With the RM conversion you'll have to cut the frame rails. As for the trailer the M127 was still in use I believe during ODS but the tail lights may be different then the Vietnam version.

First off, I think you mean the AFV Club M54A2. Hobby Boss doesn't offer an M54.


I would use it, cut down to the proper length, and add the fifth wheel and other M52-specific parts from the RM conversion or Hobby Fan M52 kit. In my opinion, the AFV Club kit is much better detailed and more accurate.


This should help.

First off, I think you mean the AFV Club M54A2. Hobby Boss doesn't offer an M54.


I would use it, cut down to the proper length, and add the fifth wheel and other M52-specific parts from the RM conversion or Hobby Fan M52 kit. In my opinion, the AFV Club kit is much better detailed and more accurate.

This should help.

Quoted Text

---

First off, I think you mean the AFV Club M54A2. Hobby Boss doesn't offer an M54.


I would use it, cut down to the proper length, and add the fifth wheel and other M52-specific parts from the RM conversion or Hobby Fan M52 kit. In my opinion, the AFV Club kit is much better detailed and more accurate.

This should help.

---

I know squat about HF levels of detail, fit or finish. But I guess you mean the AFV Club kit is the superior version?

I know squat about HF levels of detail, fit or finish. But I guess you mean the AFV Club kit is the superior version?

With the US Army replacing the M39 series trucks by M800 series in the 1970`s and then by M939 series a decade later, I highly doubt that there were any M39 series in use in 1990. Maybe the truck was confused with M800 series.

Quoted Text

---

With the US Army replacing the M39 series trucks by M800 series in the 1970`s and then by M939 series a decade later, I highly doubt that there were any M39 series in use in 1990. Maybe the truck was confused with M800 series.

---

I tend to agree with this. If you want a Desert Storm vehicle, get the RM M818 tractor conversion and use it w/the AFV Club base model. It has the M800 series cab (lengthened hood and front side panels) and the tractor parts.



Or get the RM M931 conversion for a more moderm M900 series tractor. You will have to get the Italeri M923/925 kit for it though.

Quoted Text

---

Quoted Text

---

With the US Army replacing the M39 series trucks by M800 series in the 1970`s and then by M939 series a decade later, I highly doubt that there were any M39 series in use in 1990. Maybe the truck was confused with M800 series.

---

I tend to agree with this. If you want a Desert Storm vehicle, get the RM M818 tractor conversion and use it w/the AFV Club base model. It has the M800 series cab (lengthened hood and front side panels) and the tractor parts.



Or get the RM M931 conversion for a more moderm M900 series tractor. You will have to get the Italeri M923/925 kit for it though.

---

Once again Super Helpful! This is the main reason I love this site. Given Ive got the AFV M54 and no other use for it, I think the RM 818 would be the best way to go. Im still intigued by the US Army paper mentioning M52 use in the early days OF ODS though. There are pics....one purporting to be M52 pulling/pushing an artillery piece onto a a ship in1985. But as other posters have mentioned, these could be M800.

Quoted Text

---

Quoted Text

---

Quoted Text

---

With the US Army replacing the M39 series trucks by M800 series in the 1970`s and then by M939 series a decade later, I highly doubt that there were any M39 series in use in 1990. Maybe the truck was confused with M800 series.

---

I tend to agree with this. If you want a Desert Storm vehicle, get the RM M818 tractor conversion and use it w/the AFV Club base model. It has the M800 series cab (lengthened hood and front side panels) and the tractor parts.



Or get the RM M931 conversion for a more moderm M900 series tractor. You will have to get the Italeri M923/925 kit for it though.

---

Once again Super Helpful! This is the main reason I love this site. Given Ive got the AFV M54 and no other use for it, I think the RM 818 would be the best way to go. Im still intigued by the US Army paper mentioning M52 use in the early days OF ODS though. There are pics....one purporting to be M52 pulling/pushing an artillery piece onto a a ship in1985. But as other posters have mentioned, these could be M800.

---

Lots of images have the wrong captions .....

"Some of the truck companies attached to the 475th had M818 or M52 tactical tractors pulling the 5,000 gallon semi-trailers.These tractors were not suited to the mission of long hauls onhard surface roads at relatively high speeds (in excess of 20MPH), and significant maintenance problems began to occur. Conversely, some of the companies assigned to the ARCENT Corps were equipped with M915 tractors, which have minimal, if any, capability to operate off road, making them almost useless to the tactical units which they were intended to support."

Text taken from: https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a263676.pdf

I found one image showing an M54 truck being unloaded from a ship during exercise Reforger in 1991 (same period as Desert Storm)



From the book: "Operation Desert Storm:Disposal and Sale of Excess Items: Fact Sheet for Congressional Requesters"
http://archive.gao.gov/d35t11/147873.pdf
Appendix 1, top of page 5
"According to a DRMO representative, “H” condition code (unserviceable) was used fairly liberally by the services for Germany’s donations, since there were no repair parts for the foreign vehicles. For example, some of the vehicles could be repaired but due to the lack of repair parts were coded unserviceable. Also, some of the vehicles could be used for parts. The U.S. vehicles were items such as the 5-ton M52 truck, which are being phased out of the U.S. inventory and were excess to U.S. needs."

The interestig part here is: "being phased out of the U.S. inventory"

I get the impression that M52, M818 and M931/932 tractors could be used for ODS, as well as the off-road incapable M915 ...