!

Looks very nice indeed, quite impressive!

[nickvoges]

Hello, very nice model. And good painting. Also your avatar is nice. Its the same model, isn´t it? So how it would be with flashlight for the model as well....
best regards nick ingmar

[cfesmire]

Welcome and very nice work indeed. Ain't it great to get away from out-of-the-box finally? []

[swampdaddy]

HI ALL: All fire departments in my area now use these 3 axle monsters. All bigger than a transit bus; and, many with so many spotlights, flashing lights, etc. on the side that it lights up everything.

Some are pumpers, some ladder or bucket trucks similar to this.

This model by austin vfd is great.

Have fun, Swamp Daddy

[austinvfd]

skunk said:

Wow, that's your first attempt?!

Looks very nice indeed, quite impressive!

Yes, first time taking a dremel to a model and gluing parts together. If you look between the 2 rear wheels, you can see the joint where I glued the 2 sections of the body together. My putty work has some improving to do

I have never worked with brass before, but had no choice since Plano is the only one that makes a good 1:87 diamond tread. I highly recommend it, it cuts with scisors, and has very good detail. It was quite interesting making the hydraulic cylinders as well. Shame though, the fit is tight, but not tight enough to hold the ladder in an upright position. I tried painting the inside of the tubing to reduce the inside diameter just a bit, but no luck.

I used rattle can paint simply because I have never used a compressor and gun on anything, and I don't own one . I used regular masking tape when painting the cab, doing the entire cab white, and then masking and doing the red. I only had a little bit of "leaking" on the front of the cab. The black on the inside of the window wells... I used a Sharpie brand permanent marker... less mess than a fine tip brush and paint

Can anyone suggest a good masking tape?

Here's another view:

[cfesmire]

Austin, Next time you mask and paint, shoot a little clear coat on over the tape before you do the second color. It stops the second color from leaking under the tape. Hauler makes some nice tread plate patterns in p.e. too. BTW, you could have fooled me with the joint between the rear wheels, looks great to me.

[DavidJohnson]

Austin,

To get a really sharp line you will need a plastic tape, cut on glass with an Xacto and straight edge.

I like 3M Scotch 600 Transparent Tape because it has some conformability and sticks well yet not so harsh to strip paint. Look for it in a red plaid box sold in big box office suppy stores. I also use it to form curved glass.

again, nice model.
Dave