Hey, All,

Well, ya gotta love Skybow --- a small company (well, until they were recently bought out by Hobby Fan, I think...hope that doesn't affect prices as HF ain't cheap) that cranked out cool and affordable subjects in styrene. I'm still pretty psyched about their announced M-42 Duster...hope it makes it to the hobby shop shelves soon!

So it looks like their next release is the Dodge 3/4" Weapons carrier, which is awesome because it was used from WWII right up through Vietnam. Lots of lattitude for modelers.

I've seen footage of these vehicles on Iwo Jima modified to carry large racks of
4.5 inch rockets (they also been mounted them en masse on landing craft and tried unsuccessfully on the back of LVT amtanks)... It's a cool-looking mod and while I am getting farther and farther away from aftermarket (and more into making it or faking it myself) I would not want to tackle scratchbuilding this set up!!

Anyone hear if any of the aftermarket companies are going to tackle this modification? Sounds like the perfect subject for Trakz or Verlinden, etc.

Has anyone laid their paws on the kit yet...?

Thanks!

Aloha,

Johnny B.

Skybow was bought out by AFV Club. The Weapons carrier is out now and it is one sweet model. Now if they will only come out with the M-37 3/4 ton Vietnam era truck I will be in heaven.

...not to switch channels on ya fella's, but if animal's wishing for AFV to make another truck, especially a Vietnam application, can't we have the M54 5-Ton first!! I'm still a bit sore from shelling out all the sheckles I had to recently for Real Model's resin conversion.

Tread out.

...heck, I'd love to see a Wickum.

The 3/4 ton was put out in basically 3 versions. The weapons carrier, command car version, and the ambulance/radio truck

Skybow was going to put out the M-37 version about a year and a half ago. Of course it never materialized. I am hoping that AFV Club will come through. As far as the M-54 five ton I,m with Treadhead. I wrote to Afv and to the Tamiya but got no reply from either companies. There is a growing interest in the five ton series. I am sure they will sell more than enough to pay for the tooling up need to produce the kit. We can only hope.

Before we get to the 5 ton series lets get that last beep . as mentioned we could still use the ambulance/radio variant.

Joshua Weingarten
IDF Armour Group
www.homestead.com/shiryon/index.html

Italeri has the WC54 Ambulance version and this is quite a comprehensive kit. Also don't forget those other 3/4 ton models ...........telephone repair..........WC64 KD Ambulance........etc.

Just as an aside. Does any one have intererior pics of the Ambulance version. I've built the Italeiri kit and yes its fairly nice but I would like one with an interior and door handles. IF not I'lll build another one On;y I would like to do the interior as well

Joshua Weingarten
IDF Armour Group
www.homestead.com/shiryon/index.html

I do have scanned copies of the tech manuel showing the interior rear and a bit of the cab interior. Also the 3/4 ton closed cab pickup had the same dash and I have a scanned copy of that too.

Anyone who wants a copy please e-mail me at
[email protected]
and I will send you a copy. It may have to be done in two parts though.

And speaking of pictures...

Does anyone have photographs or a tech manual showing those 4.5 inch rocket racks fitted to the 3/4" weapons carrier (as was done by the Marines on Okinawa)...? Trying to find some close ups to see if scratchbuilding is a possibility...

Thanks!

Aloha

Johnny B

I have one pic in a wheels and track magazine (#20) of a 6X6 with 4.5in type 8 rocket launchers fitted.It states it is a 1945 field modification.

Thanks again for the photo, Mr. Roo!!

You are a stand up individual!!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B