Mr Taylor's Mystery Build
All will be revealed at the end

This album will show a build that I have had in mind for a while now.

Initially it involved a lot of research, just to assertain whether I could get enough information to actually build it. For the moment, I would like the finished vehicle to remain an anonymouus subject. At least until I am well into the build.

 So here goes!! I started off with the kit from Hobbyboss of the M1070 + M1000 Heavy duty tractor and transport trailer, although as time progresses, it will be heavily converted into a ......??????

As the trailer has to have the biggest alterations done, I started the self steering vanes, suspension and wheels.

01. Underside of the flatbed and self steering vanes.

02. Assembling the suspension units.

03. I can't fit the suspension units to the underdeck yet as the axle spacings have to be drastically altered.

04. Decided to move on to the M1070 tractor unit now, as again, some alterations will be necessary. Building the chassis, was reasonably straight forward, taking care to get all the components lined up and the whole chassis sitting square and true.

05. Here's a picture showing the first major change to the chassis and some of it's relative components. The more observant amongst you will have noticed that the tractor unit has now been altered from an 8 x 8 to a 6 x 6 with the rear axle being completely discarded.

06. This meant that a rear section of the chassis, about 45mm long, was removed, then the rear ancillery components replaced onto the shortened section. Also the trailer skid arms has had to be moved forward, as has the 5th wheel. Everything else forward of the 5th wheel remains the same though for now.

07. This is the LH side replacement fuel tank for the tractor. It has built in steps to enable access to the cab doors. (There is an extra rear cab door on this tractor unit cab), which you will see later!

08. This is the construction of the frames that hold the "thingamy jigs" that fit on the whatyacallits!! Each frame is made up of 22 seperate pieces so far, with more to be added as time passes.

09. The chassis and cab are also coming along nicely, with the alterations during construction showing up well. As you can see, there is a 2nd door into the cab on the LH side. Also notice below the cab steps is where the new square fuel tank fits.

10. Also see that the small windows in the cab sides and doors longer exist.

11. The construction of the drastically altered "Swan Neck" towing attachment. As you can see the "swan neck" is now not a swan neck

12. The original locating parts and anciliary parts have been utilised, and joined onto the "new" deck, which still remains anonymous.

13. An inverted view of the fifth wheel attachment, showing again the drastic alterations from the original towing attachment. A lot more work on this section to do though yet.

14. These are the 6 out-rigger stabilizing arms and foot pads. They slide into angled, hydraulically controlled tubes, located underneath the trailer deck.

15. When operating time comes, the vertical arms are set in their final positions, then held and locked under hydraulic pressure until released. Everything seems to be coming along nicely, so far!!!!

16. These are the front and rear plates that hold the whatsists!! the ones that fit onto the thingamejigs. Making these was a bit painstaking!!! Got to be polished up a bit yet.

17. Some more "bits" arrived today for the build. 45 "Sand Tyres" Been waiting for these for a while, so now can carry on regardless!

18. Arrived in the last 24 hours. 30 metres of 4mm diameter acrylic rod and will be cut into 240 separate pieces. Made in Germany, sourced in Italy, collected from Birmingham.

19. These are the first of a dozen or more of the tool and equipment lockers, that will be fitted to the underside of the trailer bed.

20. Another 4 tool/equipment lockers, again to be slung under the deck. The hinges are just flat strip. These 4 lockers are actually 2 different sizes.

21. The hinge fastenings this time are the Meng slice-off rivets and nuts. Good stuff if you've never used them. A bit fiddly, but well worth the effort.

22. Coming in various sizes it's easier to make then in batches of the same size, before progressing.

23. View of the drastically modified trailer "swan-neck" and the tool/equipment lockers fitted.

24. Front right-and side of trailer deck and equipment lockers. A long way to go yet, but coming together nicely.

25. View of the underneath of the front end of the trailer deck, together with the fitted equipment lockers. It's starting to come together nicely now at last.

26. 2 more storage lockers, these fit on the underside of the trailer deck, at the rear end. The 2 lugs are for holding the trailer rear crash bar and light clusters

27. Getting down to the nitty gritty now. First shots of the suspenson systyem fitted on the trailer, together with the fitted 2 rear lockers. The 2 central pillars you can see, hold 2 of the 4 fixed vertical hydraulic jacks

The more observant amongst you, will notice that the suspension arms are now spaced differently, having a set of 2 at the rear, then a set of 3. I imagine this is to ensure a more stable weight distribution during operation. Really coming together now don't you think? Hope you like it so far, a long way to go yet though!!

28. These are the 4 rotatable boxes, plus the 8 fulcrum pins.

29. Frames now showing the newly fitted faceplates and fulcrum pin bosses.

30. Rotable boxes and frames now assembled. Really starting to gradually come together.

31. Next move is the "business end" of the thingamejigs that fit onto the faceplates, together with the baseplates and rotating bosses.

32. These are the 4 secured base plates for the rotating boxes to fit onto, complete with Meng nuts and bolts, and a light undercoat spray.

33. Reverse side of the base plates, unseen on assembly, (that's my excuse for the missing undercoat spray). DOH!!! Do it next time!!!!

34. This latest picture shows the 10 axle/wheel protection plates. These will eventually fit onto the side of the deck, covering about 75% of the axles and suspension arms, wheels and tyres. The angled piece is set at 20 degrees to clear the wheel hub centres.

35. The sand tyres are now fitted. Notice, that on this trailer, there is only 1 "super single" tyre on each side of the axle. The simulated rubber shroud on the outrigger arm tubes, are just 6 x 7mm dia. 'O' rings pushed together onto the tube.

36. Both photo's show the unpainted angled, and fixed vertical stabilizer arms in deployed positions, as they will be when this monster is finished. It really is coming together well isn't it?

37. These are the well housings that will eventually house the hydraulic rams that lift the platforms and they fit into the rotating boxes.

38. The hydraulic rams. Fastening assemblies to be made and then fitted, before fitting them into the well housings. Still moving along nicely.

39. These are the fulcrum clevis' holding the hydraulic rams. They will be fitted via a clevis pin, be free to rotate through 90 degrees and will fit inside the ram wells.

40. The 8 Ram assemblies ready for fixing onto the rotating boxes. The cylinders and clevis' are being held by "white tack". The fabulous fixing bolts, are the Meng "shave off" rivets and bolts sets using 14 for each assembly.

41. This self-contained unit is diesel powered, so the exhaust is vented through the stack on the top. The louvres enable a flow of air throughout the unit.

42. The Unit will eventually be mounted on the swan-neck towing section, this to enable the vehicles main diesel engine, to be switched off during deployment operations.

43. This is an access walk-way. It fits onto the tractor unit chassis, immediately behind the cab, and in front of the "fifth wheel". The hoist arm is for assisting in changing a wheel. Although stored here, it can be sited at various points round the vehicle.

44. The walk-way allows crew members, access to the generator power cables, and trailer air lines etc. Health and Safety rails, even on one of these. In my opinion, It's these "little detail" bits, that start to bring a build "alive".

45. WELL!!!!! For the first time on this build, I have no idea what this is????? I think the lower section is a junction box for taking vartious cables and tubes into the cab. so that is what I've constructed it as.

46. The top section is some sort of open storage tray, but for what for?? No idea. The unit fits onto the rear of the tractor cab. I can only surmise what the top section is used for. This is the problem with lack of information about this vehicle.

47. Time for some paint! The drastic alterations that have been made, can clearly be seen in this photo. Most drastic, "lose the rear axle" and turn it into a 6x6. Seems to have come together all of a sudden!

48. The space under the cab, is where the new square fuel tank will be fitted. Notice the 2nd cab access door on this side of the vehicle. Soon there will be photos of items that will definately give the game away, as to what it is, but not yet eh??

49. Top coat is next, then light lens' and some decals, although not all of the original ones will be fitted for obvious reasons.

50. This is the base for the "mystery project" purchased courtesy of Paul from Just Bases. As you can see, (in old money), it's a shade under 36" long or, 88cm

51. and just under 9" wide. or, 20cms. I know I'm a bit "vertically challenged", so I had to stand on some steps to get the overhead shot onto the lens. It's a bit "Big" isn't it?

52. These are the masks I require, (Thanks Kev!) for simulating slots on the thingamees, that fit onto the whatchamacallits! The simulated slots are 0.7mm wide x 3mm long.

53. I have to remove the slot covers, then fit the masks onto the thingamys, before a light spray application with the aitrbrush. There are 740 slots!!! Don't we suffer for our art?

54. I masked up some "boxes" and are now ready for a spraying when fitted to the raiseable platforms. A light airbrush spray of black will now show up, hopefully as slots.

55. These are the little "blighters" that have given me so much trouble. There are 6 short, and 6 long "boxes" (the white card covers another secret). I ended up using a water-colour pen as the spraying didn't work

56. A couple of shots of the axle protection plates, fitted to the deck sides. To let you see any more would be telling??

57. So folks, here's the finished base for the vehicle. Apologies for the pictures, but it is very difficult to get decent full shots, because of the size.

AND? .............................. Finally Folks!

This is the "JOBARIA" Multi Launch Rocket System.

This one is based on the one operated by the U.A.E. The tractor unit is a modified M1070 from the Oshkosh corporation, but built to UAE specifications. The trailer is a heavily modified version of the M1000, aqnd was built in the UAE. The trailer wheels are double-axled, and instead of the usual 4 wheels on each axle, there are only 2 fitted with "supoer single" sand tyres.

The vehicle dimensions are 29mtrs long x 4mtrs wide x 3.8 mtrs tall. It weighs an impressive 105 tons fully laden. It is armed with 240, 122mm, free flight rockets with a range of 40 klms. The rockets can be fired remotely by wire, and the whole system is crewed by just 3 personnel. It has an auxilliary, self contained generator unit sited on the front end of the trailer. This enables the tractor power unit to be turned off during deployment, meaning that all the hydraulic systems will still function.