[Free Model #3] Tucker Sno-cat build

outersketcher

Illustrator, Tinker
Final bits and geegaws now.... I layed out the hatch into 3 separate laminate layers, built the headlights brackets and headlights themselves, as well as the rear tail lights. Been meaning to take care of those tail lights for a while now.

Once every piece had been glued into place, I placed a drop of clear paint onto the surface of both the headlights and the tail lights to make them look shiny and glassy. The headlights will need another drop... in fact, I'm going to use a drop of clear nail polish instead. But for now, I think the SnoCat looks great!

Next post, the final photographs of the finished model and the review of the kit.
 

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outersketcher

Illustrator, Tinker
The SnoCat is completed!

My original intent was to explore what detailing possibilities I could achieve using only the parts sheets provide by the model designer and any other materials that are suggested in the instructions.

All detailing was accomplished through creative laminating of the artwork provided.

As to the quality of the kit itself? The parts fit as they should, the color is excellent, and the artwork is very realistic. Nice form definition in the artwork. My only complaint were the rather sketchy instructions. There were several pieces of mystery parts on the parts sheets that I never did figure out their purpose. And there were absolutely no instructions at all for the extra interior and suspension high-detail parts.

But, overall, I enjoyed building the kit. And I think it's drawbacks in the instructions are more than compensated by the quality of the artwork in the parts sheets.

It was fun posing the SnoCat for the photos. You might notice that the suspension leaves on the left side of the front suspension assembly came loose in the first photo...but never fear! A small drop of super glue fixed that.

This model was a good build, a nice challenge and is a pleasure to look at once completed.
 

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atamjeet

Member
Amazing... I always wonder where do you find such unique models. Can you please share the link from where you downloaded / baught this?
 

outersketcher

Illustrator, Tinker
Atomjeet, you can download the model here. While you're there, take a look at the rest of the site and you'll discover a whole section of photos that the designer took of his or here own build. Nice, hi-detail photos...

And take a look at the first post of this thread for lots of links about the history and technical specs of the original machine, which is now on display at a museum. There were 4 SnoCats sent to the arctic for that particular expedition you know.... one was lost along with it's driver in a crevice. (I have a links to original news articles and historical writeups on that). Another was nearly lost to yet another crevice, according to some harrowing photos of it straddling said crevice, hanging on by the tips of it's steely pontoon toes. However, somehow, they managed to save that SnoCat since it is now on display in Idaho and is the subject of this model. The other two served faithfully and well and are now in England and .... ahhh I've forgotten where the fourth is... some museum somewhere.

Check out the first post of this thread for the links to lots more info about these vehicles.

If I were to build this model again, I'd add the radio antanae and I would redesign the pontoons to show off the round rollers and bars of the tracks. I would also make some other minor changes to various things to make the model more accurate to the real vehicle you can see in the photo below... But I enjoyed building this model and consider it a well executed kit.


I'd love to find the story of how they got that SnoCat off that crevice...
 

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CK Styles

Senior Member
Fantastic build, sir. I the extra depth you added certainly helped the model along. Pose it in a snow bank and you'd be hard-pressed to guess it was a model. I may try my hand at this one in the future!
 
S

Soaring

Psh, more than awesome. I showed this build thread to my mother, Since I am only 13.. Anyways, she looked at it, (And so did my dad) and they said, You shouldv'e picked something more nice! Like that! Something Colorful and bright! (However, they said it in Tagalog...) Ah well, they hit my head and said I did okay :)

You did an excellent job Outsketcher, I'm a silent watcher, sometimes, can't wait to see more excellent builds from you. (Notice, Excellent has been used 3 times, I am running out of superlatives ;))
 

Lex

Dollmaker
...Hey I got your true age now Soaring!! :D --I showed this to my friends too and... as usual, they don't believe it's paper ;) That's life...
 

outersketcher

Illustrator, Tinker
Thank you for your comments! They mean a lot to me since I am relatively new to the concept of paper modeling. I made sooo many mistakes while building the SnoCat. : )

Had to back track several times to correct small mistakes that snowballed into big problems later in the build. I've learned that a small change in how you fit two parts together can effect the fit of the entire model if you don't plan for that and adjust for it.

Good stuff to know.

And then if you add the additional challenge of having small children who are as equally excited about your model as you are... only, far more clumsy in their couriosity. I think I'm going to have to eventually allow my 7yr old son to play with the SnoCat... He's just aching to get a chance to do so. Then he'll break it of course. I'll fix it. And he'll break it again... aand I'll fix it again.. and so on till finally, I take the mutilated SnoCat off him and place the remains into a cool wreckage diorama.

Then I'll hand him some fresh print outs of the parts sheets and help him make one of his own.
 
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