Atlantis Models Gas Tanker Truck as Post-Apoc Rig

[Jordan Peacock]

At Hobby Lobby, I took advantage of one of their 40%-off sales to pick up this kit from Atlantis Models - "White-Fruehauf Gas Truck."

While hunting around for references, I've found that this same model has been released by Revell in different color schemes -- red plastic with "MOBILGAS" livery, and white with "Shell" livery ... but also back circa 1957 it looks like it was released as a military fuel truck by Aurora.  Some kits include clear plastic pieces for the windshield, but not this particular box.

 

I wanted to fix this up as an abandoned vehicle in the retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic setting of Fallout (or something heavily inspired by it), and in Fallout tradition, one tends to steer away from actually recognizable company brands (though there are odd exceptions), and if at all possible (for bonus points?), put in some weird references/puns to refer to atomic power, bombs, the apocalypse, etc. 

 

I waffled between several possible schemes to go with.  Here's a link to a sheet I came up with, for some different livery to try out.

https://www.deviantart.com/jordangreywolf/art/Tanker-Truck-Model-Labels-300-dpi-896347664

 

In the end, I decided to go with ... CRY-O-FLO:

 

I made up some sort of "thermal conversion fluid" that through unknown processes (and a generous dose of SCIENCE!) converts heat into light, but it degrades in the process, so of course you're going to need MORE Cry-O-Flo to keep your microfusion devices running cool.  I figured this would be an opportunity for having a Cry-O-Flo spill terrain detail/hazard, painted "glowing" neon blue, perhaps with some "ice crystals" to emphasize that this isn't something you want to come into contact with.

 

Another contender:

 

Here, I was trying for one of those dumb "pun" names, but also I imagined that this could be some sort of wonder-fertilizer that, after 200+ years of sitting in a tanker truck and exposure to radiation, of COURSE if it leaks out, the stuff is going to spawn mutant carnivorous plant-monsters by the score!  (And, thankfully, Reaper Bones has provided me with a bunch of plant mutant monsters I can use for just such a purpose.)

 

I also did a mock-up of the original Sinclair livery included with the kit, changing "SINCLAIR" to "DINOGAS" and putting a T-Rex in place of Dino the Dinosaur.

 

And, I changed references to Fruehauf (manufacturer of the trailer) to "HAUFLIFE" in another Fallout-style pun attempt.

 

 

And here's the truck!  The model is 1:48 scale, so it looks pretty good next to the 32-34mm scale minis from Fallout: Wasteland Warfare, etc. (and I imagine the same for Chronoscope as well).

 

The model cab can flip forward to reveal the engine (though for this setting I need to replace the engine with something higher-tech that could pass for a microfusion device), and the side panels can pop open to reveal access ports to the pipes leading to the gas tank sub-sections in the trailer.  The plastic has a bit of dimpling in the main tank and wheels and a few other spots, requiring a bit of putty and smoothing to cover up.  Also, the side mirrors for the rig are very flimsy, so I replaced them with wire and putty to hold up better to storage and handling.

 

I used paper labels for the "Cry-O-Flo" livery, the "HAUFLIFE" signage, and the license plates.

[Brother Jim]

I went to their website to search for this and either got "0" results or I got charm bracelets [email protected]!!

So I guess they don't want my money.

Insert "shrug" emoticon here.

 

EDIT: I found it by scrolling through ALL of their model kits, it was on page 9 for me.

Edited October 30, 2021 by Brother Jim

[Chaoswolf]

Very cool!

[Glitterwolf]

Awesome!

Love it!

[KruleBear]

That looks a thousand times better than the box cover. 

[Jordan Peacock]

On 10/29/2021 at 11:01 PM, Brother Jim said:

I went to their website to search for this and either got "0" results or I got charm bracelets [email protected]!!

So I guess they don't want my money.

Insert "shrug" emoticon here.

 

I tried using their Search feature, and there's something GOOFY going on there.  It doesn't behave like I'd expect a search engine to.  (Or, if it's searching, it's going by something other than the listed name of the model.)

 

The title on their site is (in full) "White Fruehauf Gas Truck Sinclair US Army NEW GLASS Plastic Model kit 1/48"

 

However, if I search for "White Fruehauf" I get no hits on the front page (and a while lot of things that say nothing about "White" or Fruehauf").

 

If, instead, I type in "gas truck" -- it's the LAST option that shows up on the first page of results.  I haven't yet figured out the keyword combo that will bring it up right to the top.  Including more keyword match words seems to WORSEN the result.  Searching by SKU (H1402) doesn't work at all.

 

 

 

 

[Rigel]

Gorgeous conversion, and thank you for making those labels available--splendid design work. 
 

On 10/29/2021 at 12:43 PM, Jordan Peacock said:

for this setting I need to replace the engine with something higher-tech that could pass for a microfusion device

A couple of greebles and a blue glow will go a long way (blue glow = high-tech, and the bluer it is, the higher tech it is, right?)