Mercedes-Benz L 4500 R Maultier Construction

1
November 4, 2012
Engine with first paint on (20 engine parts assembled)
2
November 4, 2012
Still corrections need to be done...
3
November 4, 2012
...and the engine needs a washing and a bit of dirt...
4
November 11, 2012
First steps on the frame (so far 56 frame parts assembled - another 21 to come)
5
November 15, 2012
Engine and exhaust added to the frame; steering- and drive axle prepared
6
November 15, 2012
Exhaust painted in Humbrol 27004 Gunmetal Metalcote and washed with thinned Humbrol 113 Matt Rust
7
November 15, 2012
Trailer coupling - towing bolt and handle to open/close the coupling is not in the kit
8
November 17, 2012
Handle and bolt added to the coupling
9
November 17, 2012
Suspension, front- and drive-axle added to the frame
10
November 17, 2012
Steel cabins instrument panel is bigger with additional buttons/parts for Maultier version. I had to tansfer the buttons to the Einheitsfahrerhaus panel.
11
November 17, 2012
Present stage of instrument panel. Dials are simple paper-prints covered with clear laquer.
12
November 17, 2012
The seats were to shiny. So I covered them with silk paper.
13
November 17, 2012
Seats with first paint on. I intend to paint them a bit darker.
14
November 18, 2012
I didn't like the flat appearence of the pedals. So I added some rips, which prevent the boots from slipping off the pedal.
15
November 18, 2012
This is the result of the pedal modification.
16
November 18, 2012
The flat surface of the cooler's inside I modified with some mesh and painted it. You won't see it anymore, but... I just wanted to do it...
17
November 20, 2012
Cabin front: All parts glued. Seems my first masking tape trials on the windscreens went well.
18
November 20, 2012
Added some stains and dirt to the floor, but just a bit.
19
November 20, 2012
Wheels prepainted and testfitted.
20
November 22, 2012
Cargo bay and cabin assembled and dry-fitted to the frame
21
November 25, 2012
The cooler so far. I'm thinking about painting the Mercedes star in black...
22
November 25, 2012
If you're stupid enough to break something, you got to repair it. Have a look at the nice details of the jigs for the idler wheels. Good job, Zvezda!
23
December 2, 2012
As per instruction idler wheel jigs have to be glued in the last stage of assembly. My recommendation - fix the idler wheel jigs before glueing the wheels and cargo bay.
24
December 3, 2012
Right side of tracks (Friul ATL-114) assembled. Small parts, but handling is easy and fun!
25
December 3, 2012
Here we are! Tracks are connected and dryfitted. A bit more than 100 links per side.
26
December 3, 2012
Now I believe to know, what for the steel rails on the frame are. The bolts of the tracks weren't fixed. The rails were pushing them back into position. A technique still found on Russian tanks like the T-55. So the rails need some scratches painted.
27
December 8, 2012
Weathering the tracks with thinned paint and pigments is always a mess... After that I got to clean up the work-bench before continuing with anything else.
28
December 8, 2012
...but I like the result!
29
December 8, 2012
Spare tyre - you nearly won't see it later, but...
30
December 9, 2012
Got the tracks on the wheels.
31
December 9, 2012
Front tyres added. They're fixed in left-turn position.
32
December 9, 2012
Windscreen-wipers with black rubber lids painted, but... it's hardly to see.
33
December 12, 2012
Nothing fixed, nothing finished. Just to see, where it's heading.
34
December 12, 2012
Different stages of painting on hood, cabin and cargo bay.
35
December 12, 2012
Strange, but interesting look without the fenders.
36
December 18, 2012
I didn't like the smooth surface of the step plate. I used some mesh left over from a Tamiya kit (1), glued it on the plate (2) and painted some layers on it. Final layer was clear satin laquer (3).
37
December 18, 2012
Figure painting - a nightmare for me. This is the start. Still a lot to do!
38
December 18, 2012
The MiniArt driver fits nicely in the cabin.
39
December 23, 2012
That's, what I can get out of a figure with my present skills. Not good, but I'm satisfied.
40
December 23, 2012
Driver in place! Don't expect more. I'm glad that I came that far with the figure.
41
December 30, 2012
The Einheitsfahrerhaus Maultier had a cooler frame. I scratchbuilt it from the thin metal of a candlelight and Evergreen L-shaped profiles.
42
December 31, 2012
Cooler frame, Notek and front lights added.
43
December 31, 2012
Cargo bay fixed to the frame.
44
January 1, 2013
Driver's cab from above. I will not fix the roof. Perhaps the driver will receive a co-driver later.
45
January 1, 2013
Left side
46
January 1, 2013
Left front side. The wall of the driver's cab is still too clean inside the engine room.
47
January 1, 2013
Front side - windscreen wipers fixed and masking tape removed from the windscreens.
48
January 1, 2013
Right front side
49
January 1, 2013
Right side. The metal parts of the Maultier received a satin coating. This explains the difference of colour shading of engine hood and cargo bay.
50
January 1, 2013
Back side - Uuups, the towing bolt slipped downwards a bit. I will fix, once the Maultier received its towing gun.
51
January 1, 2013
Upper side - Looks pretty clean because of the flash light...
52
January 1, 2013
Underside

Kommentarer

2 4 November 2012, 23:19

Frank Krause Författare
Startet with the Mercedes-Benz L 4500 R today. So far I constructed the engine and painted the first layers. After paint has dried enough, corrections will have to be done, followed by washing and some dirt.

4 November 2012, 23:24

Holger Kranich
Its looking good! But why are you going to mix it?

5 November 2012, 07:30

Frank Krause Författare
Hi Holger, quite simple.

I've got 2 Maultier, 2 4500S Einheitskabine and 1 4500A steel cab.

So I'll built one Maultier OOTB, another Maultier with the Einheitsfahrerhaus (does not exist as plastic kit), one 4500S Einheitsfahrerhaus OOTB and one 4500S with the steel cab (does not exist as plastic kit), which remains of the Maultier kit, which I'll built with Einheitsfahrerhaus. Last, but not least the 4500A OOTB. In the project are just 3. The other 2 OOTB will follow..sometime....

5 November 2012, 10:28

Holger Kranich
Be convinced, i´ll follow this build with interest! Will you apply the camos from the boxart?

5 November 2012, 10:32

Mike Kryza
Hi Frank - I have build the "first" kit last year. It was pure fun...:-D
The start looks good.

5 November 2012, 11:07

Frank Krause Författare
@Mike: So far it's fun! The parts fit nicely, the kit has good details, but ask again, when I start the third one...😉

However, may be one of them might become a civilian version used by a logistics company that time. Who knows...

5 November 2012, 13:38

Mike Kryza
...the third one has not any(?) problems too...

5 November 2012, 14:35

Frank Krause Författare
@Mike: ...well, since those kits share a lot of same parts, I fear, it could become a bit boring, when I reach the third one... I'll probably play a bit with the colours...

5 November 2012, 17:30

Holger Kranich
And it's never good to get bored😢!

5 November 2012, 17:50

Zimmermaniac
I'll be watching you, got that first kit in my stash..

5 November 2012, 17:55

Frank Krause Författare
First steps on the frame (so far 56 frame parts assembled - another 21 to come)

11 November 2012, 01:45

Holger Kranich
56 parts for the frame only? How much parts in all?

11 November 2012, 08:10

Frank Krause Författare
Only the frame without any add-on parts like suspension, axles, wheels has 71 pieces. The whole kit consists of only 426 parts...

11 November 2012, 08:16

Holger Kranich
Puh! A lot to glue! Btw, good morning!🙂

11 November 2012, 08:18

Malte D
Looks really great! But - you should stop counting those parts, otherwise this will avoid making any progress with the build. :-D

11 November 2012, 08:24

Frank Krause Författare
🙂 🙂 🙂

11 November 2012, 09:31

Frank Krause Författare
Some more pics added. Pics 5 and 6 show my progress last Sunday. Pic 7 is the trailer coupling, but... no bolt at all.

15 November 2012, 18:22

Malte D
Wow, that exhaust looks great!!!

15 November 2012, 18:28

Holger Kranich
Yeah, Malte is absolute right!

15 November 2012, 18:29

Christian Mundt
Anhängerkupplung?
Hier werden Sie geholfen:
etsy.com/listing/821..icle-rear-tow-pintle

15 November 2012, 18:59

Frank Krause Författare
Danke, Christian! Dann bekommt das Maultier doch seinen Nippel für die Lasche...

15 November 2012, 19:01

Christian Mundt
🙂

15 November 2012, 19:08

Christian Mundt
Ich hab´ da vor einiger Zeit das Set für die 7,62cm Pak bestellt (pimp my Diana 😉 ), der Service war einwandfrei und die Qualität der Teile ist hervorragend.

15 November 2012, 19:32

Frank Krause Författare
Hi Christian, mein Problem mit der Anhängerkupplung hat sich von alleine gelöst. Grad kommt der Radschlepper Ost rein, der den gleichen Typ hat. Ich brauche beim Maultier nur den Bolzen und den Griff zum Öffnen hinzufügen, dann ist die Kupplung "meiner" Wirklichkeit nah genug.

Aber nochmals danke für den Link. Da sind gute Sachen dabei, die man sich doch zulegen könnte... 🙂

Skoda RSO-Radschlepper Ost (Riich.Models RV35005, 1:35)

16 November 2012, 11:17

Frank Krause Författare
Small update - I pimped the towing pintle with bolt and handle and glued the axles and suspension to the frame.

17 November 2012, 08:16

Holger Kranich
Frank, du baust ja fast in Lichtgeschwindigkeit! Bravo!😢

17 November 2012, 13:02

Frank Krause Författare
Höhö, für meine Verhältnisse könnte man das so sagen. Hab grad 'nen guten Run... )

17 November 2012, 13:24

Holger Kranich
Dann lass den Kleber glühen!😢

17 November 2012, 13:46

Frank Krause Författare
Followed Holger's recommendation. More pics of instrument panel and seats added.

The instrument panel of the Einheitsfahrerhaus is smaller than that of the steel cabin. So I had to modify some parts. Also the seats received a cover of silk paper and first paint. As per instructions the seats should be black, but I decided for leather brown, but will probably paint them a bit darker than they are now.

17 November 2012, 22:16

Holger Kranich
Yeah, i like it!!!

17 November 2012, 22:20

Mike Kryza
...feine Sache das bis jetzt - Frank. -- (ja... und ich lebe auch noch :-D). Aber seit Friedrichshafen habe ich mit den Tücken der modernen Kommunikation zu kämpfen gehabt... - sollte jetzt wieder (fast) alles funktionieren.🙂

19 November 2012, 18:13

Frank Krause Författare
@Mike: Hatte mich schon gewundert, wo Du und Marina steckst. Schön, dass Du wieder online bist! 🙂

Ich kämpfe mit einer Erkältung, muss aber vor dem Zusammenbruch noch 2 Wochen durchhalten, damit wir unsere Schulungen durchbringen. Das Maultier hält mich dabei bei Laune. Das Ding macht einfach Spass. Ich warte noch auf das Masking Tape für die Scheiben. Solange muss eben die Ladefläche dran glauben...

19 November 2012, 18:23

Mike Kryza
...also ich habe die Scheibe nach der Lackierung eingeklebt!! - Müsste eigentlich bei deinem Kit auch gehen.

19 November 2012, 18:27

Frank Krause Författare
Hmm, nicht bei dem! Die Scheibe und der Rahmen sind ein Teil inkl. der Scheibenwischermotoren... Auch wenn das innen ist, sieht man es doch.

19 November 2012, 18:34

Mike Kryza
ok - das hatte ich nicht mehr so in Erinnerung...😉

19 November 2012, 18:35

Frank Krause Författare
Upps, ich vergass! Statt dem Original Stahlfahrerhaus baue ich ja das Einheitsfahrerhaus drauf. Die Scheiben sind unterschiedlich. Beim Stahlfahrerhaus wäre ich ohne Masking Tape ausgekommen....

19 November 2012, 18:38

Mike Kryza
...wir kommen doch so langsam in die Jahre...😉

19 November 2012, 19:06

Frank Krause Författare
Some more pics added. My first trials ever with masking tape (thanks to Thomas for the extremely fast delivery) went satisfying well. For more info please refer to the captions.

20 November 2012, 23:25

Frank Krause Författare
It's taking shape. With cargo bay and cabin dry-fitted it gives already an impression of the final thing...

22 November 2012, 23:37

Holger Kranich
Meine Herren, Frank! Du überholst Dich ja fast selbst! Sieht aber bis jetzt klasse aus Dein Einheitsfahrerhausaufkettengerätmitladeflächengedöns! Was sagtest Du noch, kommt da für ne Tarnung drauf?

23 November 2012, 07:08

Frank Krause Författare
Quietschegelb... äh... Sandgelb. Habe keine buntigen Maultiere gefunden, auch wenn mich dafür eine Hinterhalttarnung reizen würde, nur... die gab's auf'nem Maultier wohl gar nie nicht... Das 2. Maultier mit dem Stahlfahrerhaus wird wohl 'ne Flecktarnung bekommen.

23 November 2012, 10:01

Holger Kranich
Und denn? Dreckig oder sauber?

23 November 2012, 10:05

Frank Krause Författare
Benutzt, aber keine Rampensau. Die Frontfender lasse ich weg wie auf der Friulpackung...

23 November 2012, 10:07

Holger Kranich
Ja, siehr gut aus ohne!

23 November 2012, 10:16

Mike Kryza
Gib's doch zu - Frank - die Frontfender haste wohl wieder verschusselt...😉

23 November 2012, 13:30

Frank Krause Författare
Hähä, dicht dran oder knapp vorbei. Ich hab sogar vier - die ursprünglichen gemäß Karton und die aus dem EInheitsfahrerhaus Kit...😉

23 November 2012, 13:31

Mike Kryza
ok - und jetzt haste das Problem alle vier(!) anzukleben...😉

23 November 2012, 13:36

Frank Krause Författare
Ja, sieht so komisch aus...😉

23 November 2012, 13:37

Holger Kranich
Haha, LOL!

23 November 2012, 13:39

Mike Kryza
:-D:-D:-D

23 November 2012, 13:45

Frank Krause Författare
Few pics added. Tracks are ready for paint.

4 December 2012, 00:05

Kim Branders
So paint it will be. Great job. Looking forward to the painting. 🙂 Grtz Kim

4 December 2012, 06:45

Frank Krause Författare
Yeah, Kim! Still the old-fashioned way. I know there are special fluids for metall tracks, but... I'm not that far.

4 December 2012, 10:10

Fethi Isiksal
Dear Frank, the aging which you made is perfect. Especially the details in dashboard is super. Waiting new pictures.

4 December 2012, 10:19

Kim Branders
😢

4 December 2012, 11:41

Christian Lehmann
Nice progres 😉

4 December 2012, 12:00

Christian Meyerhoff
Very nice looking Maultier with great detail

4 December 2012, 13:10

Frank Krause Författare
Slow progress is better than no progress! More pics added.

9 December 2012, 22:13

Acki
Hi Frank, nice job, great show. I´ll follow!

10 December 2012, 16:18

Philip De Keyser
Great progress Frank, looking very good so far, greetz Phil

10 December 2012, 17:08

Frank Krause Författare
I pre-assembled hood, cabin and cargo bay on the frame, just to get an idea, how the Maultier will look like.

12 December 2012, 23:33

Gerald
schön schön Frank gefällt mir 🙂

13 December 2012, 00:17

Holger Kranich
Oh, jetzt kommt Leben in die Geschichte! Looks good, your Maultier!🙂

13 December 2012, 07:34

Mike Kryza
Feines Teil bis jetzt... 😉

13 December 2012, 08:49

Frank Krause Författare
@Holger: Danke! Schau'n mer mal!
@Mike: Bis jetzt... ich werd ihn schon "versauen" und dann in die Ecke schmeissen, aber warten wir mal ab. Vielleicht kommt ja doch was raus am Ende...😉

13 December 2012, 10:46

Mike Kryza
Klar kommt was raus bei 😉 - sonst würde ich ja meinen Glauben an Dich verlieren... - :-D

13 December 2012, 10:51

Frank Krause Författare
Autsch, jetzt wird's religiös. Ich "glaube", ich mach erst einmal Mittag!😉😉😉
Danke für Dein Vertrauen, Mike! 🙂

13 December 2012, 10:57

Holger Kranich
Mahlzeit!

13 December 2012, 12:10

Mike Kryza
...und so was bei einer harmlosen Bemerkung... 😉

13 December 2012, 16:54

Frank Krause Författare
Update - cabin and hood fixed to the frame. Started with the driver. More info see captions...

18 December 2012, 21:42

Philip De Keyser
Great progress Frank, keep the pictures comming😉

18 December 2012, 22:26

Augie
🙂 Watchign with interest

18 December 2012, 22:44

Christian Lehmann
Maythe force be with you when you face the challenge of figure painting

19 December 2012, 06:13

Christian Meyerhoff
Nice looking driver!

19 December 2012, 06:24

Fethi Isiksal
Dear Frank, first of all i want to say that your work is excellent. May i ask you that how you did paint the driver? with airbrush or with brush only?

19 December 2012, 07:18

Frank Krause Författare
Thanks, girls and guys! 🙂
@Fethi: All brush-painted. I don't even own an airbrush...😉

19 December 2012, 08:04

Jean Henri FILLIOL
Beautiful work, congratulation for the manipulation of the brush; I have the L 4500 A version, passably begun and which waits patiently for its tour in the list of "no finished " (and it is long... LOL)

19 December 2012, 10:29

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
Ahhhhhh ,i knew there was someone besides Augie that dont use an Airbrush!!
It was you ,Mate.
Congrates to your result.Looking forward for the next steps :-D

19 December 2012, 11:25

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
And yes i agree with you ..painting Figures is Horror 🙂
But we are still young and we can only get better!!

19 December 2012, 11:27

Fethi Isiksal
@Frank: incredibly beautiful nice work. There is no any brush traces.. no need to words 🙂

19 December 2012, 12:25

Frank Krause Författare
Thanks, Fethi!😉 Photographing technic helps... There are enough brush traces, but for military vehicles still ok...!

19 December 2012, 12:40

Frank Krause Författare
Driver took his seat.

23 December 2012, 13:12

Malte D
....and found his head! 🙂 Looking great Frank!

23 December 2012, 13:14

Jean Henri FILLIOL
Very beautiful work; it is in very good way.

23 December 2012, 13:46

Frank Krause Författare
Scratchbuilt the cooler frame typical for the Einheitsfahrerhaus Maultier.

30 December 2012, 16:20

Christian Lehmann
Well done Frank. These small details make the difference 😉,

30 December 2012, 16:58

Christian Meyerhoff
Very well done so far. This model will be great when finished. Grear details so far. So keep it comming mate!

30 December 2012, 20:09

Augie
ok pass the popcorn.. i want to watch the master at work....

30 December 2012, 21:29

Acki
Sitting, watching, eating popcorn. Thanks for the show, Frank.

30 December 2012, 21:33

Philip De Keyser
Great scratchwork Frank, I want to see more of this nice work, greetz Phil

30 December 2012, 22:08

Malte D
"Candlelight-Scratchbuild", now you're going to become romantic, don't you? 🙂

31 December 2012, 06:59

Frank Krause Författare
Just to please my wife...😉

31 December 2012, 07:01

Malte D
Oh weh! :-D
Sieht aber gut aus! Weitermachen! 🙂

31 December 2012, 07:07

Frank Krause Författare
Ok, this is as far as I will get in 2012 - cooler frame, lights and cargo bay fixed. Actually only 10 parts are missing and the construction will be finished. In 2013 it'll get its final paint! See you all next year...!😉
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

31 December 2012, 16:28

Philip De Keyser
This one comes nicely together, great job Frank, SU next year,
Happy New Year for you and your family
Greetz Phil

31 December 2012, 16:32

Frank Krause Författare
Thanks Philip! Happy New Year!

1 January 2013, 01:13

Arne Greve
Hallo Frank,

nice work, but for the drivers face, I miss some shadows in his face. He more looks like an dummy, than a human. 😉

Happy new year
Arne

1 January 2013, 10:03

Frank Krause Författare
Happy New Year, Arne! 🙂
Thanks for the advise! My first figure after years. Also the area around the eyes looked ok to me, but on the photos... 🙁 I'll have to work on figure painting. May be SCM meeting on Wangerooge will be a good chance...😉

1 January 2013, 10:10

Frank Krause Författare
For me the Maultier is finished now.
Last pictures of the album show a walkaround. I took them with flash light, so the colours and shades appear somewhat different than they actually are.
During daylight I will take more pictures and publish them on whatever website is courageous enough to accept them.
Hope you liked following my progress. Another 1400++ kits to go to improve my skills...😉

1 January 2013, 19:17

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
Hi Frank
How can a year start better !!!!
(Yes i know there are some other things but psssst)
Looks great but i want better pics. in daylight or so.
Very well done ,Mate.Looking forward for more Pics. 🙂

1 January 2013, 19:27

Acki
Frank Krause strikes again. Phantastic work.

1 January 2013, 19:35

Mike Kryza
Hi Frank - I agree with Markus -😉

1 January 2013, 19:39

Holger Kranich
Very, very cool model! Frank you still impress me, not to use an airbrush. This paintjob and the weathering ist superb, in my oppinion. And i like the driver. He looks as if he thinks: Uups, that wasnt a fart...

Great build, Frank (and quick)! Looking forward the other 2 models!🙂

2 January 2013, 07:30

Frank Krause Författare
Thanks Holger! I'm just thinking off continuing with the L4500S, since the box is already open, because I took the Einheitsfahrerhaus for Maultier.
I would like to do it in civilian colours e.g. a truck of a forwarding company, but... I haven't found any colour plates of civilian trucks that time. Pale blue might be a choice. Any guess, what other colours could be ok?

[img1]

2 January 2013, 07:52

Holger Kranich
I have seen a restored car like yours in Jevergrün RAL 6005 formerly known as British Racing Green. That looked very cool!

2 January 2013, 08:10

Malte D
Ich wüde auch sagen - dunkelgrün mit schwarzen Kotflügeln, sowas habe ich auch schon gesehen. Oder Weinrot mit schwarzen Kotflügeln. Schwarz mit grauen Kotflügeln geht sicher auch ganz gut. 🙂

2 January 2013, 08:13

Christian Meyerhoff
@ Holger: "Jevergrün" Das war klar! 🙂
@ Frank: Top Modell Dein Muli! Wird der noch beladen?

2 January 2013, 15:56

Holger Kranich
@Christian: Na sicher!

2 January 2013, 15:59

Frank Krause Författare
@Christian: Danke Christian! Freut mich, dass er Anklang findet.
Mein Projekt ist ja etwas grösser. Gemäß der geplanten Anhängelast (8,8 cm PaK 43/3 L/71 - ob die jemals an ein Maultier angehängt wurde, weiss ich nicht, ist mir aber Wurscht) werden wohl noch ein paar Munitionskisten folgen, aber das kommt später.

2 January 2013, 16:25

Album info

Construction of the Mercedes-Benz L 4500 R Maultier with Einheitsfahrerhaus

Mercedes-Benz L-4500 R Maultier Einheitsfahrerhaus

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