Trumpeter 1/35 SA-6 ‘Gainful’

Early last year I made a start on this kit with a view to contributing to an Anti-Aircraft Defence group build that was due to finish last Christmas. Obviously that deadline came and went as this model was shelved because I was doing a build review of the ICM 1/48 Dornier 217J 1/2 for The Modelling News then the SA-6 was completely forgotten about. Another reason why it stalled was that a modelling friend of mine pointed out that the wheel spacing on the Trumpeter kit was wrong. I had already corrected the lower hull length and started to detail the cabin from scratch but the wheel spacing was a big issue as the mounting points for the axles would have to be cut off and repositioned.

Recently I had been thinking about this model and what to do with it (mainly because it has been staring at me for 12 months and I’ve tried avoiding eye contact with it) as it seemed to me to be a waste of all that scratch building. Also having done the work and having aftermarket wheels, tracks and decals it would be silly to have a model with the wrong wheel spacing…..what to do?

The answer was to get the SP Designs corrected lower hull and something I would have done earlier if I had researched the Trumpeter kit more thoroughly;

SP Designs hull on the left, Trumpeter’s on the right

For less than £20 (plus shipping) I decided to get it, the only thing now is working out how to transfer the scratch built cabin to the new hull. It looks doable but some hacking of the Trumpeter hull will be involved which is not an issue as that will be going to landfill. I need to get the ICM 1/48 O-2 Skymaster and Italeri 1/35 T-34/85 off the bench first but I’m definitely coming back to this one (as well as the numerous other projects I have on the go) as it should make for an interesting model on the shelf.

Edit; My girlfriend has just reminded me it was her saying about when am I going to finish the model….sorry honey, I remember now you said it 😂