GMC CCKW-353

[I have always heard bad things about Heller kits, however this kit has many good points.]

Actually, I started this kit around 1990. I'm not exactly sure of the year, but I do know it was 2 houses and 1 wife ago. I had just started modeling again, and was on a kick to build models from all over the world, and this being a Heller kit was my French model. I have always heard bad things about Heller kits, however this kit has many good points. The moldings may not be as crisp as some other manufacturers, but the level of part detail is very impressive. For example, when building the chassis, you build it rail by rail, with separate cross members, and EVERY chassis component is a separate part. This includes parts like the fuel filter, steering column and gear box, and break hydrovac cylinder.

[If you want a quick easy build, get the Tamiya, but if you would like to see how the truck actually went together, you might like this kit.]

The only modification I made to the chassis was to remove the molded on, spare tire release rod, and replace it with a piece of music wire. If you want a quick easy build, get the Tamiya, but if you would like to see how the truck actually went together, you might like this kit. Obviously, I started and stopped this kit many times. It wasn't like building a tank. It seemed to require a lot more thought and planning, and sometimes I just had to step away for a while.

In 1938, the British and French governments realized that they would need more trucks to supplement their military forces, which they could not produce themselves. It was obvious that the United States would be their only possible source, therefore an order was placed with the Yellow Truck & Coach Co., of Pontiac, MI, which had become part of GM in 1925. The French requirement called for 2000 3-axle 2.5-ton 6x6 trucks. Yellow Truck's solution came from their commercial line, with all-wheel drive and an extended wheelbase. Production started in 1939, however due to the fall of France, all of the contracted vehicles went to England.

To meet a U.S. Army requirement, Yellow designed a new version of the truck in 1941 with a new front-end shape and simplified grill and bonnet. The new vehicle was designated CCKW 353. The first letter being year of design, (C = 1941), the second being cab type, (C = standard cab), the third determined front wheel drive option, (K = front wheel drive), and the "W" indicated twin drive rear axels. It came in two wheel base lengths, with "353" being the long wheelbase and the "352" the short. There was a multitude of bodies that could be fitted to this chassis, including the standard steel body, wooden body, dump body, tanker body, workshop body, and an air compressor. The U.S. Army received the first vehicles in early 1941, and was so impressed that they submitted additional orders that drove production in the year to over 56,000 units.

The truck was powered by the GMC type 270 strait six gasoline engine, producing 104 hp @ 2750 rpm. The stated maximum speed was 45mph, and mileage worked out to be about 7.5 miles per gallon on road, or 3 to 4 off road. It came equipped with a Warner 5 speed transmission with overdrive, but the clutch, which was a single dry plate attached to the flywheel, was really the weakest point of the truck because it required frequent adjustments.

GMC's CCKW is probably one of the most well known vehicles of W.W. II, second only to the Jeep. No truck will probably ever surpass the service record of this vehicle, and as a testament of simplicity and durability, hundreds are still operating today. A total of 562,750 CCKW's were built during W.W. II

[When building the chassis, EVERY chassis component is a separate part, including the fuel filter, steering column and gear box, and break hydrovac cylinder.]

The kit engine is a whole, complete engine that is almost a model in itself, and is very nice. Again, everything is a separate part. The only things I added were a dipstick, some Grandt bolts, plug wires, and other miscellaneous wires, lines and hoses. I also added the fuel line from the tank to carb, battery wires, and break lines.

The cab was next, and like the rest of the kit, it went together very well, and looks great when complete. The Eduard set contributed many fine details that added greatly to the final appearance. The windshield actually came as one clear part, glass and frame, but the glass was kind of thick, so I opted to cut out the glass and replace it after painting with thinner clear stock. Since I was going to display the hood open, I decided to attach some short stiff wire pins at the rear of the hood, to place into holes I drilled into the top of the cowl. Otherwise the attachment point of the hood to the cowl would have been weak, and I didn't want to have to fix it later. I also replaced the two support rods above the engine, with stiff wire, and then scratched the under side of the hood, and the prop rod assembly. Finally, the front bumper is Eduard brass, and it along with the winch was detailed with more Grandt bolts.

[The kit stayed at this stage for a long time, while I thought about what to do with the warped bed.]

The weakest part of the Heller kit is the bed. It comes with the all steel bed common to these trucks until 1942, when they were replaced on the assembly line by bodies made from wood, to save on steel for the war effort. Interestingly, the steel bodied beds were made by Budd or Heil, but the wooden ones were made by furniture makers like Haywood Wakefield, or piano manufactures, like Baldwin. I built the kit bed, (see top of pic at left) but it was terribly warped, and I just couldn't straiten it out. Here is one of those times I put it away for a while. (A long while.)

[The Tamiya bed, shown in base coat, is the wooden type and is very pretty, with much crisper detail than the Heller assembly.]

[With just a little effort, I was able to mate the Tamiya bed, shown in primer, to the Heller chassis.]

During this extended break, a couple of things happened. First, Tamiya came out with their kit, and second, I picked up the Master's Leroi compressor back end for the Tamiya kit. The Tamiya bed, (above left) is the wooden type mentioned above, and is very pretty, with much crisper detail. I started playing with all this, and the idea came to me. I would convert the kit pre '42 version to a post '42 version, with the wooden bed.

[I used the Masters resin grill, a Hudson & Allen chain with hook, and a couple of MV lenses.]

[The pioneer tools came from Verlinden,]

With just a little effort, I was able to mate the Tamiya bed to the Heller chassis. It was the only assembly I used from the Tamiya kit, so of course, the gravy is that I can still use the Tamiya kit for the Master's air compressor conversion. Beside the Tamiya bed, and the Eduard brass set, I also used the Masters resin grill, pioneer tools from Verlinden, and a couple of MV lenses. The chain with hook was a Hudson & Allen offering.

The Heller parts were primed with flat black, and then painted M.M. OD green, before being clear coated with Humbrol lacquer, and washed with acrylics. This was followed by a Humbrol lacquer dull coat, and a dry brushing with oils. Ditto for the Tamiya bed, except it was primed with burnt umber. I think it gave it a warmer look. The decals came from the Tamiya kit, with the exception of the plaque on the voltage regulator, from Fingerprint. I also used the wiper masks from Trakz.

[The scene in my head made use of the old Verlinden playing cards, and some Custom Dioramics resin wine bottles.]

[I don't claim to be a figure painter,they just completed the scene in my head.]

As for the figures... I do not and never have clamed to be a figure painter. They were just something that completed the picture I had in my head. Ages ago, at some model show, I picked up the old Verlinden printed sheet of scale maps, money, newspapers, and playing cards, and ever since, I had tried to think of ways to use those playing cards! The idea seemed pretty easy, but when it came time, it took at least two hours just to cut and place those playing cards!

Our three friends in the back enjoying some down time are basic Tamiya figgies, while the rather perturbed mechanic standing in front, is a resin dude from Corpus. It seems these guys found some Custom Dioramics resin wine bottles, and a card game broke out! The resin crates came from a bulk purchase at AMPS one year, and other details scattered around the truck like the helmet, hanging bag, and tarp with canteen, came from a Royal resin set.

[The ground cover included some Three Guys Just Dirt, Woodland Scenics grass, and dried vegetation from a crafts store.]

[I used Armand Bayardi's damaged and regular drums, and a small wooden tub. ]

The base was constructed using plywood, trim molding, and plaster, and also made use of Armand Bayardi's tall damaged tree, along with a few damaged and regular drums, and a small wooden tub. The ground cover included some Three Guys "Just Dirt", Woodland Scenics grass, and dried vegetation from a crafts store.

[It seems these guys found some Custom Dioramics resin wine bottles, and a card game broke out!]

References:
GMC Trucks at War, Portrayal Press
GMC CCKW 353 & 352, Koran & Mostek, Wings & Wheels Publications, 1997

[The base was constructed using plywood, trim molding, and plaster.]