1:72 Bedford QL Wheels (Pattern 2 AVON) - 3D-printed

Wheels for the Bedford QL in 1:72 scale, pattern 2 (IBG models)

3D-printed wheels for models of the British Bedford QL truck in 1:72 scale, in the form with tires from the Avon make. This is not a model of the vehicle but an accessory for one. Printing makes it possible to produce the carcass in one piece, so no parting line is apparent on the finished wheel and the pattern of the tread stays sharp even in so small a scale.

Pattern 2, or pattern 1

The manufacturer offers two variants of wheels for the same vehicle, differing in the pattern of the tread and in the make of the tire. This one matches tires from Avon, the other the Traction type tread from Goodyear. If you are building from a particular photograph, compare the pattern of the tread; otherwise it is an equal choice.

The real subject

The Bedford QL was among the mainstays of British army transport of the Second World War. It was a three-ton vehicle with drive to all four wheels, built in many forms - from a plain flatbed through a tanker and a workshop to a radio vehicle and a tractor for Bofors guns. Tires for British military vehicles were supplied by several makers, so different treads in period photographs are commonplace.

How to fit the wheels

Separate the pieces from the print supports, clean up the mating surfaces with a sharp knife and attach them with cyanoacrylate glue. Lay down a thin primer, darken the tire to a gray-black shade and match the hub to the color of the vehicle. A dry brush will bring out the pattern of the tread, and pigments will add dust around the wheels.

Who the set is for

• modelers building the Bedford QL in 1:72 scale
• those who want a wheel with no trace of a parting line
• those interested in British vehicles of the Second World War
• builders of scenes where the vehicle is seen close up and from below