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Mistakes Along The
Way - My Original Miniature:
Below are digital images
taken by Rodney Williams in March 2001 - before I gutted this
miniature and rebuilt it. Incorrect here is my covering the floor
of the Fighting Compartment with .50cal ammo cans as a form of
supplemental armor. A logical supposition at the time I built
the miniature, "Nancy" was more likely equipped differently
- like other Deuces converted into the anti-aircraft role by
Artillery units. The configuration of the modicum of flank armor
plating, M60 machine gun and mount, and other vehicle fittings
are accurate, and I'd re-do them in the restoration of this miniature.
Often damaged and repaired after a convoy run, I selected to
keep my mix of rearview mirrors on "Nancy" too - as
shown in the photos in Squadron's reference book. One 'west coast'
styled mirror contributes to the uniqueness of this miniature.
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The
Maxim Turret ammo can fittings and details are essentially correct
too, except that the one fitted to "Nancy" was more
likely the entire M55 Quad AA Trailer that's mounted in the Fighting
Compartment and not the Quad AA Pedestal as mounted in the M16
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage that I modeled originally. Also missing
from my first model is additional armor plating behind the gunner
as shown in the 1968 photos of "Nancy" and the steel
box that the M55 Quad sat in inside the cargo bed. Over time,
the "eyebrows" on the gunner's shield have faded -
they were done with a white oil pencil originally. This detail
would be restored with new artwork I generated with my iMac too. |
| Overall,
the original miniature was a good first effort and most of the
detailing was correct enough to allow me a quick rebuild and
upgrade like I did for my other gun truck "Babs". In
restoring and retrofitting the miniature, I would break the whole
model back down into three subassemblies and strip off all the
details where required to replace it with new detail. Then, naturally,
I'd refinish the entire miniature - below, the near-finished
miniature... |
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All content Copyright (C) 2004 Jim Lewis, guntruck.com,
guntruck.us, and GunTruck Studios. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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