Hi all,

Does anyone have pictures of the Patton in Vietnam, particularly in the desert regions. Also if you could help me pick which decals to use (I have the old tamiya set).

Thanks for the help!

Hi Vlad

Just take a look at this thread on Militaryphotos.net http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?139529-Looking-for-pics-of-the-M48-in-Vietnam. or at this Flickr gallery http://www.flickr.com/photos/csmb/with/5290883948/ (the cars are worth a look too ) for some period pics.

I may have a few more on my HDD if need be...

Frenchy

there was no real desert in Vietnam, but there were areas that were very sandy. Mostly just south of Da Nang and maybe north of Chu Lai. Most of that stuff is Marine A.O., but often the 17th and Alpha & Bravo Troop 1st / 1st CAV would drop by to let the land lord know what couple possibly happen on a daily basis. I can't remember what troop the 17 CAV used in that area, but maybe Echo or F troop. The time frame for the 17th would be 67 thru mid 68, and they were replaced by B Troop 1st/1st. Marines operated in that A.O. pretty much all the time. By the way the sand was almost white with a lot of clumps of brush everywhere.

The Que Son Valley could almost be called a desert, but that was caused by bomb craters. Marines were in there early on, but from 1968 and on it was CAV units. North of there was hill country with dense vegetation, and south of there was similar but with even denser vegetation
gary

Thank you gentlemen for the info; Frenchy your pictures are just what I needed thank you very much (I don’t know how you have all these pictures ).

Gary, thanks for the info I always thought of Vietnam as a jungle but I had seen a picture of red dunes and assumed there was a desert. So thanks for clearing that up.
Regards,

kinda think of it this way; east of Highway One was pretty sandy soil, and the closer you go to the ocean the sandier it was. Most of I-Corps north of Chu Lai was pretty much like the hills of Tennessee & Kentuckey. Even down to the red dirt! There were some small airid places down in the Duc Pho area, and they were pretty much right off the ocean (by the way Vietnam has the best beaches!). What you did see in Vietnam was dust! It was everywhere, and ranged from a biege color to a dark red. Then you add in the time frame which changes everything. When the monsoon starts there is mud, and I mean serious mud! Tracks don't work well unless they are a hundred feet or so above sea level, and wheeled stuff can't move much unless it's on a road. Then it's M113's and Sheridans off the roads. M48's will be hung up to their belly's on a regular basis.

The 1st/1st Armored Cav has an excellent website with lots of pics. The 17th has one as well. There are a few photos with the operating in "the sands" in there.
gary