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US halftracks in vietnam?
orange_3D
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 03:13 AM UTC
Hi,

Were there any US halftracks used in vietnam?
I recall an article in a very old issue of (now defuntct?) military modeler magazine that someone had taken the tamiya US WW2 halftrack and converted it into a guntruck used in vietnam.

matt
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 03:20 AM UTC
[url=http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/14434&page=1]More discussion here!!url]
HeavyArty
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 03:30 AM UTC
Depends on the referances you look at. Some state that a few were used early on in the war (64-66ish) for convoy escort. Others state that they were not used by US forces in Vietnam, but the French did use them and left quite a few in country. The FSM article states that they were used there. Who knows, maybe they were, maybe they weren't. It does make a cool model though.
AJLaFleche
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 03:52 AM UTC

210cav
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 06:15 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Yes, the French used them there. Yes, the ARVN used them in the late `50's, early `60's. NO, the U.S. did not use them. Another Urban Myth like the Panther crap. The articles in FSM are bogus.


I totally agree with Gary. The ARVNs most probably used them until we provided M-113s and M-41s to them. We did not use them. Period.
My two cents
DJ
MatteBlack
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 06:17 AM UTC
However, the Aussies did use them, although not in gun truck form.
MatteBlack
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Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 02:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

However, the Aussies did use them, although not in gun truck form.


Untill you can show me proof of that, I'm calling B.S. on that.


That may take a while, although you COULD Google it...
Otherwise, take a look in the Squadron Centurions in Action. There's a photo of a Halftrack outfited with an A frame lift exchanging an auxiliary engine in a Centurion.
beachbm2
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Posted: Friday, October 12, 2007 - 05:57 AM UTC
The US Army was fazing out the Half Track during WWII. The M3A2 was a Prototype that was never made due to this Decision and all Halftrack Production was terminated by 1944. The M39 UV was what The Army was replacing them with. By the time of the Korean War the only Units that still retained them were the AAA battalions with M15's and M16's all were out of inventory long before the US was involved in Vietnam.
HTH
Jeff
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Posted: Friday, October 12, 2007 - 01:39 PM UTC

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There's a photo of a Halftrack outfited with an A frame lift exchanging an auxiliary engine in a Centurion.


Matt, we are talking about HALF-TRACKS in this thread. The picture you refer to in Squadron's "Centurion In Action" is on page 45. It clearly shows a M579 Fitters vehicle lifting out the aux. A M579 is based on the M113, not a half-track.


Thanks. I'm aware of the difference between the types of vehicles. I will not have access to my books for quite some time, but I know I saw a photo of what I described. I actualy started the project several years ago but canked it due to lack of references. The A frame was the interesting part, which the fitter does not have.
KoSprueOne
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Posted: Saturday, October 13, 2007 - 09:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi,

Were there any US halftracks used in vietnam?
I recall an article in a very old issue of (now defuntct?) military modeler magazine that someone had taken the tamiya US WW2 halftrack and converted it into a guntruck used in vietnam.



I actually have those three issues of Military Modeler by Challenge Publications, Inc.
The series named, VIETNAM: CONVOY SHOTGUN of three models of guntrucks in Vietnam by James A. Steel. Part 1 and 2 were on the halftrack platform.
This brings up some memories, I just dug out the copies and am looking at them now.

I also have ARMOR IN VIETNAM, Squadron/signal Pub.
Page 10, in the first chapter covering the early years of the Indo-China War during French occupation shows a picture and the caption reads, "Unusually modified M-3, possibly a command vehicle,in a town in northern Vietnam. A number of halftracks were so modified."

Page 14 in the ARVN chapter, a there is a picture of a front bumper mounted crane boom with cables leading back to the rear of the vehicle. The caption reads, "Modified ARVN halftrack as a wreck and barrier removal vehicle."

There is no information of a gun truck type halftrack in this book or in my Gun Trucks book.




KoSprueOne
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Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 03:48 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I actually have those three issues of Military Modeler by Challenge Publications, Inc.
The series named, VIETNAM: CONVOY SHOTGUN of three models of guntrucks in Vietnam by James A. Steel. Part 1 and 2 were on the halftrack platform.


Just because someone builds a model of something and gets it published, doesn't make it accurate. I know those articles, and they are just as bogus as the FSM article.


"No poop Sherlock" and, those are nice looking models. Good clean builds with a lot of details.
The French and ARVN halftracks were mentioned in this thread, and a question regarding a halftrack with a front end mounted boom. Staying on topic and being complete and helpful with information sharing is practiced and invited on these forums boards.




orange_3D
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Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 04:27 AM UTC
wow, glad to hear that somebody actually remembered those articles from military modeler
too bad they werent real but i agree that they were nice looking models...

thanks for the info guys!
acav
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Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 08:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

However, the Aussies did use them, although not in gun truck form.


Untill you can show me proof of that, I'm calling B.S. on that.


That may take a while, although you COULD Google it...
Otherwise, take a look in the Squadron Centurions in Action. There's a photo of a Halftrack outfited with an A frame lift exchanging an auxiliary engine in a Centurion.


The Poms (Brits) had halftracks fitted with lifting booms, in service until the seventies with the REME.
They were based in Germany with BAOR and back in Great Britain.
They did not send/sell/give any to the Aussies at all.

Aussies had Centurion ARVs and M113 Fitters tracks to do all their field servicing and recovery.

'Jngle Tracks' is a pretty good read - I've read it through and can't remember any mention of half tracks, ARVN, US, ANZAC or otherwise...

acav out
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