Italeri Cargo Truck GMC 6X6 Full Build

Cargo vehicles are another subject that fascinates me during a war. Logistic in the warzone in general I guess. An army can only advance as fast as it resupplies. I actually know a guy who drives for the army and it is a serious undertaking. I also love flatbed trucks. No idea why! Just do! So for this military models project, I’m building the GMC 6×6 Cargo truck

So, on my little eBay shopping spree, I picked up this cargo truck for just under £15. Very happy with that price, and thought it would be a fun, quick build where I could concentrate on the painting and weathering.

Italeri GMC 6X6 Cargo Truck Scale Model — Old School Italeri GMC 6×6 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck

It’s a bit of an old model, but the main thing is all the parts and instructions are there.

The Sprues from the Italeri Cargo Truck scale model — The Sprues of the GMC Cargo Truck, 2 main Sprues with a clear set and some transfers.

The first job was the chassis. The parts fit together very well and the instructions, seem to be pretty easy to follow so far.

first part of the cargo truck chassis completed — The First Part Of The Chassis Has Gone Together Quite Easily.

Now the chassis is completed and the drivetrain and suspension attached I can get on with the cab. A little bit trickier with the fit here, but patience prevailed and it’s starting to look like a truck. I need to fit the headlight but I will wait until it is painted before I stick the grill over the radiator,

Drivetrain attached to the cargo trucks chassis — So The Chassis Is Now Completed Suspension And Drive-train Attached.

Chassis and cab now completed on the scale model — Fitting The Main Parts Of The Cab On The GMC Cargo Truck Model.

front of the scale model cargo truck up close — Close Up Of The front Of The Truck, Pretty Good So Far Just Need To Add The Lights And Will Fit The Grill After I Have Painted The Radiator.

While the cab is setting I can move my attention to the flatbed part of the truck. It has fitted together really nicely, I’m going to let this set overnight and then fit in the seating tomorrow.

The bed of the truck is now completed — The Rear Body Of The Truck Is Now Stuck Together, Will Give It A Day To Set Fast.

So I have let everything dry overnight, I have fitted the seating in the flatbed so now I’m just doing a dry fit of the body and radiator before I continue. Next, I need to fit the mud flaps and a couple of other pieces to the flatbed and the wing mirrors to the cab then I should be about ready to lay down some paint.

The scale model cargo truck is just about completed — Just Doing A Quick Dry Fit Before Painting Begins.

So I made the ultimate error and tried to get a bit of the model done when I was exhausted, I tried to fit the headlights and messed them up a little, will just need a bit of sanding to get them back but I have learnt my lesson on this one.

The wheels of the scale model cargo truck ready for painting — I Love These Before And After Pictures Of The Wheels. Here Are The Cargo Truck Wheels Before Painting.

Now on to the wheels, I am finding this quite a relaxing job now. Just sort of sit back and do a bit of sanding and trimming while I watch some Star Trek. I will be honest. I do prefer rubber tyres, but beggars can’t be choosers! Anyway, I got this plastic stencil off eBay and am trying it out as a painting mask for airbrushing. The results are not too bad at all so far. I will need a little bit of practice but with it being reusable I am very happy.

Masking and painting the cargo truck wheels with a plastic stencil — Using A Plastic Stencil To Mask The Truck Wheels Before Airbrush Painting

Now the fun part…painting! So I have lightened up some Olive Drab, after seeing how dark the paint got on the Towed Howitzer after varnish and washes. So a quick airbrushing of basecoat and it looks good, I can’t really see any major imperfections.

Coated The Cargo Truck with a lightened olive drab — Have Given The Cargo Truck A Coat Of Olive Drab Mixed With White.

So now to apply the decals and paint in the small details like the headlights and drivetrain. With it being an old model some of the decals had begun to deteriorate and a couple of them broke down in the water. So I had to take a fair bit of care with them, but with some patience and a steady hand, I managed to salvage the rest.

water slide decals fitted to the truck — The Transfers Applied To The GMC Truck And Ready For A Coat Of Varnish.

Painting the details on to the cargo truck before washes — Now I Have Painted In The Details On The Truck, Lights The Drive-Train And The Wood On The Flat Bed.

After all of that work is done a quick coat of satin varnish and then start with the weathering. For this model, I am hand painting on some chipping and using aftermarket weathering products, AK Washes and Vallejo Pigment.

More Details and a wash applied to the cargo truck model — Some Chipping Details And A First Wash On The GMC Cargo Truck.

varnishing the scale model after the first wash — With The First Wash On A Quick Coat Of Varnish Before Working On The Next Weathering Stage.

Applying The Chipping to the scale model cargo truck — Applied The Chipping And The First Coast Of Wash.

first coat of wash on the cargo truck model and it's looking good — Now The First Wash Is On The Model Is Really Starting To Come Together.

All in all, I have done 3 washes, A pin wash, some grime streaks and a couple of rust streaks. Now I have laid down a coat of matt varnish and fitted the clear parts and brushed on some earth pigment. I did remove the steering wheel and headlamps to aid in fitting the clear parts so just need to refit them and then I can call it a day on this one.

Finished The Weathering On The Cargo Truck — Washes Done, And Pigments Added Just Need To Attach The Steering Wheel And Headlights And I Can Call It A Day.

GMC Cargo Truck Scale model — Side View Of The GMC Cargo Truck

Scale Model GMC Cargo Truck Elevated View

Scale Model GMC Cargo Truck From The Front

6x6 Cargo Truck Model — 6×6 Cargo Truck Model Rear End

6x6 Cargo Truck Model Front End — 6×6 Cargo Truck Model Front End

6x6 Cargo Truck Model Photographed From Above — 6×6 Cargo Truck Model Photographed From Above.

6x6 Cargo Truck Model Showing The Flat Bed Cargo Area — US WW2 Cargo Truck Model Showing The Flat Bed Cargo Area.

US WW2 Cargo Truck Model Rear Photograph.

US WW2 Cargo Truck Model Rear Wheels — United States Second World War Cargo Truck Model Rear Wheels And Flatbed.

United States Second World War Cargo Truck Model Rear Wheels And Flatbed. — United States Second World War Cargo Truck Model Rear Wheels And Flatbed Photo.

United States Second World War Scale Model Cargo Truck.

American Second World War Scale Model Cargo Truck — Completed Scale Model Cargo Truck.

What did we learn from this one then? All in all a nice build. Need to work on the chipping effect, this one I painted with a brush. I should have put the radiator cover on last, however, that wasn’t a major issue. A bit more working with clear parts and the glue ‘n’ glaze. Apart from that, I am pretty happy with the end result.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE ITALERI GMC CARGO TRUCK