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The M35A2 Truck
long_tom
Joined: March 18, 2006
KitMaker: 2,362 posts
Armorama: 2,005 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 01:39 PM UTC
When did that version enter service?
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 01:53 PM UTC
The A2 version was first fielded around '69 to '70. Most went to Europe and stateside units. Some were also sent to Vietnam, but not many. You could also see older M35A1s w/A2 features (larger turn signal and tail light, larger mirrors, etc.) in Vietnam as A2 replacement parts came into the system.
Vodnik
Joined: March 26, 2003
KitMaker: 4,342 posts
Armorama: 3,938 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 11:12 PM UTC
Quoted Text
The A2 version was first fielded around '69 to '70. Most went to Europe and stateside units. Some were also sent to Vietnam, but not many. You could also see older M35A1s w/A2 features (larger turn signal and tail light, larger mirrors, etc.) in Vietnam as A2 replacement parts came into the system.
There were a lot of actual A2 trucks in Vietnam. Some well known 2 1/2 ton guntrucks were based on early A2. And early A2s had A1 style turn signals and tail lights...
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 12:12 AM UTC
Yes, you are correct. Technically, the only way to tell an early A2 from a late A1 is the data plate. However, generally, an A2 is identified with larger NATO turn signals/stop lights, larger mirrors, and the exhaust stack coming up through the right front fender (as in the AFV Club kit). A1s generally had the smaller mirrors, smaller turn signals/stop lights, and an exhuast pipe that followed the frame back and exited between the right side rear wheels.
weesiep
Joined: October 30, 2010
KitMaker: 150 posts
Armorama: 129 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 02:54 AM UTC
I bought the "desert storm" version of the AFV club (but wanted to built a "bog standard" Vietnam Truck out of it and in this package it is missing the earlier braking lights and turn signals (only has the larger nato variant). In fact, the AFV club "Gun Truck" version is the kit you need if you want to built a more common Vietnam era standard cargo truck. It has the correct lights.
I have searched fro M35 trucks pictures but I have not seen (m)any with the later nato lights?
I have searched fro M35 trucks pictures but I have not seen (m)any with the later nato lights?
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 03:12 AM UTC
The "desert storm" kit is a later M35A2.
The "Gun Truck" kit is an earlier M35A1 as seen in Vietnam. It also includes all the parts to build the M35A2 in the box.
Search for "M35A2" and you will find loads with the larger NATO turn signals and tail lights.
The "Gun Truck" kit is an earlier M35A1 as seen in Vietnam. It also includes all the parts to build the M35A2 in the box.
Search for "M35A2" and you will find loads with the larger NATO turn signals and tail lights.
weesiep
Joined: October 30, 2010
KitMaker: 150 posts
Armorama: 129 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 03:24 AM UTC
I should have phrased it better. I have that desert storm kit. But I wanted to built a (as common as possible) Vietnam war normal cargo truck. So I indeed should have bought the M35A1 gun truck kit (which I didn't, to my regret) as from that you are all set for a normal cargo/troop carrier M35A1. It includes the older style lights and retains all the normal cargo bed parts.
But from Pawel's post apparently also M35A2 (even with the bigger/later NATO style lights?)were present in Vietnam. I have been searching for pictures of that but found few (if any?) In any case, I will rob some older style lights from academy m113 kits that I am not going to build anymore.
Just a warning for others, buy the "gun truck" if you want an early style M35 cargo truck, do not buy the "cargo" truck.
But from Pawel's post apparently also M35A2 (even with the bigger/later NATO style lights?)were present in Vietnam. I have been searching for pictures of that but found few (if any?) In any case, I will rob some older style lights from academy m113 kits that I am not going to build anymore.
Just a warning for others, buy the "gun truck" if you want an early style M35 cargo truck, do not buy the "cargo" truck.
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 03:35 AM UTC
Now I am following you. I agree as well. I do not think I have seen any pictures of M35s with the larger NATO lights in Vietnam either.
long_tom
Joined: March 18, 2006
KitMaker: 2,362 posts
Armorama: 2,005 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 09:42 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I should have phrased it better. I have that desert storm kit. But I wanted to built a (as common as possible) Vietnam war normal cargo truck. So I indeed should have bought the M35A1 gun truck kit (which I didn't, to my regret) as from that you are all set for a normal cargo/troop carrier M35A1. It includes the older style lights and retains all the normal cargo bed parts.
But from Pawel's post apparently also M35A2 (even with the bigger/later NATO style lights?)were present in Vietnam. I have been searching for pictures of that but found few (if any?) In any case, I will rob some older style lights from academy m113 kits that I am not going to build anymore.
Just a warning for others, buy the "gun truck" if you want an early style M35 cargo truck, do not buy the "cargo" truck.
Good luck even finding an M35A1 AFV Club truck kit for sale at all!
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 10:36 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Good luck even finding an M35A1 AFV Club truck kit for sale at all!
https://hobbyterra.com/product/m35a1-truck-with-a-gun-vietnam-war-afv-club.html
https://www.amazon.de/Maquette-U-S-Army-M35A1-Truck/dp/B000MCAG5A
https://www.amazon.fr/Maquette-U-S-Army-M35A1-Truck/dp/B000MCAG5A
https://www.squadron.com/1-35-AFV-Club-M35A1-Vietnam-Gun-Truck-AC35034-p/ac35034.htm
https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/afv-club-135-m35a1-vietnam-gun-truck/
......
H.P.
namengr
Joined: September 01, 2014
KitMaker: 332 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 10:39 AM UTC
Guess you should have bought one when they came out, a few years ago!
Tank1812
Joined: April 29, 2014
KitMaker: 1,112 posts
Armorama: 886 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 10:45 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextI should have phrased it better. I have that desert storm kit. But I wanted to built a (as common as possible) Vietnam war normal cargo truck. So I indeed should have bought the M35A1 gun truck kit (which I didn't, to my regret) as from that you are all set for a normal cargo/troop carrier M35A1. It includes the older style lights and retains all the normal cargo bed parts.
But from Pawel's post apparently also M35A2 (even with the bigger/later NATO style lights?)were present in Vietnam. I have been searching for pictures of that but found few (if any?) In any case, I will rob some older style lights from academy m113 kits that I am not going to build anymore.
Just a warning for others, buy the "gun truck" if you want an early style M35 cargo truck, do not buy the "cargo" truck.
Good luck even finding an M35A1 AFV Club truck kit for sale at all!
If your looking to build a cargo truck, I can be talked into letting my gun truck kit go. I have plans for the guns. Course if you have the Dragon gun kit some more horse trading can probably be done.
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 05:17 PM UTC
You really need to place the use of the truck, and who owned it. Just hauling cargo around a base gives a clean truck. If it not Highway One, and went out of sight from a base, it probably had the winch on the front, but not always. Trucks used in convoys didn't use the winch much. Infantry and CAV Units usually had the machine gun ring overhead.
Much more than ten miles on Highway One usually meant taking a five ton. They were a bad ride! I would ditch the tarps, as most didn't have them.
In 68, I saw two or three mirror styles now that I think about it. As Gino said the tail lights are important! My unit had three M35's, and one looked more like a five ton than a duce and a half. One of the older ones was missing the rear bumper, and the front one was bent up. Vietnam was really hard on all trucks! In five years, they were close to junk.
Gary
Much more than ten miles on Highway One usually meant taking a five ton. They were a bad ride! I would ditch the tarps, as most didn't have them.
In 68, I saw two or three mirror styles now that I think about it. As Gino said the tail lights are important! My unit had three M35's, and one looked more like a five ton than a duce and a half. One of the older ones was missing the rear bumper, and the front one was bent up. Vietnam was really hard on all trucks! In five years, they were close to junk.
Gary
Beast
Joined: October 21, 2005
KitMaker: 55 posts
Armorama: 55 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 03:03 AM UTC
It's fairly easy to back date the Desert Storm M35a2 kit into a Vietnam era M35a1. The only real difference as most have pointed out is the smaller lights and the exhaust that runs along the frame and exits above the rear duals on the passenger side instead of the vertical stack through the fender. Since there is no motor details with this kit any other differences will be hidden under the hood. The body, frame, and bed are unchanged on all the M35's from 1950 up until the M35a3 rebuild program in the late 90's.
The round front and rear lights are easy to scratch build out of a couple of pieces of the sprue in the box.
They have a small oval amber lens for the front marker lights and the tail lights are the same other than the lens is red. Followed by the slot with the blackout marker under the lens. One note here is that the glass amber lens for whatever reason back then quickly faded in the hot sun over there leaving them sometimes looking clear or even purplish in haze.
The exhaust can also be scratch built easily as well from some sprue from the box. It is fairly straight with only a couple of bends where it turns out from the framerail and where it goes around the fuel tank and battery box. Just make sure to remember to fill the hole in the fender where the a2 exhaust would have come through.
Other than that they are pretty much the same everywhere else.
This is my 1967 Kaiser Jeep M35 that I restored several years ago. It started life as a M35a1 and was brought up to a2 standards in 1989 during a rebuild. I replaced the larger NATO lights of the a2 with original smaller a1 lights as I restored it to look like a Vietnam era truck.
The round front and rear lights are easy to scratch build out of a couple of pieces of the sprue in the box.
They have a small oval amber lens for the front marker lights and the tail lights are the same other than the lens is red. Followed by the slot with the blackout marker under the lens. One note here is that the glass amber lens for whatever reason back then quickly faded in the hot sun over there leaving them sometimes looking clear or even purplish in haze.
The exhaust can also be scratch built easily as well from some sprue from the box. It is fairly straight with only a couple of bends where it turns out from the framerail and where it goes around the fuel tank and battery box. Just make sure to remember to fill the hole in the fender where the a2 exhaust would have come through.
Other than that they are pretty much the same everywhere else.
This is my 1967 Kaiser Jeep M35 that I restored several years ago. It started life as a M35a1 and was brought up to a2 standards in 1989 during a rebuild. I replaced the larger NATO lights of the a2 with original smaller a1 lights as I restored it to look like a Vietnam era truck.
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 03:19 AM UTC
M35A1 exhaust :
H.P.
H.P.
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 10:30 AM UTC
Quoted Text
The round front and rear lights are easy to scratch build out of a couple of pieces of the sprue in the box.
Or if you have the rear lights left over from an M113, or almost any other WWII to '70s armored vehicle, they will work for both front and rear as well.
Klaus-Adler
Campaigns Administrator
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
Armorama: 840 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 11:56 AM UTC
I know it's not quite what you are looking for but how about this: AFV Club 1/35 AF35300 US Army M54A2 5-Yon 6x6 Cargo Truck (Vietnam War)
long_tom
Joined: March 18, 2006
KitMaker: 2,362 posts
Armorama: 2,005 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 12:43 PM UTC
I cannot believe that AFV Club, or anybody else, has not made a correct M35A1 truck yet! There certainly would be a huge market for it!
namengr
Joined: September 01, 2014
KitMaker: 332 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 01:03 PM UTC
The Nancy kit has ell the parts to make a correct cargo truck except the bed cover!! Wayne
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