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Armor/AFV: Vietnam
All things Vietnam
Hosted by Darren Baker
AFV's M54 built
Beast
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 21, 2005
KitMaker: 55 posts
Armorama: 55 posts
Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:44 AM UTC
This past weekend I finished up AFV's M54. All in all it was a pretty straight forward build and not too difficult to knockout. Having built several of their M35 trucks before, the M54 is pretty much along the same lines. Although there seems to be quite a few more small detail pieces in the M54. I built it straight from the box but did add some rear cargo out of my spare boxes. Fuel and oil drums, handful of jerry cans, crates and ammo, and a few tents and tarps. I painted it with real OD#24087 semi-gloss which I had leftover from my real military vehicles that I have restored, then weathered it to look like it had been bumping down the dusty backroads in Vietnam.







trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 10:05 AM UTC

Quoted Text

This past weekend I finished up AFV's M54. All in all it was a pretty straight forward build and not too difficult to knockout. Having built several of their M35 trucks before, the M54 is pretty much along the same lines. Although there seems to be quite a few more small detail pieces in the M54. I built it straight from the box but did add some rear cargo out of my spare boxes. Fuel and oil drums, handful of jerry cans, crates and ammo, and a few tents and tarps. I painted it with real OD#24087 semi-gloss which I had leftover from my real military vehicles that I have restored, then weathered it to look like it had been bumping down the dusty backroads in Vietnam.









Nice build! It wasn't common for a five ton to be off highway one unless it was close to home. But alas, most of highway one was crushed gravel at best. Yes the were stretches down south that were black topped, but up north that usually meant you were within four miles of a big base. Most trucks lost their tarp within a couple weeks to make a bunker roof water proof. The cab tarp was also lost very soon as it was restrictive to getting out of the cab during an ambush. In the end, a truck in country six months lost the wood slats, but might retain the seats. A spare tire in the back usually was lost at the first stop! Some units chained and locked them up back there.
We kept ours in the normally stored position, or had none at all. A flat was usually in the rear anyway. One thing a lot of builders fail to notice was the winch. It was near impossible to get all that cable back on the the drum!! So we wrapped it around the bumper. A truck in the rear seldom used the winch, so you did well. The cable is stainless steel and coated with grease ( brown, red, or green). Of course it picks up a lot of dust.
I plan on doing a well used M54 and a couple road hard and put up wet M35's.
Gary
namengr
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Illinois, United States
Joined: September 01, 2014
KitMaker: 332 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 12:36 PM UTC
My experiences were obviously at a later time period, but our vehicles did have different configurations. Cab covers, tarps, etc were all varied,depending on the unit and use. Oh, sorry, Beast, this is a great build and glad to see more of your work! Wayne
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 12:57 PM UTC
This came out really nicely. I like how the bows are included. Good job on it.

I have one in the stash to do as well. Hopefully soon.
Beast
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 21, 2005
KitMaker: 55 posts
Armorama: 55 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 03:17 AM UTC
Thanks guys, I really enjoy building US cold war/Vietnam era vehicles as I currently have 5 real ones that I have restored over the years. I just wish that there were a few more options for kits out there. Maybe one day someone will come out with kits for the 60's era Jeep M-715 5/4 ton truck and M725 ambulance. Here are a couple pics of the ones I have restored.
1967 Jeep M715 5/4 ton weapons carrier

1967 Jeep M725 Ambulance

My current motorpool L-R 53' M38a1, 67' M715, 53' M37, 67' M725, and 67' M35a2

namengr
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Illinois, United States
Joined: September 01, 2014
KitMaker: 332 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 05:16 AM UTC
When I came back from Nam the unit I was in had the M715s. When I was volunteering at the museum at the Vet's Home there was a guy that had a nice M38 with trailer. Can't recall his name. I gave him a Skybow kit and Italeri trailer to build to display with it. unfortunately he had to sell it soon after that. Wayne
Klaus-Adler
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MODELGEEK
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
Armorama: 840 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 06:18 AM UTC
wow, you've done a cracking job on that kit, did you do a build log for it as I really want one of those but I woul6 like alter it using hobbyfan's guntruck accessories pack.
Beast
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 21, 2005
KitMaker: 55 posts
Armorama: 55 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 07:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text

wow, you've done a cracking job on that kit, did you do a build log for it as I really want one of those but I woul6 like alter it using hobbyfan's guntruck accessories pack.


Nope I didn't do a build log since this kit went together fairly quickly. In just the first weekend of working on it I had it as a basic rolling chassis and had the first base coats of paint on it.

trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 10:02 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks guys, I really enjoy building US cold war/Vietnam era vehicles as I currently have 5 real ones that I have restored over the years. I just wish that there were a few more options for kits out there. Maybe one day someone will come out with kits for the 60's era Jeep M-715 5/4 ton truck and M725 ambulance. Here are a couple pics of the ones I have restored.
1967 Jeep M715 5/4 ton weapons carrier

1967 Jeep M725 Ambulance

My current motorpool L-R 53' M38a1, 67' M715, 53' M37, 67' M725, and 67' M35a2



I've never seen the Jeep pick up with a soft top! Kinda unique. There were a couple in Chu Lai painted battle ship grey. Also a few in DaNang, but never saw them on the road.
Might add here that I saw Navy guys using M38 Jeeps.
Gary
namengr
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Illinois, United States
Joined: September 01, 2014
KitMaker: 332 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 11:30 AM UTC
With the long time period and different service and even countries represented, there are all kinds of variants possible. Engineers used a lot of the dump, bridging and cargo trucks. Supply and maintenance units used them and they were used by ARVN and Korean units too.
Removed by original poster on 02/19/20 - 00:52:57 (GMT).
bat_213
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Canada
Joined: January 07, 2019
KitMaker: 110 posts
Armorama: 95 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 12:56 PM UTC
dave your build is great.and the paint spoton
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