Author Topic: Ammuniton Box Bashing  (Read 4022 times)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Ammuniton Box Bashing
« on: July 01, 2017, 01:32:46 PM »
A good title I think. 

While going through the stash I have been trying to weed out things I don't really want and keep things that I do want.  Occasionally you run in to a box of bits that make you wonder why you ever purchased so many of the same kit. 

The Academy Armor Weapons Set is one of these.  It had a few things that were worthy of saving but a lot of it was just space filler in the boxes.  There were two such items that were in this category that had some potential use but not as ammunition boxes due to the horrible details molded on to the boxes.  The boxes were supposed to represent a 75mm ammunition box for three rounds of ammunition for the Panther tank and an 88mm ammunition box for the Tiger tank.  Both boxes had lids but the rest of the box was molded as one piece with some rather large features that really did not belong on a simple box. 

I opted to keep the lids to use as skids for cargo or as a walkway either of which would be a worthy purpose for the box lids that have wood grain features on both sides of the lid and two cross brace wood slats to hold them together like a normal box.  A shame Academy chose to cut corners and dispense with these details on the box proper. 

So I experimented with two of each box (actually four of each box type) and after cutting away some of the material I was able to assemble two boxes of each size into a shape that has yet to be properly decided upon. 

At this point the bits no longer look like wooden boxes but more like keel blocks for a boat or perhaps a bridge footing for something like the Bailey Bridge.  Or maybe as dunnage to block something in on a cargo truck load. 

Anyway, both items are uploaded in the attached images along with the pile of box bits that I started with to give you an appreciation for the changes made to the two box types. 

Box of box bits in the first image. 

88mm box parts and same parts assembled in the second image. 

75mm box parts and same parts assembled in the third image. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2017, 05:16:20 PM »
I tend to use those things as generic boxes amongst the stowage on my vehicles, they're pretty good fillers for that purpose.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2017, 01:10:21 AM »
The smaller 75mm ammunition boxes could actually be nested and stacked to varying heights but the larger 88mm boxes are stuck with a ledge on one side that prevents that from happening.  It is tedious and time consuming to have to cut that lip from the 88mm box but it has to be done if you are to create something useful. 

The change in size when doubling up the box bottoms does make for a larger container but the lack of features is still a disappointment.  At least these things are not six individual sides that have to be assembled together like some kits contain.  This was an experiment to see what could be done with the left over box bottoms.  So far the idea of using the things as keel blocks is looking like the best choice. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2017, 03:18:28 AM »
I can see you filling up a Deuce and a Half with these or lashing them on the deck of a ship.

I know you were a cracker-jack photo interpreter, Mr Fontaine, but I think the Army really dropped the ball not putting you in logistics.

What a great save! It's a treat to see you work more styrene magic.

Brian da Basher

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2017, 08:26:39 AM »
Hi Brian,

Unfortunately some of my additional duties included being the supply sergeant for my small Military Intelligence detachment in Germany and in my early years as a member of the Specialist-Four Mafia I was among other things, the unit supply clerk, motor maintenance parts clerk, drug testing clerk, company clerk, mail clerk, messenger, laundry clerk, truck driver, MUTT driver/RTO, and radio-teletype operator in a truck mounted message center.  As far as logistics go, if it was not nailed down and under hand receipt control it was fair game ;) 

I was up until 0300 this morning sanding all of the 75mm ammunition box bits plus some POW cans that I decided would become demolition block charges.  The were in two sizes, the small 1-gallon (~4 litre) containers and the larger 5-gallon (20 litre) containers that were in the Academy accessory kit and a few of the smaller 1-gallon containers from a couple of the Tamiya WW2 German Tank Mechanics kit. 

I assembled two container types end to end so that the filler holes were opposed at each end of the former container now what-if demolition charge.  When the glue dried I went back and sanded the seams smooth on each of the pieces.  The end results are some rather long rectangular containers in two different sizes that feature fuze wells at each end.  The containers/demolition charges look quite nice in this semi-finished appearance.  Converting the container/demolition charge volumes to metric gives me a litre/kilogram weight approximation of 7.6 Kg (17 pounds) for the small tan and grey charges while the larger tan charges would be around 38 Kg (84 pounds) which are both quite substantial charges. 
tho
Always remember "P" for "Plenty as part of your demolition formula for achieving spectacular results.  :P 


I was up until 0300 this morning sanding on all of those boxes and container shapes, you would think I could get a decent amount of sleep but that was not to be and I was up again at 0900 and out the door around 0930 to go have breakfast in town.  From there I was thinking about giving my truck a wash at the local do it yourself car wash but did not have any small change or small bills to effect that without having $20.00 in quarters as the end result.  I opted to go to the local sporting goods franchise called the Sportsman's Warehouse to look for some items that might apply to model building and get some smaller bills or change to wash the truck. 

I bought some fishing lure tools that are called an "English Clamp" which are small and easy to use plus a lot cheaper than some of the brand name hobby tools for the same purpose.  Plenty of change to cover washing the truck but decided to head home instead and share the images attached instead. 

Image 1 - All of the items I worked on until 0300 this morning.  A lot of tedious and time consuming sanding.  So grateful for the women's cosmetic sections in the local stores that have so many different grit grade foam backed double sided sanding sticks :)

Image 2 - 88mm and 75mm ammunition boxes, plus the 5-gallon containers. 

Image 3 - 1-gallon containers from Academy and Tamiya. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2017, 10:19:01 AM »
An update. 

The 88mm ammunition boxes are a fail.  Trying to sand down the raised details on four sides resulted in sanding away enough material to create a hole in the box.  Arrrrrgh!  So lesson learned, keep it simple and press on.  At least the 75mm ammunition boxes were more easily modified as there were only two raised features that were easily removed.  Still have enough block shapes with the 75mm boxes to use as keel blocks.  Yay!
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Story

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2017, 08:00:01 AM »
  in my early years as a member of the Specialist-Four Mafia I was among other things, the unit supply clerk, motor maintenance parts clerk, drug testing clerk, company clerk, mail clerk, messenger, laundry clerk, truck driver, MUTT driver/RTO, and radio-teletype operator in a truck mounted message center.  As far as logistics go, if it was not nailed down and under hand receipt control it was fair game ;) 
 




Carry on.

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2024, 11:15:19 AM »
More ammunition box fun.  This time around it is something completely imaginary. 
The summary of parts:
MM40 Exocet AShM launcher pedestals from 1/144th scale Revell Type 143 Patrol Boat. 
Cleaned and sterilized blood sugar test strips. 
ERA blocks from 1/35th scale Lindberg T-80. 
Equipment clamps from some 1/16th scale WW2 German PzKw.  May have been a Panther or PzKw IV. 
Evergreen plastic strips. 
Attachment brackets from Tamaya 1/35th scale armor accessories set for the "Hoffman Tank Gunfire Simulator" that mounts on the tank main gun barrel. 

All of the above was used to create these what-if ammunition magazines that I hope will find a purpose soon. 

"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Ammuniton Box Bashing
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2024, 04:37:15 PM »
 :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."