Jon,

Seen your stuff on ARC. Nice. Looking forward to seeing the M16.

John

Thanks John! Been having fun with Armor for a bit now. I'm really wanting to build the "ultimate" M16, since I'm responsible for 3 real ones and an M15A1 (at some point I'll do the Commander Models conversion).

hello, PHIL, DELBERT ANDREW, nice finish. my scout car was soon to come. Here are a few photos before the bad weather I should do this week.
steph

Do any of you know if someone makes a Half-track crew or more specifically a Driver?

Hi John.

New World Minitures has a 1/35 Scale Resin kit U.S.Halftrack Driver NWM35043

I just found it on an net search because I remember seeing it before. But I have no ideahow good it is.

You might be able to make a driver from another vehicle fit, Tamiya's 2 1/2 ton truck comes with a driver figure.

The Tamiya M16 halftrack has a driver, but its in a weird pose looking back over the back seat. (if you want this one I'm using this kit as a parts donor so just ask)

And Tamiya's Jeep has a driver figure. I have one of these kits I'm converting to a SAS Jeep (so the figure is available)

I'm not really that much of a figure person.

Delbert

Hi John,
Tamiya's M21 half track comes with a driver, and also a 3 man mortar crew. Unfortunately, the driver figure has canvas leggings, while the mortar crew is wearing the later model combat boots, more appropriate for the M21 which was introduced late in the war.
Almost any truck or jeep driver figure should work.

Dick

Delbert, really like how your M3 came out!

Steph, looking forward to the weathering.

John, some of the DML kits also have driver figure, maybe you can find someone over there who won't use his (I'd give you mine but postage would probably be more than the figure's worth...)

So, little by little I actually finished the main build.





The question about the radios in USMC service was answered by a thorough google search.

So using my Mk I eyeball I came out with the following:





Also, I made the little thingamajing for the muffler:



What I'm actually trying to build is this halftrack on Tinian:



Does anyone have any ideas how to replicate the battered stowage? Doesn't look like something you could make out of any set I know...

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks Delbert, Dick and Stefan,

Appreciate the information. I am going to see where I might find some of those New World figures. They look really nice!

The funny thing is I don't have any driver figures yet, I am a recovering Aircraft builder and have been building tanks for about a year now. Been buying them like crazy, buy most tank models come with 1/2 a commander or driver... Not gonna work real well with a Half-track... "Hey, where's that guys legs"

So, when the need hits, the wallet comes out!

Stefan,

That antenna arrangement you made looks fantastic. Just gluing that to the wall must have been a challenge!

Delbert,

I must add that your scout car looks great too. And thanks for the the offer! I may take you up on it if I cannot find the other figs.

Thanks again,

John

I wouldn't worry about leggings vs m43 combat boots. Both were worn extensively in all theaters from 1944 through the end of the war. The M16 driver isn't a great figure, but it's a start. I'd prefer something else, but in a pinch, it'll work.

I need to get a Dragon M16, but they've gotten very difficult to locate!

Jon

Hello, very nice montage STEPHAN. I had a light touch on the weathering , to view pictures scout car are relatively clean.
steph

Looks good Steph, I like the way the tires came out.
Andy

Steph

Looks great, I like how you weathered it and it has a much different look to it than the M3A1.

Delbert

hello, thank you Andrew and Delbert. they are different, but they have an air of family (grandfather and grandson).
steph

Just got my Commander Models M15 conversion today. I've got a Tamiya M16 in the stash and I've started work. While designed for the DML kit, the M15 conversion fits the Tamiya kit pretty well.

I keep going back and forth on whether I want to build it as a T28 or an M15. It comes with two water cooled .50s and so it just screams T28, but with the armor on the gun tub, it's definitely an M15. Water cooled .50s were possible on the M15, but M2HBs were more common. So, I'll need to find a pair of M2HBs.

Not sure about markings yet, but I may do it as Cpl. Ray Reynolds' track that was the second vehicle from the 197th AAA on Omaha Beach on D-Day. I interviewed Mr. Reynolds back in May and we talked about his D-Day experience driving an M15 off of an LCT and into a firestorm. His track was hit by 88 fire (more than likely from one of the two bunkers with PAK 43s on the eastern end of the beach) and he was blown clear of the wreckage. Those in his gun tub weren't so lucky.

So, question is, does anyone out there have a Tamiya roller bumper that needs a winch bumper? I've got a winch bumper to trade and need a roller for my M15.

Thanks!

Jon

Does anyone do replacement tracks for the Tamiya halftracks?

Jon,
I don't know of any aftermarket tracks for the Tamiya halftrack but here is how I did mine:

I used some fine beading wire and threaded it through the track at the drive and return rollers as well as at the bottom through the bogies. Hope that helps and I may have a roller bumper will have to search through my spares.

Cheers Rob

Here's a little inspiration for everyone. My baby at the Oklahoma Historical Society's "Call to Arms" event today.



and yesterday loading on the HET:

Working on the Ready rounds.

Cheers Rob.


Seems to be going well.
I used an oval file to align the tubes.

Hi all,
It's been a while since I've posted anything - too busy with other things. Anyway, the M-21 is taking shape and is almost ready for decals and weathering. I'm leaving the antenna for the SCR-610 radio for last, since it is delicate and easily broken. The pictures were taken in sunlight, so shadows are sharp.

Left side view with folded .50 MG tripod strapped on left front fender.

Head on view.

Right front quarter view. Too much rust on the right idler wheel, but that will be corrected later.

Right side view. The supports for the armored windshield were made of straight pins set in drilled holes, as the plastic ones supplied in the kit were too flimsy.
The mine racks on the sides are empty. I haven't found an aftermarket source for mines, and tried making some from scratch, but I'm not satisfied with the results.

Rear view, showing mortar base plate mounted to the door. In the picture, the straps (masking tape) look too wide, but look okay on the model. I may replace them with narrower strips. The .50 Browning MG is from the Academy U. S. Machine Gun kit.

Right rear quarter view.

Left rear quarter view. Folded 0.50 MG tripod mounted on left front fender. Also from the Academy MG kit.

Left side view

View from above left rear looking forward, showing dashboard. The gauges were painted by hand. I discovered too late that Archer makes a set of decals for White half-tracks, including the dashboard gauges.

View from left above. Scratch built Kidde CO2 fire extinguisher under dash near right door. Most US WWII vehicles had pump-type Pyrene extinguishers filled with carbon tetrachloride, but I found a photo of a half-track with what is clearly a Kidde extinguisher mounted on the side panel under the dash.

View from above. The winch is wrapped with seven strand beading wire attached to a short length of chain ending in a wire hook.
This M-21 will bear the markings of the Headquarters Company, 54th Armored Infantry Battalion of Combat Command B, 10th Armored Division, which was rushed in to defend Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and actually arrived ahead of the 101st Airborne. The HQ company of the 54th AI had a mortar platoon with three M21 mortar carriers. I'm not sure yet about weathering, as there was mud early on, but later the ground froze, and snow followed.
Cheers,
Dick

My M4 is ready for paint.

AND....

Finished the ready rounds rack!

Cheers Rob.

Rob ,, very nice mate

Phill

Ok, so I've had a slight change in plan due to a very generous donation. I have not decided whether I'm going to build a T28, M15 or M15A1, but I will be starting from the Dragon T19 kit rather than the Tamiya M16.







I'm leaning toward an M15 that landed on D-Day, but I'm not 100% on that just yet.