Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Frank3k on April 19, 2025, 09:45:14 AM
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This is the Gecko M76- a weird little
Duck - "Otter" but apparently it was effective and was well liked by its crews.
(https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/5/2/7/1540527-37308-62-1080.jpg)
I decided to make this a post-Vietnam vehicle, after seeing these 1/72 M76 kits. (The Scalemates links show other pages):
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mil-mod-mm-072-131-m76-otter-plus-second-waterline-late-type-usmc-vietnam--1457984 (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mil-mod-mm-072-131-m76-otter-plus-second-waterline-late-type-usmc-vietnam--1457984)
(https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/9/8/4/1457984-12389-40-1080.jpg)
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mil-mod-mm-072-121-m76-otter-early-and-wrecker-other-users--1457981 (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mil-mod-mm-072-121-m76-otter-early-and-wrecker-other-users--1457981)
(https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/9/8/1/1457981-12389-11-1080.jpg)
The wrecker and cargo hauler versions are tempting, but I haven't found pictures of the real vehicles and in any case, they seem like major surgery. I'm leaning towards something like the yellow or red vehicles.
The kit has a fair amount of tiny PE bits, but it isn't at the Hobby Boss or Bronco level of annoyance. The assembly is rational (unlike Broco/HobbyBoss) and they are nicely detailed and marked in sequential order on the sprues (there are a LOT of sprues, though)
It took a while to get to this point. The tires are plastic and not vinyl (yay!) but all those wheels took a while to assemble and clean up:
(https://i.imgur.com/QEbfElb.jpeg)
One issue is that the prop should be angled up when not in use; I'll have to break the joint and angle it.
The kit has an option to add radios (which are pretty nice). After I built and installed them, I realized that they wouldn't be a good fit for my civilian version so I took them out.
Some of the PE is ridiculous, though - like these wingnuts in the driver's compartment:
(https://i.imgur.com/JR26OiJ.jpeg)
I've knocked a few off, but luckily have only lost one.
Here is where I left it today. Some of the parts are just press fit in place. I'll paint it before attaching the tracks; I checked and they will fit in place with the rest of the superstructure in place:
(https://i.imgur.com/X1xxbgt.jpeg)
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Nice to see you taking on the Gecko Otter. It is an interesting vehicle. My own exposure to the Otter was a very long time ago on a beautiful island paradise,,, :smiley:
With the draw down of forces near the end of Vietnam conflict resulted in the U.S. Navy sending a number of those Otters to Naval Station Adak, Alaska in the Aleutian Islands while I was living there. The vehicles were shipped in on an aircraft carrier (I believe it was a short hull Essex class) which was quite a surprise to see docked at Adak since it was such a small harbor and the carrier was quite large. The Otters were intended for the Marines stationed there to provide an all-terrain vehicle capability for the Marines tasked with guarding the nuclear weapons facility and defense of the island if invaded. I do not recall ever seeing any of those Otters operating while I was there and things were all stored in a very derelict hangar at the end of the east-west runway which also housed the doggy jail for animal control. My dog was a frequent visitor to doggy jail,
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Jeff - I hope your doggie lived a happy life.
I'm making slow progress on the interior and tracks. I started with the link and length tracks, but what really bogged me down was putting together the tiny plastic parts for the steering mechanism in the driver's compartment. The otherwise excellent instructions are vague in this step.
I painted the interior white (some vehicles showed OD interiors, but a couple of original vehicles show a white driver's compartment). I painted the whole interior white, since this is going to be a civilian vehicle (or at least not front line military).
(https://i.imgur.com/FbE1WJ0.jpeg)
Detail of what took forever to assemble. About 15 parts (including the pedals) in that tint space:
(https://i.imgur.com/tIE9Ly6.jpeg)
There are a couple of loose cat hairs and I noticed one of the wingnuts almost got knocked off.
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There are always cat hairs, even in houses that have never had cats, & of course every wingnut has to be a separate piece! ::)
Looks to be coming together nicely! :smiley:
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Nice work so far on what looks typical Gecko to me, very fine/fiddly detail to make a highly detailed miniature replica of the real thing.
Still, it is an interesting vehicle
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Having recently added one of these to the stash, I look forward to seeing how yours goes together, Frank. So far, it looks like a good kit.
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Now in the weeds with adding small details and PE parts. One issue with this kit is that the walls are very thin - usually commendable - but the engineering tolerances are very tight. In some sections, it feels like you have to test fit large sections of the model just to make sure one part glues down correctly, since 4 or 5 other parts depend on it being within 0.5mm of its exact location. The engine cover/side panels/interior engine walls are particularly sensitive to this. I had to pick the least annoying spot for a gap. The very front seemed the least bad. Hopefully the gap will be gone once I remove the excess putty:
(https://i.imgur.com/9LxEdTe.jpeg)
Getting it this far has been difficult, with clamps, gluing down small sections at a time and even using CA as a clamp in some spots just to close some of the gaps (which I hate to do):
(https://i.imgur.com/3FeqnE1.jpeg)
Note: The decals for the placards on the radiator/air intake have very poor adhesion, even after using a decal softener. This may be a problem with the rest of the sheet. I noticed that one of the placards on the other side had fallen off, so once I reapply it, I'll have to coat all the placards with a clear satin coat to keep them on:
(https://i.imgur.com/VOfy3Ax.jpeg)
One set of decals that did come out nicely are the instrument panel dials. The dials have a clear coat, so they're sealed in:
(https://i.imgur.com/JjRXrIr.jpeg)
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Good work, Frank! :smiley:
Of course you steer your (very) light armoured vehicle with bicycle handlebars! ::) ;D
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It's amphibious-of course it has portholes... :D This is a nifty looking little build. I am a little surprised this didn't see some broader civilian use. It seems like it would have had a lot of agricultural and exploratory uses.
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Wow, this kit is revealing itself as the monster it really is. The warnings start quietly - tight tolerances and fit, then it hits you with a myriad of tiny parts and HobbyBoss/Bronco level of stupid, insane PE parts - many of which could have easily been molded in plastic.
The worst part about the PE is the inconsistent use of fold lines etched in the brass. Parts that are trivial to bend without fold lines have them. Parts that really need fold lines due to the complexity of the bends… don’t have them. I was tempted to leave some parts off or replicate the in plastic. It’s turning into a demotivating build.
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Oh my... not really what you expect.. but sort of what you expect with some manufacturers. Perhaps a bit rushed to market.
Still what is see look quite good so far, you will get it done.. we have all seen what you can do.
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Such a shame to hear Frank.
I don’t know why certain companies feel they have to do this (Bronco take note) - they obviously feel that microscopic is best but it is their annoying lack of consistency that is the most frustrating.
Nevertheless, your build is looking great and your level of patience and forbearance impressive! :smiley:
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Odd looking vehicle but cool all the same. Great job on the interior. Are you going to incorporate the shark mouth onto the version you are doing?
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Thanks guys. The inconsistency is what gets me. If you've built ICM, Miniart or some of the better Trumpeter kits, demanding but "honest" kits are fine builds. This kit starts out like that, but at some point they seem to have brought in the HobbyBoss/Bronco team to design the PE and some of the plastic. They even tease you by giving you the option of using PE or plastic parts for the engine hood handles; here was one spot where the PE handles were perfectly designed. I'll power through with this, but it's not fun.
@Ramba - of course I'll use the shark mouth!
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Yesterday, I spent at least an hour trying to get these four pieces of PE right. Of course, they moved just before the CA set, so I had to remove them and try again, which bent the PE quite a bit. I finally had everything to the point that they were on and the damage could credibly be blamed on wear and tear:
(https://i.imgur.com/Emdz5Ey.jpeg)
Looking closer at the left corner, I noticed that it had split a bit. I used pliers and tweezers to squeeze it back together before adding more CA into the gap:
(https://i.imgur.com/7fsXEZu.jpeg)
I applied the CA, squeezed... and one of the panels started popping off. Sign. So I peeled all four off and removed as much of the CA as possible. These are the four pieces of PE that really needed fold likes, since the location has to be exact... but no, you have to guess, with predictable results.
I'll add some bolts to replace the missing ones, maybe a loop and call it a post-war mod. The tools (shovel, pickaxe, extra handle and head for the pickaxe) all have tiny, thin PE belts to hold them in place... I'll find some other way.
The rest of the day was spent attaching tiny handles to doors (the contacts are all flat, round and sub-millimeter in diameter). Hopefully I can finish most of the construction tomorrow. Then fill in some of the gaps and prep for painting.
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Oh, happy daze! :-X
Stick with it, mate! You'll win out ... Eventually! :smiley: ;)
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Yeah those PE parts could just as easily been molded onto the plastic panels. I think some companies think high parts count and a bunch of PE are selling points. I like detail as much as anyone but making it super complex to build is not a selling point to me. I was thinking of trying this one but maybe not.
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If you look closely, the PE parts are LESS detailed than the plastic areas around them. The metal fins sticking up could have been an extension of the plastic walls below. Few would have complained about the slightly thicker plastic.
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Agreed Frank, fairly typical modern kit over engineering to get a parts count. Two swipes with a sanding stick to thin those extensions down would have been so much easier.
I still grin when I hear people griping about resin kits being hard and complicated to then to go and build a mega parts count injection and PE kit with impossible part breakdowns to replicate the real component.
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I copied the PE edge plates onto thin styrene, cut off the top bars/extensions off and added some bolt heads. I may add larger tow hooks or something over the reinforced sections. till not 100% convinced this will work.:
(https://i.imgur.com/e4vtL1A.jpeg)
The mess is Tamiya surface primer. I just have to clean the rest off.
I'm so tempted to:
Power through until it's finished
Close the box on this and pretend it doesn't exist, or part it out.
Cut the rear off and turn it into the cargo hauler version:
(https://i.imgur.com/2EOntV0.jpg)
This kit is zero fun.
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I think I would go with the last option. Just remove the problem.
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I quite like what you've done with the corners. :D
Be a shame to waste that skilful work - I vote power through! :smiley:
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Sorry to hear about all these issues, Frank. Keep pushing through, I'm sure it'll look great under some paint/weathering.
It makes me leery to tackle my Otter, but I'll give it a shot and hope mine comes out half as good as yours.
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Ken - I followed your suggestion. After looking at this wretched model for a bit, hating it even more, then looking at this again:
(https://i.imgur.com/2EOntV0.jpg)
I decided to put it on the chopping block. It was either that or part it out and throw the bits into the spares box:
(https://i.imgur.com/HtxvljD.jpg)
Ironically, the open cargo version was my first choice for this build, but I thought cutting the plastic was too drastic. However, since the walls are thin, it took less than an hour to carefully remove the glued on bits I wanted to save, mark off the cuts, measure and start chopping. The cuts behind the cabin pretty much have to go where they do since they avoid some hinges and vital areas. It makes a nice alcove for the two fuel tanks:
(https://i.imgur.com/bxtkDhL.jpg)
They're mounted on a styrene sheet and will be raised a few mm to provide access for the drain plugs. I'll add a couple of fuel fill lines (silicone coated wire) going to the roof.
I don't have an image of the original cargo version (other than that fuzzy drawing), but that doesn't matter in whif-world.
I still have to clean up/cover the cuts and former fuel tank locations and glue the side walls again and reattach the cut rear, but that will be a lot more fun than continuing the original build.
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It’s great to have a new plan. I would hate see the work you’ve done go to waste. As long as you enjoy this it will be a win!
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Looks like a winning course correction, Frank! WhIf it up!
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Good man - if in doubt, cut it out! :icon_ninja:
Hoorah! Onwards and upwards… :smiley:
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Cargo version ?? :( If you have a flat bed why not mount AA guns or a small howitzer ? ;D
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Or it’s running another load out to the nuclear waste storage facility in the mountains of Antarctica!
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This is a pretty small vehicle - maybe a recoilless rifle... but with the fuel tanks right behind it, maybe not.
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Score... as in score and snap.
Great move by the looks of it Frank
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I feel better about it. It's still a shit kit, just not as bad. I'm working on fixed rails or droppable sides for the cargo area.I printed two each of these:
(https://i.imgur.com/l4ReOTK.jpg)
Although the droppable sides may look better.
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The side rail in the forefront of the above image looks more kinder and gentler than the one behind it. If you have to go that route. Looking forwards to seeing your drop sides solution too.
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Drop sides sound interesting. Will they have working hinges?
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I don't think I'm feeling motivated enough by this build to add hinges.
Here are the curved railings, tacked in place:
(https://i.imgur.com/uQKXjdv.jpg)
The rails are pretty low. With a 55 Gal. drum and a figure:
(https://i.imgur.com/WclCEUO.jpg)
with the scratchbullt drop sides:
(https://i.imgur.com/D2DvdFl.jpg)
I thought that cleaning up the scratchbuild was taking a lot of time, so while the filler was drying, I designed and printed similar drop sides:
(https://i.imgur.com/lGSjE5G.jpg)
I was going to smooth out the printer artifacts on the sides, but I like the pattern. Maybe it's a steel frame with a plastic cover on the cargo side...
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Looking good, Frank! :smiley:
I like the solid-side idea, it's not really a big enough cargo bed to need drop sides to get the load on/off.
Although I prefer the look of the styrene sides, personally. ;)
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Nice use of the printing artifact. I think it looks good that way.
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The higher side walls are definitely better in appearance than the rails. Nice win for you on the artifacts detail as it does look like it belongs within the framework.
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Don’t let those railings go to waste! Glue them to the top of the drop sides as tie down railings.
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Both sets of side walls look really good. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
Here's a second vote for adding the 3D rails to the tops of the side walls.
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The kit from Hell progresses slowly.
The fprmer drop sides were too thin, so I printed four of the frames and sandwitched a sheet of styrene between them, to make the drop sides the correct thickness. After that it was masking, adding the fuel tanks and fuel lines (under the masks below) and some primer. I used some Badget Stynylrez red primer color, which may be good enough to be the final shade:
(https://i.imgur.com/U8z999K.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XgShuR3.jpg)
I'll add the curved ended 3D printed railings on top of the drop downs, but they're in a metallic shade and will be painted and installed last.
I'm also masking the wheels so I can paint the tires. I still have a ways to go fixing issues with the body, but at some point I'll have to tackle the tracks. They're link and length, but like everything else in this kit, they're a pain.
The
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The orange looks pretty good. For a second I thought the masking tape over the bed was going to be a tarp.
Then there is this oldie but goodie option.
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcQT_Nr3I5ZKjf_km-8TlcHJlARGLfHb9V7FXJVxh1TZglm6wLS-QyRUV1tkfx8Pxiy5F4RTTd4lu-6msbuCSpVEwhi7vcxK5Hhnk6cjJ6fM)
Or this one.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcT4OOxkksCFK6Tx7eKYTSkK9VUGps8PsKbfY_25ZrDMQf1a0rGv0WgjNYiEC7jWEN40W6_GwjKVnANwGVmVCQ-p1izsMlQQ)
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Very good case here that all options looked good and had individual merits. Where you are now.. is looking the goods
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Moving along on this miserable kit. I got the tires on. I also got the tracks on. They're link and length, which would have been a breeze on any other kit, but this being Gecko, the attachment points are less than 1/2mm deep. They are as annoying to build as the rest of the model. I still have to touch up the tracks - this is just the base color. I've also added a slight amount of weathering/dirt:
(https://i.imgur.com/tqCfXr9.jpg)
The prop looks more bronze in real life. The two blue tubes going from the roof to the fuel tanks are silicone coated wire (with the wires removed):
(https://i.imgur.com/fDGFzTr.jpg)
The railings are off for now. Here's what they'll look like on the vehicle:
(https://i.imgur.com/mxtZLMI.jpg)
Still have decals and a ton of small details to add.
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Except you have turned me off this kit completely, it would make a great planet rover for future space builds.
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Super like all you have done for this build. :smiley:
Masterful work on such a challenging kit. :smiley:
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Thanks, guys. I don't know if it's this kit or me, but I have to remind myself that this is a hobby. I've wanted to launch this kit off the roof many times.
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I have several Gecko kits in the Wombat Stash.
Frank's hatred is driving a desire to build one when I've finished the PBRs.
Seems I like a challenge from time-to-time. ;D
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Funny how one manufacturer can have a terrible kit of one vehicle then a good kit of a different vehicle. Aircraft too. Different people working on different projects I suppose.
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For all the issues you've had with this kit, it's looking amazing. You'd never know the frustrations its created.
Love the color.
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Agreed. Looking great considering the construction issues you experienced with this kit.
With the lower freeboard is the otter still capable of amphious operation?
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I think as long as it isn't overloaded and it's not going into rough seas (or any seas, really...) it should be OK. From the pictures here:https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/us/amphibious-cargo-carrier-m76-otter/
It looks like this model has a few inches of freeboard.
As if this build didn't suck enough - I just did a google search and found more pictures of the M76 that weren't online when I started this build...
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As if this build didn't suck enough - I just did a google search and found more pictures of the M76 that weren't online when I started this build...
It could be worse - a cheap but accurate 3D conversion kit of what you just did could have been released yesterday.
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That will happen as soon as I finish this...
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Slowly getting closer to the finish line. I added the decals today.
I printed the "Polar Operations Support" decal, with the year and date as the serial number. The black hatch/door on the upper right side looks like the cover for an electrical connection. That's what I'm assuming and how I painted it:
(https://i.imgur.com/vHUR7wi.jpg)
Why yes, I did think of the acronym first... and true to its name, the decal on the right door got smooshed slightly after I applied the decal softener/setting solution.
Other side:
(https://i.imgur.com/MUcrZKX.jpg)
Some of the holes and scratched paint on both sides will receive parts still under construction.
I added a fire extinguisher to the cargo area, next to the fuel tanks:
(https://i.imgur.com/H3rEBtA.jpg)
Top view. The "bald spot" on the upper right corner of the roof is for the radio antenna:
(https://i.imgur.com/x3Hx7Jg.jpg)
Front view. The tiger mouth and eye decals are from the kit:
(https://i.imgur.com/Op6pFFg.jpg)
The blackout light? on the front left was turned into a hooded light. The round object below it is the horn.
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You may think you have more to do but;
Seriously good result, Frank! 8) :smiley:
No matter what you thought of the kit*, the finished piece is excellent! :icon_alabanza:
[*: Yes, I noticed the "POS". ;) ]
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Polar Operations Support FTW! :smiley:
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Looking good despite your challenges.
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Also have to say.. regardless of the challenges, where you are is a spiffy build and sits right on the mark.
Well done sir ! :smiley: :smiley:
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Another great job and the shark mouth looks cool.
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Another battle won, Frank!
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Still need a few delicate parts before I can declare victory...
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Didn't break off the delicate half plastic/half PE windshield wipers, the PE windshield wiper protectors not the antenna or great on the sides. I started to do some weathering, but cut it short because I'm done done with this piece of drek and don't want to tempt fate.
Top view, with some cargo:
(https://i.imgur.com/xuxMr6x.jpg)
The white box is the ever critical supply of toilet paper. The rolled tarp is from the always excellent Value Gear:
(https://i.imgur.com/LMwdbKy.jpg)
The antenna is too long to fit in any of the pictures. I should have sized it correctly, but ehhh.
(https://i.imgur.com/BvfA5ZZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/TsTcuVb.jpg)
French mechanic and The Inspector going over the many, many shortcomings and annoyances of this kit:
(https://i.imgur.com/FGIR9k5.jpg)
Backstory? This M76 was converted to carry supplies from McMurdo Station to far off research centers in Antarctica. It was lost in a snow storm on a leg of its journey between the Norwegian Drittstasjon and the Chinese 操你个壁虎 station.
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:smiley: A snow-base would look great.
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Doesn't need heavy weathering to look good ... And she does look good, no matter the issues! :smiley: :smiley: 8)
Interesting station names she disappeared between. ;D ;)
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Frank, Thanks for being the pathfinder with this build, your fight with this kit will be immensely valuable to those of us that have this kit in the stash.
Forewarned is fore-armed!
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Thanks, guys. My experience with this kit would have been improved if I had built it in the order that seemed to make most sense and ditched some of the more ridiculous PE (like the wingnuts). The tracks were surprisingly difficult for link and length. If I were forced to build this again, I would build the lower hull first (including the wheels, suspension and tracks) and set it aside - maybe even paint it. The suspension is fiddly and the attachment points aren't the strongest, so just press fitting them to the hull, building the wheels and tracks the setting them aside won't work.
I would have been extra careful with the upper rear corner PE pieces, maybe using a slow setting CA glue or a PVA glue once in place. Much of the PE is excessive (besides the wingnuts) like the belts and supports for the tools on the outside of the vehicle. thin tape would help with some.
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A+ Class product.
Well done, fits the role and the mods really do work
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This all worked out in the long run! I think your weathering looks just right. Not much mud or dust running on snow and ice. ;)
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It went through the McMurdo Carwash.
Thanks for all the comments - I'll be curious to see the experiences of anyone who builds this kit. I didn't find any other builds online when I started.
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I know you have had a bit of a nightmare with this one but, honestly, it looks epically good. If all my nightmares turned out this good, I would be a very happy man! :smiley:
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As always, another great job. That farmer/mechanic sure gets around and always scratching his head. I think it is time he retired :smiley:
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Thanks guys. It was no fun at all and since this is supposed to be a fun hobby...
The French Mechanic will get some R&R once I get one of the other 3D scanned people painted.
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Thanks guys. It was no fun at all and since this is supposed to be a fun hobby...
[Best Arnold Rimmer imitation:] "Not fun! Are you mad?" ;D
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Doesn't need heavy weathering to look good ... And she does look good, no matter the issues! :smiley: :smiley: 8)
Interesting station names she disappeared between. ;D ;)
Yes, I am very glad I didn't use the google translate function for the Chinese characters until I got home...
A pain to build it might have been, but you certainly turned it into another beautiful build. The orange looks both ideal for the Antarctic and slightly sun faded. I am most intrigued by the road wheels=it looks for all the world like some of the old wheel & track convertibles.