Hay all thought i would run another idea past you. I was reading an old magazine the other day that had a section about vehicles that had been sold off by the military and used in a civilian role by haulage contractors ETC.
So what about a campaign based on that idea? let me know what you think?

Scott,

I can think of several nifty subjects for this, but won't have much time this side of Christmas. (Lots of other campaigns signed up to already...) What sort of time frame are you thinking of? If you run it well into next year I'm interested. (And with long lead-in times you hopefully can drum up lots of interest!)

By the way, this is one of my local MAFVA branch's build themes for the '10-'11 year, culminating at the Nationals at Duxford next June...

Tom

Hay Tom,

Not sure on times yet just thought i would run it past you all first?

Anyone else looking in? I've been googling and stumbled across a company making forest-fire engines out of Marder APCs, in bright red! I may have to do one just for the heck of it...

Tom

I would consider it.

This could be an interesting one.

There are a lot of old military trucks around here that have been turned into fire fighting vehicles.


HARV

Brilliant Idea.

Here's one example of the Matador Tractor in post-war use:

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?7083-Matador-Gallery

Shermans converted to logging vehicles, CMPs in the Outback. Endless posibilities.

I remember seeing a Sherman converted into a tractor on TV a while ago. The turret and top of the hull were removed leaving the lower hull,running gear and the engine. I think it was used for ploughing in the post war period?

Though I don't enter campiagns, other equipment you might like to see would be helicopters and aircraft used in the forestry industry. Another idea is the ducks used for touring in the upper midwest of the U.S. I have even seen tracks with mounted drill rigs. If I can get this computer fixed and camera right, I'd be tempted to enter this one. Oh, an boats. In Greenwhich Ct. there was a P.T. boat rebuilt for a cruise ship in the sound.

Scott, it has appeared at tractor shows in the UK for a decade now, and it's one I plan to model! Link to some pics:

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?42-How-many-uses-for-the-Sherman-Chassis/page2

Tom

Great Idea

It has been a few years , but I remember a US half track in the yard of a steel beam and rebar distributor. They took off the armored sides in the back and it looked like they were using it for a flatbed truck. It was painted a faded blue........Al........(Edit) Heller makes a US , GMC Truck used as a forrest fire truck.(Edit) I also remember, when I was a teen, there was a family that bought a PT boat and converted it to a house boat. It was tied to a small pier in our local river.

Alfred & Don,

You guys interested in building for the campaign? Scott needs ten folks to post that they're interested before he can submit the idea for an official campaign...

Alfred, I'd like to see that PT boat! Imagine the street-cred of a 40-knot houseboat...

Tom

Yea Imagine a house that could zoom about like that. I don't remember the condition of it but it probably was not very sea worthy. As for a campaign I am not so sure that I am a person to join one as I seem to start so many projects and never seem to finish anything. I am already overrun with dios that are one half to two thirds finished. It's kinda my curse so to speak. ....Al

I like the idea of this campaign, I'd make time in 2011 to join this one if it goes. I've seen lots of photos of naval construction contractors using LCMP's as workboats, and I remember a local gas station had a giant ex-military tow truck. This thread also gives me another chance to show this...

actual Chicago fire truck from the 1960's that I built a couple years ago.
I don't have a specific build idea for this campaign yet, but count me in.
-Sean.

I had totally forgot about this one . you guys still interested?

Just spotted this thread and couldn't resist posting this...









It's totally fictitious, part of a diorama I've got running on Hobbytalk, but I think it fits the bill for this campaign.
If the campaign goes ahead I'd be willing to scratch another (fictitious) vehicle for it....let me know what you think....

I am, if it's next year. Oh, and a reasonable length of time...

Tom

BTW here's the link to the Hobbytalk thread if anyone is interested....

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=263560

Same here, if it's lengthy and next year. I have no earthly idea what I would build, but it sounds like fun!

Clint

Iain, that was totally believable. Nice work.
It looks like there are 7 or 8 already interested in this potential campaign. Not far now. In a month or two it'll be a certainty.
-Sean.

I would probably still be up for it.

HARV

There is some murmuring about getting this idea going again. I'm still interested!

I'm interested... the Mounties have converted a few Canadian Army vehicles for Police work

For those interested in this campaign: have a look at these books. The Frituur Zorro series are collections of photos showing old military vehicles converted for civilian use. Volume 1 deals with allied vehicles, volume 2 with german ones. Plenty of ideas for this creative campaign

I'd be in for a de-mob campaign. Surely I have something that's been repurposed. I think I have a half dozen Shermans, and that chassis has been used more than... well ya'll get the idea.