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The first pictures of the new Athearn 1/87th Mack B Pumpers (and Rescues) indicate the grills will be the same colour as the basic body. I HOPE they modify that feature to a chrome/silver grill and bumper. As I recall, the VAST majority of the real trucks came with the chrome.
The only Athearn Mack B pumper that will have the chrome radiator shell is the Chicago pumper. It actually is chrome and not silver paint. Why they wouldn't do this for all of the Mack B's, including the wreckers, dump trucks and cement mixers, doesn't make any sense.
I'm very impressed with all of the Athearn fire apparatus models but I feel that they definately dropped the ball for not doing the chrome radiator shell on all of the Mack B pumpers and rescues. I checked out several pictures of Mack B fire apparatus on the web and they ALL had chrome radiator shells.
Usually Athearn is excellent about capturing all of the pertinant details on a model; you think they would've made the radiator shells chrome on all of the Mack B's.
The chrome grill does make a difference in the model. If you haven't seen it yet, check out Athearn's website and look at the Chicago Mack B and see how cool the chrome radiator shell looks compared to the non-chrome grills. Really makes a difference.
After looking at the photos, I'll be definitely going with the Chicago one. I've looked at the others in person and the issue with the radiator shell really takes away from this model, and for what these cost I expect more.
I'm really hoping to see these in 1/50 and hoping the issue isn't carried over to that scale.
It should be noted that, while the Chicago pumper has the chrome rad shell, it is still not an accurate Windy City rig. Among other details, it should have a striped front bumper and a bell mounted on a "Y" bracket out in front of that gleaming rad.
I understand that outstanding 1/87th fire modeller Ralph Ratcliffe was front-and-centre in Athearn's development of this model, and the superb level of detail is the happy result. However, let's re-wind a bit to a year or two ago, when Ralph scratchbuilt two Mack B fire pieces of his own (pumper and rescue). They also didn't have chrome rad shells. So, I'm guessing that his concept of what looked good (and do-able) translated to the Athearn piece.
Personally? If it's good enough for Ralph, it's more than good enough for me.
Undersatnd that I'm not trying to dis Ralph at all. I just think that a chrome radiator shell looks much better and should have been included on all of the Athearn Mack B pumpers and rescues.