I purchased an AFV M42A1 (Early) kit at a good price and always wanted to build one to reflect the one I saw in service with the Army National Guard unit in New Mexico back in the mid 80s.

With that said, I know AFV offered a "Late" version, but what would I need to change on the "Early" version to reflect a version used by the Army Guard's ADA units from the late 70s to mid 80s?

I know that I will have to replace the M1919 machine gun for a M60 machine gun, to include the mount... I figure I can modify the machine gun mount from Tamiya's m151 Ford Mutt kit I have laying around, but that about all I can see at this point since I haven't opened up this sealed kit yet.

I'm hoping to mate the Duster up with up with Dragon's new M48A5 MBT, Tamiya's original version of their M113 APC and an Italeri M110A2 SPG to round out my 80s U.S. Army National Guard Cold War armor line-up.

I remember seeing those at the Dona Ana range complex while doing gunnery back in the 80’s with the 3D ACR. Pretty sure they were in a red desert MERDC cammo. Good memories

Ted,

For the M-60 and mount, I really recommend looking on Shapeways for 3D. I bought the M-60 as well as the mount and ammo cans. I believe this is the M142 mount used on the M-4 pedestal mount on the M151 truck. The detail is great and price was very well. Someone also offers the distinctive 40mm ammunition cans used for the Duster series, and now that I think about it, possibly the paired spare barrels that were carried on the left fender.

The New Mexico National Guard Museum in Santa Fe has a Duster, not currently on display, that had the four color MERDC gray desert scheme, plus a lot of peeling paint and rust. Their regiment was the ADA element for my National Guard Division (40th Division, Calif Army Guard) in the early 80s.

Hope this helps! I am also building models of my era vehicles (78-Desert Storm), so I have MERDC, MASSTER, tan and OD to play with.

I remember those. I was in Heavy Company 2nd Squadron 1982-86. Which unit were you in?

HHT 1/3 then commo chief for D Co. 1/3, both 1985 to 1989

“Brave Rifles!”

The New Mexico Duster unit also worked with the NJ Guard. They supported the 50th AD in Fort Drum. We have a duster in woodland MERDC in our museum in Sea Girt NJ.

Tom

Thanks for the replies!! I'm glad I'm not the only that remembers seeing them in the 80s. At the time, they really stood out as being... Really old since the guns were not radar directed. Being on Active Duty from 1980 to 1992, the main ADA "gun" I saw was the 20mm Valcan, M163 or the towed gun version while in the 82nd.

On a side note, I had high hopes for the Sgt.York ADA gun system, but knew it was semi flawed system from the beginning since it was based on a M48 hull... IMHO, the M48 was slightly faster than the M60... Based on my limited experience while serving as a TC on one, a M48A5 in Korea (1st Tank) before getting new M60A3 back in 1984. But the Sgt. York could never be M1 MBT fast... Worst, the gunnery radar system was a total flop and couldn't even hit a mid-speed helicopter.

Ted, you might find this info interesting or perhaps useful:

M42A1 Duster in South Carolina Army NG

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Interesting thread. Mike, thanks for the the SC Duster link. The Duster was my second or third Tamiya kit - motorized - and only over the last 20 years or so have I not had one in my collection.

I remember M42s driving to the front in Red Dawn. It is almost unbelievable that we had M42s still in service into the 1980s.