Wings of Intent: Framo Stromer car, 1/72nd scale high-def 3D-printed

(Above: brochure from the Net)

(The completed model can be seen here:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2023/09/framo-stromer-modified-172nd-3d-printed.html

Adequate 1/72nd scale vehicles to accompany our winged creations are not abundant (unless of course they are killing machines, very popular with humanity since the machines were invented). So when I can grab a beautiful one, I pounce at it. This is a high-def 3D-printed item, and not the coarse, brutish, despicable "brick-upon-brick" crap you are now used to see everywhere as scale models, and now conspicuously in our own winged field. This is a fine product from which more can be extracted via a couple of details and the obliteration of the inexplicable solid windows.

This is, esteemed fellow sufferers, the not famous at all "Framo Stromer" car with capacity for two adventurous people. It was an attempt from a utility vehicle manufacturer to capture a segment of the market so inclined. Or perhaps not inclined enough, as the Enterprise didn't prosper after a few sells.

This technological and aesthetic marvel was brought to my attention by friend, fellow modeler, arch-nemesis, Ebil Genius and Volkano lair-owner Sönke, who uses it in his lair to go -slowly and ridiculously- after the good guys that try to take him down (so they can escape). In fact the truth is that he uses it to chase down his sekretarien, the muscular and hefty Helga. He is modifying as we speak a 1/48th (I know, the ebil scale, I told you he was ebil) 3D-printed replica of it by the same manufacturer. So my thanks go to him promptly, before he uses his Death Ray on me for copying his brilliant idea.

I bought this item online at Etsy. It would be ideal is this would be offered as a sort of minimalist kit, separating chassis from body -black fenders separated from red body-, including seats and driver's wheel, and of course open windows (maybe body in clear resin to mask the windows before painting and chassis in grey with separate wheels?). This would be easy to detail, much easier to paint, and surely would make the delight of scale modelers.

Printed in its own box:

The cradle is very carefully removed. I didn't knock off the exquisite detail, but mistook the brand "sculpture" on the radiator cap for a piece of excess resin and stupidly removed it. Small and cute in 1/72:

Purchasing it in the best definition offered by the manufacturer gives nice detail and finish:

I removed all the windows, carefully and painstakingly, as the resin is brittle and hard:

Even more carefully I drilled the headlamps, so I can install after painting my home-made lenses:

I am attempting construction of the minute "F"that goes on the fuel cap and I knocked off. Three to chose the best if I succeed:

Coming out of 1 week of covid, and after several days of normality, covid stroke back (apparently a known rebound after taking Paxlovid for the firs episode). No picnic, let me tell you. Just out of bed, in my unfathomable wisdom, I decided to paint the car. The idea was to first paint the glossy hood, mask it and paint the matte leatherette body, mask and paint the black. Then I dropped the tray I was carrying it on. A wheel went rolling across the floor, and the two thin front frames -that after hollowing the windows sustained the roof- cracked and departed to the great beyond. Oh well. Looking for the missing frames I found other three parts I lost long ago. I count on finding the broken frames someday in the next 10 years while looking in turn for other parts:

May be time to order another, as any attempt to fabricate, install and blend the frames in this size is bound to leave blemishes (plus one door handle went awol too). Darnation. It was going so well...

Well, I was able to install the frames, and since that area has to be repainted with a different hue, some light sanding can be done:

The glossy area of the hood is masked as well as de fenders to paint the matte leatherette body. A steering wheel is fashioned:

The body is masked and the chassis and wheels are painted black (gloss black for the wheel hubs and semi-gloss for the chassis, which will later be dry-brushed with a steel paste). Still to be painted are the tires and the fenders:

The wheel I broke when I dropped the model is reattached. Tires are painted:

Fenders are painted black, the sliding roof is given a red decal as I forgot to mask it to paint the leatherette color. A windshield is cut (the other windows will be dealt with liquid "window maker":