#1
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1964 TLF 8/8 on Unimog S, MOG-models, 1:100
Hi everybody!
Yesterday I finished my contribution to the authors competition on minimodel.cz and would like to show it to You. The TLF is the abbreviation of German "Tanklöschfahrzeug" or tank firefighting vehicle. Its concept was developed at the (then) LHD (we LOVE abreviations here in Germany; this one stands for "Luftschutzhilfsdienst" or something like "auxiliary air raid defence service"), founded in cold-war 1957 still under the impression of air raids and firestorms, experienced just 12 years ago in WW II. The concept was to scatter a fleet of first responder vehicles across the landscape, manned by a crew of three (the smallest unit of firefighters here, a "Trupp") and ready to attack any developing fire within minutes with a then sufficient but still comparatively small amount of water, while bigger units are still on their way, bringing in more water, equipment and manpower. The main means of attack was a circular pump, delivering up to 800 liters per minute with 8 bar pressure, feeding from a water tank with 800 liters capacity - so "8/8" (NOT to be mistaken with the well known anti-aircraft gun). This unit was to be placed on a swift truck, that could reach virtually every place, and there was one car, that was a natural first choice: the Mercedes Unimog S (model 404). He was famed in Germany as being in terrain "second only to tracked vehicles", "coming through in places, that other cars don´t even reach", and so on - You get the idea. To be fair: there seems to be only little exaggeration in this; built from 1952 on, the Bundeswehr (then something like a real army) used them up into the 1980ies, and not for a lack of competitors. Even nowadays the "404" is still sort of an icon in offroad driving - loud as hell, thirsty like a gang of motocyclists (a BIG one; 3,92 mpg in heavy terrain were a common thing), no passengers comfort at all - but never do You have to come back on foot... The one here was bought 1964 for the municipal fire fighters of Neuenstein, that kept him in good shape until his retirement some 25 years later and put him after that into their museum, where he still is preserved to this day. The competitions task was to build a really existing firefighting vehicle, and as (strangely) the 404 is not given a model yet, I found it worth my while to try and change that.
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#2
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You know minimodels; they like to have a kind of folded matchbox for beginners, as well as a reasonably datailed version. I added a "shipbuilder´s edition" to this with some interiors and signature items, that might be considered "perverse", but are fun to finish. Let´s start with the folded matchbox.
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#3
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The reasonable version differs mainly in having a chassis and providing an old czech specialty, that seems to be forgotten over the last years, a sort of wallpaper, that covers openings in the body and have the structure behind printed on like a theaters scenery. I always liked that as a means to open up so many alike-looking boxes.
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#5
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Now for the perv... em, the "shipbuilders´edition". It´s a full scale modell, only that the scale is 1:100 and the model is a bit less than 2 inches in length. Still, I did enjoy building it.
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#6
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Next came the crew cabin. The fenders are necessary to carry and adjust the cabin in her place, otherwise the build is not overly complicated, once You have cut out the windows.
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#7
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Last, but not least - or rather (in terms of size): least, indeed, the firefighting box. Again, there is not much to say about it, except, maybe for the pump. She is not for the faint-hearted and requires a certain amount of calm and patience, among a magnifying lamp, a pair of fresh scalpels and some really sharp tweezers. A second printout is recommended.
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#9
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The kit (hopefully) will be available for download at minimodel.cz after the competitions end. As the 404 had only limited variations in chassis and crew cabin, I don´t see too much labour ahead to converse this kit into some completely differently rigged model like the yellow ones from Amsterdams airport Schiphol, the grey OB van of the Danish TV, and, of course, some green trucks, vans or other out of army service. For this, I took up the brand "MOG-model".
As the firemuseum in Neuenstein helped me with any photo and material about the car, that I could wish for, I promised to give to their youth group a bigger version, that hopefully will not drive them insane. If I succeed, there might come some 1:32 version on ecard-model, but that is not to be anounced before Thanksgiving, soonest.
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Support TALLY HO! Watch her restoration... Last edited by Heiner; 05-16-2023 at 03:35 PM. |
#10
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When is the competition over? You will have to let us know the outcome.
I have always been amazed by your creations over there, but I have to admit, I only build them at larger scales. Good luck, sir
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