Mitsubishi Canter 1997 Field Modified

1/35 scale Field Modified Civil Truck wUB32 Rocket Launcher Diopark kit #35020 + Def Model Civilian truck Sagged Wheel set #DW35101 + Def Model Modern Portable Coolers #DM35013 + Djiti 25mm Ammo Boxes #35011 + Matho Models Plastic Crates Set #35044 + Rb Model Cases for Panzerfaust 60mm #35D11 + AFV Club Cal.30/Cal.50/40MM Ammo Box #AF35035

Emblematic image of the conflicts of the Middle East, the technicals (or improvised armed vehicle) become more heterogeneous like pickup trucks and small Japanese trucks with mounted UB 32 rocket launcher, from a Russian attack helicopter.
Until recently, make some model of them was nearly impossible because nothing was available, but the manufacturer Diopark fills a gap by proposing two versions of technical !
If the subject of this article can be placed on Libya or Syria between 2011 and today, the second represents a particular vehicle, used by the Hamas to bomb Israel.

If I had to issue a single critical on this kit and Diopark, this is the price I find exaggerated, given the number of parts! Obviously, the overall quality is excellent, the molding is clean and does not suffer from any defect, the instructions are clear and clean, and rockets crates are provided. However, some accessories like bottles of water and personal weapons, like what Bronco Model does, would have been welcome !
Nevertheless, there are not only bad points : the tires are hard plastic, it is possible to orient the wheels on the right or on the left by a set of parts, the doors can be left open, you can choose between RHD or LHD and there are different tip to represent rocket launcher loaded or not !
The few improvements needed are the replacement of the handles using brass rod and the modification of the spare wheel and batteries supports, but beyond that, the kit is self-sufficient.

Talking about them, the kit spare wheel support is inclined, which did not correspond to the reference photos (and it looks extremely fragile, especially if it has to support a resin wheel ...) So, I scratchbuilt a new support, and took the opportunity to remake the batteries and their supports, which wasn’t accurate either!
These are in my option the only mandatory modifications.

Main source of information: Japanese auction site, a gold mine for weathering and details !

But I decided to go further while browsing the different reference photos, I saw a dump truck with a rear door opening up instead of down, so I scratched this. It’s a subtle details who make this truck unique !
I also bend the rear bumper, which is easy and add more realism. And added brackets on the rear mudguards, also forgotten by diopark, but a few bits of 0,4mm styrene will solve this oversight.
The cabin tilting mechanism is strangely forgotten by the manufacturer, I figured it using brass rod and a photoetched part most resembling the real one. But once the dump body in place, all will be almost invisible.
For the needs of a future diorama, I also cut the tank cap and replaced it with an evergreen tube drilled to the right diameter, to make a tank filling scene in a gas station.
I added a photoetched box under the one already present, to depict a vehicle full of details testifying to its long civilian life.
Investing in resin wheels is essential for me, because the weight effect is represented and the details are much thinner and more numerous than the original tires (even if kit’s ones are made of plastic, which is already a good point)

For the color, I wasn’t very original with this blue, but it is the most common color on this kind of truck (and white would have been too bland for my taste), moreover it pairs very well with brown / rust.
The wear was made using the well known hairspray technique while taking care not to systematize the chipping, to keep a realistic result.
The key to achieving impressive looking rust is the use of oil paint, in lighter shades than the base coat and by working in small areas, and apply and melt the paint using Zippo fluid (I prefer it to white spirit or turpentine because it dries faster, which allows to work faster).
The taillights are painted using a Molotow liquid chrome pencil, clear Tamiya paint for the transparent part, and glued with white glue, for the best result ! (The standard model glue can strip the paint if you have to adjust the position of the piece, while the white glue becomes transparent and shiny when drying)

Finally, the diorama !
I want it quite simple, a refuelling scene with a small buidling.
The fuel pump are from Meng, a basic resin kit which is not that bad, but their choice of providing 2 differents pump is very questionable ...
The other details, traffic cone & street lamp, are from J'S WORK or scratchbuilt.