Desert models

[Keith Clements]

Dear Keith
Thank you very much for your answer, the pictures and your help.
Last week I had a contact with Noel Stokoe, who sent me some informations and pictures.
I sent Bradford Industrial Museum a mail for documents and blueprints bur the answer was negative.
This morning I found the same link you give me now( http://jowett.org/jowettnet/dt/magazine ... nd_see.htm ) with the picture of « See » and on the forum I could see that David Metcalfe was the lucky owner of See. I hope I can join him.

Thanks to your initiative I could visit Jowett Talk. I tried in vain to find blueprints of the chassis and dimensions of the car.
But it’s just a beginning.

I made many trips in Sahara, Tunisia, Morocco, Tassilis in Algeria, Western desert in Egypt, but now it is too dangerous for us Europeans. And I can only dream through travel stories and building models of the vehicles used for desert exploration.
I made models of Ford T used In Egypt in WWI and Almasy’s Ford A pick-ups used in the 1930s for his explorations in Gilf Kebir. I sent you attached pictures of these models. The Ford T are excellent plastic kits from ICM. The three Ford A are made half from Zvezda GAZ-AA ( a soviet truck under Ford licence), shortened chassis, cab, motor and half in scratch by myself. The tires are Dunlop 9.00x13 balloon tires from the model kit Tamyia « Land-rover Pink Panther, which starting from 1933 gave the vehicles used in libyan desert their striking appearance.

If I make the models of Jowetts, I must build them, except the wheels, in scratch, because there is no existing kit.

Ford T in Siwa 1917
Ford A in Gilf Kebir in October 1933 when Almasy (remember « the english patient ») discovered the swimmer’s cave.

Best regards from Brittany
Jean-René

[Keith Clements]

Last month I went to Lyon for Rugby, and on a wet day wandered into the Museum of Miniatures which was mainly about film sets and models. Incredible well worth the 3 hours we spent in there.

[jeanrene]

Thank you Keith. I'm very proud to show my scale models on this venerable forum. I hope many people will enjoy. If i find the documents I'm looking for about Jowetts "Wait" and "See" I could build a wonderful diorama.

[Forumadmin]

Dear Keith

I Could contact David Metcalfe. He answered quick and sent me good pictures of the « See ».
Thanks to him and you I could make a first draft of a 3D model.
It will help me for the real scale model.
Best regards

JRC
First draft of the « See »

[jeanrene]

Better Drafts of "Wait and See" 3D models

[Forumadmin]

So now some weathering and patina......
Alors maintenant, un peu de patine .........

[ian Howell]

Wow! Progress so far is most impressive.

I would like to make a model of my 1930 Long Four saloon. Could you please let us know what kits (if any) you have taken parts from - wheels, radiator, etc.

Wait and See are most most most deserving of this type of recognition, on whatever scale, but l would like my model to finish up about 200mm long.

What scale would be closest?

Keep us up to date on progress - the HOW is as important as the WHAT.

[Forumadmin]

Ian ..these are computer models...

[Keith Clements]

But hopefully they will become real in due course.

[k. rogers]

Hi, very impressed with these images, but just an observation, the cars have the high bonnet line of the Long Fours where the original Wait and See were based on the Long Two model which had the lower, more attractive (in my opinion) bonnet line. On the Long Four, the starting handle opening was much lower in the radiator than that of the Long Two.

[ian Howell]

As indicated in jeanrean's posts it is wheels that seem to be the major problem and I have not yet found any realistic Dunlop or Sankey lookalikes in any kits.

I have it in mind to make up wheels by laminating some of the left-over 1.5mm ply from my bodywork, but then tyres remain tricky.

It might be possible to 'cast' them in polyurethane sealant, which looks and feels like rubber when set, but it would be messy and tricky - it has proverbial sticking ability and would be difficult to remove from the mould.

Anyone tried it?

[jeanrene]

Thank you for all comments and pertinent suggestions. It is very difficult to find correct wheels to build real plastic models. A solution : create a 3D wheel and print it with a 3D printer.

[jeanrene]

Pictures of the 3D meshes

[ajackson]

Truly marvellous stuff!

Jean Rene, the Bradford Museum does not hold any records but the
West Yorkshire Archive Service does.

http://www.catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/CalmVi ... ew.Catalog

I just tried searching but the catalogue is down for maintenance.
I will try to remember to try again later for you.

Regards,
Andy

[Tony Fearn]

It might be possible to 'cast' them in polyurethane sealant, which looks and feels like rubber when set, but it would be messy and tricky - it has proverbial sticking ability and would be difficult to remove from the mould. Anyone tried it?

Hello Ian.
Many moons ago, when I was gathering parts for 'Sarah Jane' I needed a couple of front-axle bump stops but couldn't source them anywhere.
Someone suggested Devcon Flexane, and after making a plaster of paris mould I cast a few pairs. There was also a release agent available.
Unfortunately I don't think you can buy it in amounts small enough to do just a few tyres for a little model.
Tony.