More photo reference on the M5 Limber.

Recent detail additions to the tail plate:



(Sorry about the soft focus.)

New offering from Ampersand - More info/photos on the M23.

WOW do not know where they found these photos. I went to the original manufacture of the trailer and could not find more than just what was in the TM.

Ammo Train showing HST pulling TWO, count'em two, M23 trailers. I am guessing this rig was limited to over the road hauling only.



US Army/Utility Trailer Corp. photo - appears in the recent Allied-Axis MMiR series of reference books.

Some small progress last night:



A lot of work yet to do on the interior of the trailer!

Looks like a great project! I always love seeing projects back on the bench!

Slightly revised plan drawing:

Doing something I do really enjoy; building leaf spring stacks:

Beautiful scratch work Michael , well engineered and well executed .
Looks very cool !!!

Hi Michael - nice build as always! You are the king of the leaf spring pack! Or, should I say, King of suspension in general! I admire your patience with those spring packs - it's less easy than it looks to do them well - especially if they have any sort of arch - just not all that easy to pull off!
Keep building -

Nick

Hi Michael

Found this while looking for information for a 1/48th version of your project. Fantastic work so far and Thank You for sharing your research with us.

It'll be a very impressive project when done.

Thanks Nick for your comments.

Happy Holidays to all!

Mike

The fixed rear lift crane on the Mack NO6 lifting the trail of the M23 Ammo Trailer onto the Mack hitch:

The M23 trailer posed with another chunk of my model insanity; the M4 High Speed Tractor, for a joint progress shot.





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I see no insanity there Sir! In fact it is one of the most grounded builds I have seen in a long time. The fact that I will be attempting something similar in 48th suggests that it is, in fact, an excellent choice.

I hope to see a successful conclusion which will serve to spur my effort forward.

Thank you Nicholas. I think I was referring to my tendency to detail things that in the end may never be seen. My modeling friends often have a laugh at my expense in that even when finished, my models have a tendency to come apart (intentionally) in strange ways. This in order to still see some of this hidden detail.

Since you are doing an M4 yourself, a minor suggestion: The HobbyBoss cabin seats were very smooth, plain and unadorned. I roughed them up and separated them to make them more visually interesting and realistic. (The original seat cushions in the M4 were not much more than canvas bags stuffed with sisal (or Army blankets) laying on a metal bench.)

You can never have too much detail. If it's out of sight then OK it's practice for the stuff that can be seen. Apprentice plasterers start in cupboards, behind kitchen units and the like before they're let loose in rooms. Sounds good to me.

Good tip on the seats. I've seen similar elsewhere where a restored example with leatherette seat coverings was duly copied.

Detail, Details, Details!!

Another example of my crazy detailing: Check out this M4 HST page posted elsewhere on the blog.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/196219&page=9#2198988

Nicholas, excellent point!

Nice tarp over the rear stowage locker. How did you do that?

Someone (P.S.P., I believe) used to offer the M4 as a full kit in resin. When the HobbyBoss plastic kit came out the one piece they could still sell was the cloth top for the ammo stowage locker.

I am sure I originally ordered this piece thru Scale-Link.