Desert Chase Truck Scale Model

[Havana]

I think the desert chase truck is easily the most iconic of all the vehicles seen in the Indy films. Here's my 1:35 scale model of that truck. I built this from parts taken from 5 different kits and a lot of fabrication work. I'm not going to kid anybody here. Building this was HARD! I had to compromise on a few details but I think it turned out well. This is not really an accurate model of a 1930's Mercedes truck. It's a fairly accurate model of the truck built for Raiders. In order to replicate in miniature what the filmmakers had done, I too had to fit period Mercedes parts and a correct German military bed to a GMC 2 ½ ton chassis. I had to fabricate the cab almost entirely and elongate the hood by over a centimeter to get the proportions right. I haven't included the two spare tires mounted on each side of the hood. This is a detail that I just couldn't get to work with the fenders I was locked into using. The model's front fenders come from an Opel and are a bit longer than those on the movie truck. They didn't leave enough room to add the spare tires. When I tried using smaller spare tires, it just didn't look right. One of the basic rules of modelmaking dictates if you can't make it work, leave it out. Most people won't notice an omission but many will notice a poorly executed detail. Anyway, I think the most important details are there. I feel satisfied with the model because everyone who's seen it has immediately recognized it. I hope everyone likes it and please feel free to use it in your digital artwork.

[Deleted]

Havana,

Man that is outstanding work

You definately have some talent for modeling.

Cheers,
G-MANN

[Ragingblues]

Havana... wow! You really are awesome with that kind of work. The eye for detail coupled with the patience to do that kind of work.... wonderful combo!

As soon as I get my plate emptied a little more, I plan to use on of your awesome truck schots in a scene.

Congrats on a great job!

Ken

[pitfallharry]

Wow, that's another fine looking model you've built there. Even with the missing spare tires on each side it still looks like the real one. Simply amazing!

Where do you find the time to do this? Plus, where do you go to get all of the right parts for your truck? I'd imagine it's like a scavenger hunt.

[Havana]

Thanks guys. Finding the time is a challenge. I tried to work on it about an hour a day (for weeks). Sometimes that hour turned into 3 or 4. Finding all the right parts is a total scavenger hunt. You've got to find those impossible to fake parts (like the Mercedes grille, the wheels, ect) in other model kits. Kits aren't cheap these days so you want to keep kit buying to a minimum. You can also raid kits and use parts for totally different purposes than what they were intended for. For example the roof rack was made by bending two sets of rails from a US Army jeep and the grill guard was a luggage rack taken from a 1/24 Porsche Speedster. If you build models, never throw anything away. You'll use it all eventually. Other parts you end up making from house hold items. This truck contains things like dental floss, nylon thread, plastic from a flash light package and part of a Barbie doll arm. I'm not kidding. Don't look for it. You'll never see it but it's in there for structural support. Everybody who sees a model like this will think you're crazy until it gets painted. For some reason, the dust on the truck looks more gray in the pictures but in person it's definitely a tan color. Must be the lighting. So did the real truck have tan or gray dust? Just kidding. Please don't shoot me.

[Kt. Templar]

Havana, that is just amazing. Beautiful work.

[indianatone]

These models are just too good to pass up, Havana.

[Ragingblues]

Nice work Tone!

Not only does it match the scene and look like it's seen some action, but the added window grime is a plus! I especially like the parts wiped off by hand, on the passenger's side of the wind shield!

I guess the real question is, what's he carrying in that thing? The Ark? A pallet of guava jelly? 8 heads in a duffle bag? Or just more Nazi goons, about to have their melons cracked open by Dr. Jones?

Fine job,

Ken

[Deleted]

Hey Tone,

Great to see you back at the wheel in Photoshop.

Excellent job as usual, those models of Havana's just scream USE ME PLEASE.

Cheers,
G-MANN

[Kt. Templar]

Tone,

Without looking at the original shot I nearly couldn't tell what you had done and what was original. Sign of a good retouch. Nice work.

[indianatone]

Thanks guys. I was up at 12:30 last night looking at these and really just could not get over how great the detail on these are; especially for their scale! I couldn't resist anymore so I took one of Stefana's backgrounds from the Mayan Ruins thread and put the truck in it.

Heh, heh! Thanks for noticing those handwipe smudges, RB.

Overall, not too shabby for 40 minutes worth of late night messinoffetry. It just shows how good that tiny truck looks in these things.

Although, for a more realistic sense of motion, the portion of the landscape and some of the truck would be blurry. But then the nice detail of the model would have been lost in the trade.

Yes, these trucks do scream USE ME!

These are really nicely done, Havana!

[Steve]

I'm floored. Havana, that is exquisite.

Tone, rock on.

[Deleted]

Woah, I've only just seen this thread! Absolutely outstanding work, Havana!

Tone, fantastic job also!

[Havana]

Thanks for all the compliments everyone. I just enjoy doing these kinds of models. I find it very relaxing & rarely frustrating. I try to make it accurate but I don't get too obsessive about the details. Seeing the models put to use in digital pictures really makes me happy because it takes the model to a whole new level. It's no longer a 6 inch plastic truck sitting on a shelf. Now it's a real truck or at least a full size prop in the digital world. Tone, that pic rocks!

[Stefana Jones]

WOW !!

Tone I've just seen you PS pic with the truck ...Great use one of my "Mayan backgrounds", the angle chosen is perfect ! The pic looks stuningly real !

I'm impressed !!

[indianatone]

There I went being rude again.

Thanks all. Glad you liked the pic. Yes, Stefana, I told you I'd find a way to sneak those backgrounds in.

As luck would have it, my disk drive froze on me (unrecoverably so) a few days ago and I lost everything I'd made over the last couple months. Just gives an excuse to start from scratch, I guess......but MAC sure is looking better and better to me as the years go by.

[Ragingblues]

Ummm... you do know they use disk drives too, don't ya?

Ken

[indianatone]

;D Yes, but they tend to just 'work' without having to guess at what caused the crash.