I have mentioned the Roco/Komo model of the Zis 5 Russian truck. To quickly review, several U.S. truck manufacturers banded together in 1927 and transported all the tooling necessary to build what most closely resembled the Autocar truck of the day. The model is a good representation of U.S. trucks spanning almost a decade. It sold originally for around $5.00 but recently has seen prices break the $30.00 mark, NIB. I have been asked if there existed a place where one could see all the variants of this model I have created so here 'ya go. My first Zis (above) was just a paint job.
Because the first few that I bought were rather cheap (I remember first paying around $6 each) I used them to practice thing like weathering. The one above was just that, with a bare chassis I tried out several rust techniques. I was really pleased with the way this turned out.
More rust with a simple wooden flatbed and gas engine powered pump for a load
The two above are attempts at making the Zis 5 a highway tractor. In both instances, it was simply a matter of adding a fifth wheel. The flatdeck trailer with the granite block load is scratch built from wood and styrene. The lowboy is a cast metal and wood kit from Rio Grande. It is hauling a Bucyrus Erie steam shovel crawler from Vintage Vehicles. Now newly released by Jordan Miniatures. Please don't hesitate to click on the photos for enlarged versions.
I've gone through a period of making tow trucks. The tow units on these are made from styrene and watch parts.
Then I really became intrigued with the whole boom/cable thing. I saw this set up on a historical website from Wisconsin. It's a telephone pole/piling setting truck. The unique feature on this truck is that the cable goes under the bed of the truck from the winch to a sheave in the front of the bed and then up to the boom sheave. This is all made from styrene and watch parts.
I should mention now a very nice man by the name of Fred Oxner, who has been buying many of my trucks. Fred was kind enough to send me several of the Zis 5's that you see here. Many thanks to Fred, may he live long and enjoy his models. Fred has wanted one of these barrel trucks since I first built this green one but I haven't been able to get the parts together yet. I have not forgotten Fred! The mixer unit on the back here is modified to fit the truck from a cast metal kit by Rio Grande Models.
I had to give the open door trick a try and came up with the mini scene above with the driver inspecting what the bump was. Surprise! The skunk is a piece of painted brass foil. After seeing it, I had a request for another stake bodied truck which is what you see on the right. Both sport the stake bed from Jordan that comes with their Model TT Ford.
Not done yet with these. Jordan has this great little tanker unit that comes with the Model AA Ford. Couldn't resist the opportunity to pair it up with the Zis for the kerosene truck. And the tanker unit on the yellow one in the middle, is a resin casting made specifically for the Zis 5 by a Czech company. This was another chance to use a weathering technique. That of chipped paint. The third all red tanker was a scratch built thing with brass foil stretched over a wooden dowel.
The last I have to show is made from one of the bed configurations that come with the original model. It's a wood sided bed with a canvas top. I cut one of the sides to the open position, discarded the plastic canvas and made hoops and a canvas top from tissue paper. I imagine it as a vegetable hucksters truck.
Well that's my affair with the Roco Zis 5 so far. I hope to have more. I suppose it's apparent that I like modeling it. Thanks for looking.
