Well high all been awhile, I was wondering if the M-110 A 2 was used in Nam, I am kind of leaning towards a no on that, and what Metal tracks can be used to replace Italeri ones, yes that is he kit I am working on.Really want a Nam one , but might have to settle for a desert Storm one maybe, also is the Company Spade ace any good on for those metal tracks, as Fruil does not do any for this model?

Thanks all.


Jeff

No, the M110A2 was not fielded until the early '80s. The version used in Vietnam was the short barreled M110. The Spade Ace tracks are excellent and highly recommended.

If you are working on the Italeri kit, you may wish to look at the power rammer assembly. I worked on an M107 a while ago and it looked too short to me, as though the kit part was based on a drawing of the assembly at less than a perpendicular angle. It's years ago though, so I may be wrong and I never remember to measure the thing when I see one!

I have used the Spade Ace tracks on that chassis and agree with Gino, they are excellent. And because they are just the TINIEST bit larger than the actual track shoes, I found that instead of what the TM says (75 L/76 R) I'd go with 73 on each side.

I was supposed to have gone to a 175 / 8" outfit up by the Rockpile in Dec. 67. Never made it, but trained on the two of them extensively.

The M110's and M107's all came into country as they were built at the factory. Almost as soon as they arrived, units split up into an M110 unit or a 175 gun unit. They simply swapped barrels on the tracks. It was fairly common to see an M110 with the travel lock attachment blocks still intact, and have seen more than one with the complete 175 gun travel lock in place. I've also seen many 175 guns with field added travel locks as well.

Somebody commented about the crane and power rammer not looking right. I noticed this right away, but honestly it's been two thirds of a life time since I shot one. Add to this there some minor revisions to the A2 spade and crane areas. They are very minor, but caught them right away when I looked over an M110a2. Just a small note here: I had a good laugh at the Tamiya M107 kit art. There's a guy standing beside the breech with a rammer staff. NOPE! Not in two life times would he be there, and even then it's near impossible with the crane swung out of the way.

gary

Like Gary said, the only major differences between versions were the barrels. The same was true for an M110 and an M110A2 (especially the models). All you would need to do to backdate it to a Vietnam M110 is to swap out the barrel for an AM short M110 barrel. You could also check if anyone has a plastic short barrel left over from a conversion or one they swapped out for a metal barrel.

Thanks all, and Gino still kicking in the Field Artillery?

When I was in Korea 1977-78 the ROK's had 175's, M-107's, a rude awaking, when they shot two off across the road from where my Hooch was, had me falling out of bed and running for the door ,thinking the Balloon had gone up, loud was not the word.Whole building shook. And these were out going. Hate to have been on the receiving end. I have the Kit from AFV Club assembled and built many years back, also the Long Tom, unbuilt.
So where does one get a barrel from?

Thanks again

Jeff

For a few more months anyways. Just submitted my retirement packet last week. 31 AUG '17 should be my last day in uniform. 23+ years seemed to be long enough with the jobs that were being offered. Time to head home to Tampa, FL and settle in.


Sorry, no specific leads on an M110 short barrel. I looked in my spares box and don't have one. I do have the original Testors decals for it though if you want to swap them for the A2 decals.

I was curled up asleep on the chopper pad at LZ Ross around the first of April 68. Just me and a blanket flat on the ground. At about seven in the morning I was to start out on an OP that would take me deep into the Que Son Valley, and eventually to the Lao border. Sometime around two in the morning I was blown off the ground, and literally thought a 122 rocket had landed near me. Thought I was dead as I hurt all over. I got to the pad just before dusk, and wasn't aware the 3rd of the 18th had three 175 guns set up about 200 yards behind me. They only fired one salvo, and that was enough.

To add to this, the First Sargent and I were hooking up howitzers to Chinooks early in the morning. I was perched atop a gun getting ready to snap the "D ring" in the hook when I caught this huge bolt of static electricity blowing me about eight feet off the pig. I thought I was dead! Top was rolling around on the ground laughing his butt off. I saw nothing funny in the event! I soon learned how to do this the right way.

gary

Howdy Gino, congratulations upon making one of the most difficult decisions of your military career. Thank you for your service to our nation. Best of luck to you and your family, starting your new chapter in the book of life this coming fall.

Outta here, Mike sends . . .

Thanks Mike. Now the fun of job searches start. I have a couple good leads already though, so fingers crossed.

place I worked at hired many retired military officers due to their leadership skills running parallel with a management position. Most did OK, but still a learning curve.
gary

If you can handle the winter (no worse than Germany), check out PEO GCS at TACOM.

Thanks for the lead, but I am heading south to Tampa, FL for retirement. It is much warmer there.

I think the memories are the best part, about it all.
Congrats To Gino, and Mike, and Gary for service done.
Heard about that Static from somebody, knock your socks off is what I heard. :-)

Cheers

Jeff

Congratulations on a successful career I'm sure you'll be able to land a great new gig.

Okay Gino if you still want to lets swap decals.

I will do the M-107 same everything as I have both, and neither has Nam decals, not even Archer sells any.

Cheers
Jeff

Try MecModels, they have VN decals for both the M 107 and M 110. Wayne

[/quote]


To add to this, the First Sargent and I were hooking up howitzers to Chinooks early in the morning. I was perched atop a gun getting ready to snap the "D ring" in the hook when I caught this huge bolt of static electricity blowing me about eight feet off the pig. I thought I was dead! Top was rolling around on the ground laughing his butt off. I saw nothing funny in the event! I soon learned how to do this the right way.

gary[/quote]

I had this happen to me while slinging Hummvees. My static man panicked at the sight of a Chinook hovering 3 feet over head and ran instead of touching the probe to the hook. I slammed the d ring in, took a shock that knocked off the top of the hummvee onto my back in the dirt. I looked up and saw the crew chief looking at me thru the hatch and laughing so I flipped him off, climbed back up checked the sling and hook, jumped back down and cleared out. I went over to were the private who bolted on me was standing, grabbed his LCE, towed him over to were Top and the CO and my Plt Leader were laughing their a$$es off, pointed at the ground and "guided" him into the pushup posistion. I then said one word to him "STAY!" with a few added adjectives and went back to prep the next relay of vehicles.

To add to this, the First Sargent and I were hooking up howitzers to Chinooks early in the morning. I was perched atop a gun getting ready to snap the "D ring" in the hook when I caught this huge bolt of static electricity blowing me about eight feet off the pig. I thought I was dead! Top was rolling around on the ground laughing his butt off. I saw nothing funny in the event! I soon learned how to do this the right way.

gary[/quote]

I had this happen to me while slinging Hummvees. My static man panicked at the sight of a Chinook hovering 3 feet over head and ran instead of touching the probe to the hook. I slammed the d ring in, took a shock that knocked off the top of the hummvee onto my back in the dirt. I looked up and saw the crew chief looking at me thru the hatch and laughing so I flipped him off, climbed back up checked the sling and hook, jumped back down and cleared out. I went over to were the private who bolted on me was standing, grabbed his LCE, towed him over to were Top and the CO and my Plt Leader were laughing their a$$es off, pointed at the ground and "guided" him into the pushup posistion. I then said one word to him "STAY!" with a few added adjectives and went back to prep the next relay of vehicles.
[/quote]

I doubt I'd have been that nice towards the PFC! Specially towards the end of my military tour. We never had a grounding rod, but have heard of them.

LZ Ross was a strange place, and I took the road from Baldy to Ross twice (no fool ever does that). The road was a haven for command detonated mines of the 500lb. variety. Made you very nervous, and always looking around. After coming upon the first mine, I walked! The chopper pad was the biggest one I ever saw. Covered with pea gravel that just beat you silly from the down blast. After I survived getting all over Hell's Half Acre from the 175 guns, and sorta settled in for at least three hours sleep. About half passed five in the morning I was awakened with gun fire from mortars (four duce) and 105's from a Marine battery I could barely make out. They were shooting at a grey ZIL truck going thru the switch backs on a mountain side. Rounds were landing all around the truck, but never hit him (they must have fired at least fifty rounds). I had a good laugh at their marksmanship. Top slept thru it! I knew right then & there that I had to get outta that wacko place!

When we lifted howitzers, it took two loads to get the gun out there. Usually had six choppers hauling three guns and the rest of the junk. While setting the howitzers on the ground they were dropping the rest of the gun and doing an ammo supply. We really needed eight choppers, but there never was enough to go around. Right after hanging the last load I jumped aboard a slick and road out there. It's all in the timing, and I was usually the first guy on the ground. Believe me, I never caught the lightening bolt again!!

I always told the kids (we all were just kids)that I'd been here before. Most never knew that I and five others re-conned the spot a few days prior. Some spots were good and some spots were a bust from the get go. I was inserted on the wrong hill twice, and one of them was so far off, that it wasn't on the grid square! They always said there would be infantry on the hill (almost never). They usually were three or four klicks out. Some times you had the neighbors waiting on you, and other times nobody was around. I got beat up pretty good on a couple, but always walked away.
Others didn't.

gary

Have you ordered from them?

Found them I guess Europe as Euro.

Good stories so far , have a man at work 101 airborne that did the Nam deal now 67. Does not believe he made it out of there.

Cheers

Jeff

Yes, I have bought from them and Mark is very good to deal with. He has a lot of VN products and is a pleasure to work with as far as getting product and working to develop new items.Wayne

Tracks shipped finally, and decals ordered.

Still might look for the short barrel.

Could I cast one from the Academy M-12 M-10, forgot which one used the smaller barrel, as I have both of them.

Jeff

No, neither use an 8" barrel. The only other 8" model I know of is the AFV Club M115 8" towed howitzer.

True Gino both 155 MM
Missed that.