The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Model AD trucks

These designers created some interesting renditions. I wonder what became of the models? Has anyone ever seen one in person? It would be a very cool conversation piece in the garage!

LUKE

Luke, They would be. But considering their size ...

During my PAO career, I was assigned for a few years to the UH-1Y/AH-Z helicopter development program office. We had on hand the 1/4-scale wind tunnel models of both aircraft. After the wind tunnel work was over and the sensors and tape removed, they were painted to look like the aircraft and mounted on pedestals for display. They went to a few industry days, conferences and trade shows until folks just got tired of dealing with them as just decoration.

They were really cool. But they were really huge and somewhat heavy. I think they used mahogany or something. Anyway, when the program office moved to another building, we lost the space to display them, Bell Helicopter didn't want them and no one knew what to do with them. I tried to move them over to the museum -- but they had no space for them. I even offered them to the National Air and Space Museum (got to meet the rotorcraft curator), they weren't that interested in them.

As I recall, the NASM would have been interested in them if they were still configured as wind tunnel test articles rather than having all that stripped off and turned into display models.

Eventually, they lost their indoor storage and the last I saw them, they were under a tattered tarp behind the test hangar. They were starting to delaminate from being exposed to the weather, so I didn't look at them anymore and moved on. They've probably been hauled off to the landfill by now.

So, they probably ended up in a dump, too. Heavy Industry, be it automotive or aerospace, is not, generally, nostalgic. Once something has served a purpose, off it goes. They don't even save their cool concept vehicles.

The left-most poster on the wall looks like it could be a follow-on to the GMC FutureLiners from the 1939 World's Fair.

The picture shows some trucks with with 2 giants. Pity the giants - they can't get pants that fit!

Now THAT's a COE.

Man I really like that middle one! Looks like a 1.5 or 2 ton done up as a pickup?

I'd find room for the one on the far left....

Shoot! I like them all! The black and white quality help.

Interesting that the pickup on the left (with Chevrolet hood badge - of a different type than production) has the GMC style parking lights. These were obviously GM toying with different ideas, like the fender bits.

Actually the engine (a military 302 GMC six like I'm prepping for my '52 GMC 3/4 ton) is in the rear.

That's weird. Why would the driver's compartment be so freaking high then?

The fender shields are pretty ugly. Maybe the rear one a;lone would be ok.

Agree

How were those models made? Obviously they didn't make metal stamping dies for them so they must be wood or clay.

What about the tires? They look real but they're scaled properly so they're not some random stuff from a yard tractor or kids toy.