In this "Making-of Oshkosh M978 A4 Oil Servicing Truck (Tanker)" we will show how you this custom scale model will be achieved.
I will share my building skills through the photos with little notes guiding us in the construction process. Gradually it shows the making of a unique model by using the 3D printed Kit from ZEUS MODEL in 1:48th scale to create this Oshkosh HEMTT M978 A4 Oil Servicing Truck (Tanker).
Enjoy reading & watching!
Wouter
What preceded
I'm always looking for new PoweredbyCat scale models to add to my collection. The Oshkosh HEMTT variants have also been on my wish list for a number of years because these trucks are powered 1:1 by a Caterpillar diesel engine.
The Oshkosh HEMTT M978 A4 Oil Servicing Truck (Tanker) is powered by the Caterpillar C15 ACERT 15.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine, developing 500 hp.
I recently discovered a number of different Oshkosh HEMTT variants in scale 1:144; 1:87 and 1:72th on Ebay from sellers in China. The Models are printed as 3D Kits under the name ZEUS MODEL. When I asked the seller whether these 3D kits could also be printed in scale 1:48th, the answer was positive! You can choose from different scales and different HEMTT variants and order them directly on Ebay with free shipping from China.
So no further hesitation and I ordered the 3D kit of the Oshkosh HEMTT M978 A4 Oil Servicing Truck (Tanker) in 1:48th scale.
The Kickoff
Of course it took a few weeks before the 3D Kit was printed and arrived in the Netherlands from China. This time everything was packed very carefully and some of the very small and vulnerable parts such as the mirrors had survived the transport without damage. #superservice
As mentioned before, I am extremely impressed with the quality of the ZEUS MODEL 3D printed parts. Very sharply printed and what an amount of (super) small details!!
No construction drawings or instructions are included with the ZEUS MODEL Kit. But with the help of public information such as photos of the Oshkosh M978 A4 Oil Servicing Truck (Tanker) in 1:1, spec sheet and brochures and, for example, the Italeri modelconstruction kit in 1:35th scale, it should be possible to build this kit.
Now first carefully loosen all the individual parts one by one from the base plate and prepare them to start building.
To give you an impression of how ingenious the 3D design is, but also to show you that this means that you have a lot of work to do to get each printed (main) part ready for construction, I share a number of photos of the cutting loose of the print base and the actual part.
The well-known slogan "Good tools are half the job" is an absolute truth. I recently bought two professional cutting pliers from the brand DSPIAE via Zeonmarket.
The DSPIAE Single Blade Nipper ST-A 3.0 is already one of my favorite tools. The single cutting blade of the Nipper allows you to perfectly cut each 3D print attachment point from your building part. A real pleasure to work with. #STARTED
- The hose compartment and the fuel tank
