UNIMOG ODYSSEY, Part 1

1:24 Revell kit offers an interesting challenge.

I like a break from railway modelling from time to time, as working in different modelling disciplines and scales brings its own challenges and rewards. During the recent severe winter, with deep snow drifts and severe freezing conditions, I got used to seeing the local council's snowploughs and gritting lories passing each day. Having seen Revell's 1:24 scale kit of a Mercedes Unimog snowplough/gritter on a model shop shelf, it seemed like an appropriate project to build over the summer months(!).

Having recently made a start on the kit, it's clear that it's going to take quite a bit of work. The moulds are getting on a bit now, especially for the older core of the kit - the chassis - with lots of flash and seams to clear up and copious sink marks to fill and tidy. Sometimes such remedial work can kill your initial enthusiasm for a build project, as progress can be slow and tedious. However, the fact that I'm planning on spending just an hour or two at a time on this should stop me going round the twist. Or at least that's what I'm saying now.... maybe I'll think differently a few weeks down the line...

So, what progress has been made after the first few sessions? Not much, in truth. The engine parts needed lots of filing and sanding, then filling and more sanding after assembly. The same goes for the main chassis frames. Looks like I'll have to resign myself to spending time cleaning up each and every component before fitting, as well as addressing gaps and ill-fitting parts. But hey, it gives me something to do while I listen to the World Cup on the wireless...