Ford 917t - Deutsches Afrika Korps
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Here's a 1/72 scale model of one of the most ubiquitous medium trucks in the WWII German military: the Ford 917t. Ford's Cologne factory had already captured approximately 50% of the German civilian truck market by the 1938 introduction of the 918t. This model was a European-ized version of the American 1938 model 81T, equipped with a 90HP Flathead V8, and it was ordered by the Wehrmacht who used it as one of the standard medium duty trucks to equip the Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe. It stayed in production through 1941 when replaced by the V3000S a minor redesign, emulating the American 1940 model's sheetmetal.
The model is from the Polish company IBG, a recent release with good detail. Of course, I started further detailing the little Flathead provided, and things spiraled out of control from there. Engine plumbing and wiring, as well as scratch built battery, voltage regulator, radiator support rods, and windshield wipers. I decided to build the model with the hood open to display the handiwork. Paint and pose are loosely based on three pictures I found of three shoddily painted 917t's of the Afrika Korps, each bearing a slapdash "13" on the door.
After completing the model, I incorporated it into a vignette that turned into its own follow on multi-evening insomnia project.
The scenery is a blend of real rocks, model railroad foliage, and AK's "terrains" for the dirt. The figure, tool box, and jerrycans are 3D prints from different sources, the cast resin oil drum from an old Verlinden set, and the blanket and wood load scratch made from tissue and basswood respectively. The model was painted with AK's Real Colors range and almost everything else was painted with artists oils, a new medium to me. The whole thing allowed me to practice a whole bunch of techniques.
