Autocarretta OM35 2025-09

[BarleyBop]

A small but interesting Italian vehicle, built for mountain terrain, many of which found their way to North and East Africa.
I'll be aiming to show it in action, attacking British held Sudan with Italian Colonial troops from Eritrea, 1940.
Another 3D printed kit, to work on 'in my spare time'... or distract from frustrations of upcoming Dive Bomber GB.

 

[Tommergun]

Looking forward to seeing your process!

 

[BarleyBop]

There is a truck somewhere in here!

 

[BarleyBop]

Parts on the left, supports (waste) on the right. Much less than the Pavesi tractor.

Cleanup of parts when I'm rested... brittle and thin, don't want to break them.

The process is akin to shucking corn and snapping peanut brittle! As a styrene and resin modeler, the snap crackle pop still makes my hair stand on end!

I'll keep all the waste in a bag until I'm done, don't want to throw out something by accident!

 

[Jakko]

Wow

 

[BarleyBop]

Started some clean up, and inventory of parts I'll need/want to fabricate. Some as replacements, some as additions. There are some warped pieces, as well as craters that will need to be filled.
Snipping, sanding and smoothing, I run my filter fan to suck up particulate...
The fan is good for dust and designed to even suck up/filter fumes from soldering.

 

[KowboyKaleb]

I've never done a 3D printed kit before, all the left over supports and material look like they are real fun to remove

 

[KINGSLUG]

Didn't know they had stuff like this...

 

[BarleyBop]

3D printed kit

For a real laugh, check out my first, a Pavesi tractor!

I understand not all 3D kits are created equal, so "mileage may differ" !
This is a small kit, and from a maker that does lots of Italian vehicles, many used in North Africa/Mediterranean, the particular flavour of my addiction!

I have discovered that I get a kick out of scratch built detailing, so I think of these as 'platforms' to be expanded upon if I feel so inclined.

 

[BarleyBop]

Didn't know they had stuff like this...

Nope, though some day I might consider it... these are kits, and these particular ones come with the supports attached.

... that's odd, the reply didn't quote the text in your comment!?... never mind, we are editing our posts at the same time!

 

[KowboyKaleb]

For a real laugh, check out my first, a Pavesi tractor!

I understand not all 3D kits are created equal, so "mileage may differ" !
This is a small kit, and from a maker that does lots of Italian vehicles, many used in North Africa/Mediterranean, the particular flavour of my addiction!

I have discovered that I get a kick out of scratch built detailing, so I think of these as 'platforms' to be expanded upon if I feel so inclined.

All the little spots left over from the supports on the pavesi tractor almost gave me a case of tryptophobia haha!

 

[GCB]

Checking this brand, they have quite a lot of Italian "weird" machines.... You'll have fun!
Just a few examples

 

[BarleyBop]

"weird" machines

Crazy eh?
I have one more in the stash from them, then some more 'conventional' kits from other makers.

 

[BarleyBop]

... so looking at reference materials, I see what the brackets up the sides behind the driver compartment were for: securing the frame for a canvas collapsible roof.
This kit has no such thing, nor did it have two under body storage. Since I'd taken out my brass anyways to fashion some extra hand holds, why not keep going?

The panel at the front of the box will also have a pickaxe and shovel mounted below the handhold.

 

[urumomo]

Is that how it goes ,
or should that upper disc section be bent horizontal and attached on top ? to create the hinge for that hasp ? :

 

[BarleyBop]

on top

Kind of an odd setup on the original ... and a scratch approximation, from the photos, looks like the storage hinges are below, and the 'disk' was flush mounted to the side of the box, with a hinged hasp hanging down to lie over the staple.
The bottom of the bed was out of square, so I fudged it, leaving a bigger gap between the storage and the truck bed. I'll look at it when I'm more awake and see how it looks, maybe add that hinge between the plate and the hasp. I may have to adjust the height of the plate so that it looks like the storage access door can clear it and swing down to open when the hasp is released and lifted up.
Worst case, fill the gap as well.

 

[BarleyBop]

Well, amazing what a little primer ca do!
...the hasps don't seem as problematic, though I will add some wire for the hinges.

Most photos show a crank in the front, so will add that too:

I just noticed that the back gate details need cleaning up.
Without good photo references, I wouldn't have been able to distinguish detail from 3D print supports and artifacts:

Before priming, I ran two 1mm strips of mask tape to add a bit more dimension to the wheel twin rubber treads:

 

[urumomo]

Looking at pix , that storage bin is recessed more than on the model .
I was looking for closeups of that hasp .

have you seen this page already ? : https://truck-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/Autocarreta-OM.php

 

[BarleyBop]

Hmmm, more recessed than the refs I was using... perhaps old photos not as clear...
Certainly looks better. I'd have to make the bins less deep.
If I saw that photo, I didn't file it, as I often consult that site... been mostly going by my Riccio et al books.
Now I can see how the crank actually fits! I couldn't figure out how the crank could be turned as presented in my kit: the bumper is actually hinged to get it outta the way!
Thanks!

 

[BarleyBop]

The way bumper was printed:

 

[KowboyKaleb]

The tape on the tires for tread detail is an excellent idea!

 

[BarleyBop]

Crank and restrainer/holder on bumper:

Rear door detail

Storage thinned as much as I can, and set back...

 

[urumomo]

 

[BarleyBop]

The top Brass made me do it...

 

[KINGSLUG]

I imagine you read this...
Greats book

 

[BarleyBop]

you read this.

Nope, but it is shortlisted now!

 

[Bob T]

I just bet you would like working on model trains, BB...
Steam has lots of brass to work with, even on plastic bodies....

 

[KINGSLUG]

That would be cool...have to look into that.

 

[KowboyKaleb]

Wonderful brass work, it's coming along awesome!

 

[Jakko]

Railway scratchbuilders are apparently a very special lot. On another forum I used to be on, there's someone who did that too before turning mostly to plastic kits, and he mentioned more than once that the real die-hards would not just scratchbuild whole carriages from brass stock, but take into account the paint thickness that would go over them … Which IMHO is taking things into ridiculous territory. Who's going to notice a difference of a few tens of micrometres? How are you going to even measure that difference when building the model?