I’ve got the mojo flowing at the moment so I’m looking to make the most of it. Trukk number one was completed last week and I’ve now started on trukk number 2. The basic idea for this one is going to be the same but this time I’m going to have to do a bit more scratch building. That’s because my original plan had been to order a new trukk, which I have done, and the convert it in much the same way, however. Whilst rummaging through my bits box I’ve come across enough parts to make a trukk out of so I’ve made a start. Now that may be that there ends up being a third and fourth trukk, which when you consider I haven’t actually played 40k since I think 4th edition is a be mad. But I really enjoy the building and painting so it’s not completely wasted, plus there is always the possibility it may get me back into gaming. Failing that there is always e-bay when I run out of space.
Anyway back to this trukk, I had a chassis, wheels and what I’m using as a front grill, plus the bits for the flat bed which was enough to work with. For the engines I had some Zinge Industries V6’s but they looked a little bit on the small side. Very nice models but just not right for what I was looking for. So I thought why not take two of them and turn them into a W12 unit which I think worked quite well. I coupled this to a random piece that I thought would work well as the transmission and with a bit of plasticard to fill in gaps and make some frame mounts all was good. I now had an engine that would fit nicely onto the chassis, with an exhaust, which may get tweaked and a side mounted air intake to get round the cab the engine was done.
For the cab I only really had the front piece that I wanted to use as the grill so that I could get the same feel as the other trukk. I want them to look like they have come out of the same grot workshop. I didn’t have a radiator so I’ve had to make that from scratch and I’m really happy with how it turned out. The rest of the cab has been built around the driver, who is the pilot I had left over from my grot bomber build. He’s not happy to be on the ground but at least he’s in something potentially fast. I had said to myself that I wasn’t going to bother with an interior for the cab but as things have turned out I’ve spent most of my time this week trying to figure out how to build the cab around an interior. I’m really happy with how it’s coming along and my idea is to get the doors added so that I make the roof and windshield detachable. That way I will be able to prime all of the cab and paint the interior before enclosing it for good. It’s a bit ironic that most of this work won’t be visible but it’s one of those things where I will know it’s there.
Because painting the drive was such a chore last time with him being glued in place in the cab I’ve taken the liberty of painting this driver before he goes in. It helps in that he just drops into the section that was meant to be his cockpit but regardless he is now painted and ready to go. I have to say as well that I’m really happy with how the skin turned out.
When I put the first few pics of this up on twitter on Wednesday I had a question about the engine I was using. As I said I think the V6 was a bit small on its own but he V8 from Zinge Industries is really nice. So I thought it was worth showing one off here that I’ve got planned for one of my other trukk builds.
That’s all the build work for this week. At the same time as I’ve been working on this truck I have been thinking about builds for another two. One idea is to go a lot more scratch build and use some bit from other kits to make an up armoured version of these trukks that in game terms would be used for Ard Boys. It’s an idea I have had for a while and think it could be fun build. Stilly trying to keep to the correct footprint for a standard trukk and not creeping into the realm of the battle wagon. The other idea is more boring and that is for yet another trukk in this style. Mainly because I ordered another trukk kit when I was working on the first one, which is yet to arrive, but before I realised I had enough parts to make the one I’m working on now. It should still be a fun build and may try and thin of way that they can each tow a grot crewed Mek Gun. I think that could end up being quite a nice project having a trukk with matching gun. Not sure if that will pan out but it’s something to think about to keep me busy during lockdown, or not quite lockdown as the case may or may not be now.
Anyway until next week I hope you all keep safe, keep enjoying the hobby whatever form it may take and I hope to catch you all again next Saturday, if not before on Twitter.
