Hi all,
I built the following model as a tribute to my late father and a quite remarkable vehicle. It started life as a 1960 VW T1 Transporter which my father purchased in 1962 and converted into a camper van based upon the Westphalia conversion but not exact. during 1962/3 we went on several extended trips camping around the UK, France and Belgium which I vaguely remember. The mammoth trip came in 1964 when all 4 of us travelled over 1000 miles each way to visit Dads parents and family in the then Communist Poland. I was 6 at the time and remember sleeping in a hammock suspended over the front seats, my younger brother slept in the back above the engine and my parents had the luxury of a double bed formed by moving cleverly designed boards, table and cupboards etc. We had a gas hot plate and fold away sink with only cold water - no toilet facilities.
To say that the performance of the 1100 cc engine was lethargic is an understatement, we were overtaken on the Autobahn in West Germany by a Mercedes truck with 2 trailers of coal uphill and the dust blowing off them came through the ventilation grilles in the peak above the windscreen into the interior via the overhead console vents and both my parents looked like pandas in negative when they removed their sunglasses. I also remember at the East German border having to leave the vehicle whilst it was searched surrounded by machine gun nests in towers and barbed wire when a lead cut crystal bowl fell out and started rolling down the road, I chased it and apparently nearly got shot!!! Some very happy memories associated with XXJ 62.
The kit is Revell 1/24 scale and is rated, quite rightly in my opinion, as a skill level 5 - probably an unwise choice for my 6th build. Basically built OOB, had troubles with the decals for the white cupboard door seals being a total
mess and one of the checked seats ruined by me, luckily I always photograph the decal sheets so was able to print a replacement on decal sheet although it is a bit darker. Due to the number of body panels it is very difficult to line up as there are 6 opening panels, mine is not bad but a word of advice to anyone building this or similar - the bulkhead behind the front seats is absolutely crucial to lining everything up so dry fit the other panels before cementing the bulkhead in place. Apart from that planning paint sequences was a chore but I thoroughly enjoyed the 118 hours it took to build and this model will be buried with me as it holds so many memories in 1:1 and 1:24 scales.
Thanks to fellow forumites who guided me in how to paint wood effect which I did only using Tamiya Acrylics and I think the interior and roof racks wood looks convincing.
Will have to start looking for scale correct accessories and maybe attempt my first diorama for the camper.
Anyway enough waffle from me I can now bore you with shots of the finished kit warts and all. As usual comments and criticism welcome.
I built the following model as a tribute to my late father and a quite remarkable vehicle. It started life as a 1960 VW T1 Transporter which my father purchased in 1962 and converted into a camper van based upon the Westphalia conversion but not exact. during 1962/3 we went on several extended trips camping around the UK, France and Belgium which I vaguely remember. The mammoth trip came in 1964 when all 4 of us travelled over 1000 miles each way to visit Dads parents and family in the then Communist Poland. I was 6 at the time and remember sleeping in a hammock suspended over the front seats, my younger brother slept in the back above the engine and my parents had the luxury of a double bed formed by moving cleverly designed boards, table and cupboards etc. We had a gas hot plate and fold away sink with only cold water - no toilet facilities.
To say that the performance of the 1100 cc engine was lethargic is an understatement, we were overtaken on the Autobahn in West Germany by a Mercedes truck with 2 trailers of coal uphill and the dust blowing off them came through the ventilation grilles in the peak above the windscreen into the interior via the overhead console vents and both my parents looked like pandas in negative when they removed their sunglasses. I also remember at the East German border having to leave the vehicle whilst it was searched surrounded by machine gun nests in towers and barbed wire when a lead cut crystal bowl fell out and started rolling down the road, I chased it and apparently nearly got shot!!! Some very happy memories associated with XXJ 62.
The kit is Revell 1/24 scale and is rated, quite rightly in my opinion, as a skill level 5 - probably an unwise choice for my 6th build. Basically built OOB, had troubles with the decals for the white cupboard door seals being a total
mess and one of the checked seats ruined by me, luckily I always photograph the decal sheets so was able to print a replacement on decal sheet although it is a bit darker. Due to the number of body panels it is very difficult to line up as there are 6 opening panels, mine is not bad but a word of advice to anyone building this or similar - the bulkhead behind the front seats is absolutely crucial to lining everything up so dry fit the other panels before cementing the bulkhead in place. Apart from that planning paint sequences was a chore but I thoroughly enjoyed the 118 hours it took to build and this model will be buried with me as it holds so many memories in 1:1 and 1:24 scales.
Thanks to fellow forumites who guided me in how to paint wood effect which I did only using Tamiya Acrylics and I think the interior and roof racks wood looks convincing.
Will have to start looking for scale correct accessories and maybe attempt my first diorama for the camper.
Anyway enough waffle from me I can now bore you with shots of the finished kit warts and all. As usual comments and criticism welcome.
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