Hi, I'm a newbie at this and as soon as I get the three MASH scenes models I won on "the bay" and the paint I'm ordering on line, I would like to build me a dio of the unit. If anyone has knowledge on this subject please share your expertise with me, Thanks

IIRC the vehicles were originally produced by Monogram, I built the jeep and the deuce and a half long, long ago. If you're just starting out in the hobby they're not bad to start out with, low parts count, etc. The important thing to remember is to have fun, don't compare your first efforts with what you see on line. You'll find the people on here are very helpful.

I built one years ago depicting the crew outside the tent. If it is the kit I am thinking of, we probably have the same one. I thought about taking it apart and redoing it since my expertise in dioramas has drastically improved. My idea now is to add a few more details like a hellipad and mess tent as commonly seen on the show.

Are you looking for anything specific as far as feedback? What are your thoughts so far?

I still have the Swamp and and a not quite finished chopper.
I'm surprised the kits are still around.
Post some photos Dan when your getting it together.I started with a dio in mind and never did get to it.

Tom

I'm finishing up on my second build to get voted in a model club in my area. Then I' will start on the M.A.S.H. kits. I think they are from the 70's. I got all my paint colors today.
I'd like to do both the helio pad and the hospital, and maybe a shower. I'm still thinking about it.

The kits are really old and poor on details and accuracy. I would keep the tent and maybe the figures if you want ones that look kind of like the actors from the show. The jeep and truck are just bad. Furthermore, the truck is a post-Korean War M34.

For an accurate M*A*S*H scene, stick with WWII vehicles. You can use the Tamiya or Italeri CCKW 2 1/2 ton truck and either the Tamiya Willys MB or Bronco's Ford GPW for the jeep. The Peerless/Italeri/Bilek 3/4 ton Dodge Ambulance is a great kit for it too.

Lastly, the Revell H-13 is a post Korea War version as well. MRC/Academy's HH-13/Bell 47 is correct for the Korea War.

I remember the set and even picked up the chopper. It was inexpensive and the kit pretty simplified. It came out about the same time as the MRC kit. I still have it and have planes to use the cockpit for a what-if-sci-fi project.

I always thought the tent could be useful but I never messed with it. And maybe the figures could be used for something. I was told it looked odd....and the figures looked bad.

I think they could work as accessories within a diorama or maybe just to have a bit of fun with. Probably could say the same with the truck and Jeep. Given your plan, I think you can get away with what it is suppose to represent. Maybe get fancy and include the film crew like they are filming a scene.

Coincidentally, MASH (the movie) was on tonight on one of the movie channels. I always preferred it over the series. Should be lots of fan sites on the web with photos of the sets. Good luck and have fun with it.

The MASH movie and TV show were based on a novel by that name written by a MASH veteran who used the pseudonym Richard Hooker. His outfit was actually the 5044th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (which became the fictionalized 4077th), and the book's antiauthoritarian, pro-sex ethos made it a big hit when it came out at the height of the Vietnam War. The 1970 Robert Altman film was also an enormous hit, but the production was a disorganized disaster in the opinion of many cast members, who actually wanted Altman fired. The script by Ring Lardner, Jr. was mostly thrown out in favor of improvisation on set, and Lardner threatened to have his name removed from the credits (until he got an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay). The film was salvaged in the editing room, where it was cut into a very tight, funny movie, which made everybody a lot of money. The TV show followed two years later, with only one actor, Gary Burghoff (Radar O'Reilly) reprising his role, and the show ended up lasting over twice as long as the Korean War itself!
As others have pointed out, the Revell kits aren't exactly right for the actual Korean war. The Willys Jeep is okay, as WW2 MB and GPW Jeeps soldiered on for quite a while before the M38 and M38A1 completely replaced them. The Reo "Eager Beaver" M34 truck entered production shortly before the war ended, but it's likely that very few would have made it across before hostilities ceased (the CCKW 353 from WW2 would have been most common). These two kits are Monogram molds that date from around 1957. The Revell MASH helicopter kit dates from the 1990's but actually depicts a mid-1950's H-13H variant. All of these are fine for the TV show or movie, though, if you'd like to do a tribute to the MASH we all remember and love.

This is just the kind of help I was looking for. Thank you. You sure know a lot about it. Gerald, and your idea for the crew, Alex,I like it. I guess I'm going to have to find the jeeps and truck to use, Gino I have the chopper. You said There's a ambulance , I've never seen one, so I'll be busy shopping still. Thanks again Guys.

Hi Dan,

For the ambulance, search for the Italeri WC54 and you'll find it :-)

Note that Korean War ambulance markings did differ slightly from the WW2 decals in the kit. I started a thread on that topic a whilr back here on Armorama, hope it can help.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/222824

Cheers,
sven