I'm pretty sure there is no kit for this so it would be a scratchbuild.
Anyway the other night I was watching Good Morning Vietnam and at the end of the movie at the airfield a 2 1/2 or 5 ton truck drives by with a large box on the back marked with redcrosses like an ambulance. I've never seen a military ambulance this size, any idea what it was? Name, designation, chassis used, maybe a website that would have some information on it? Anything?

Thanks,

Aaron

Can't comment on the Vietnam era ones but they had 2.5 ton GMC ambulances and surgical units in WW2.

was just the basic GMC cab and chassis with a special van body on the back.

Cheers
Cliff

I went through the Technical Manuals and was unable to find a specialized body for the M44 series truck in the Ambulance role.

Suppose a M109/185 Van Body could have been field fitted as an Ambulance, but haven't seen or heard of one before. It would make an interesting model though...

Gunnie

There was also a variant with a litter system, kinda like what they do with the C 130 to move patients.

That sounds like it could be what it was, it was at the end where Robin Williams is being flown home, so it would make sense that it could have been a truck for transporting injured to aircraft. Any more info on that conversion?

The WW2 one could be an interesting build too,

Thanks for the suggestions.

AaronW,

I can't help with post WWII stuff but I do remember seeing a picture some time ago in b/w of several US GMC 6 X 6 with large Ambulance Crosses painted on the cargo bed canvas cover. It was a ETO picture that I am sure of. I just wish I could come up with where I saw them.

If I come across them I will share it with everyone.

Brian

After Korea got going and the advent of helicopter evac and MASH's I can't see much of a use for a large scale truck. My dad was an Army surgeon all my young life so I think I either rode or got up close and personal with every type of transport system used from late 50's to 80's. Those 3/4 ton crackerboxes were pretty hefty, and they did have a Gamma-Goat version. Never ever saw anything bigger.

This is more likely to be a Cargo Container for transporting supplies rather than carrying wounded.

John-B

The only purpose built ambulances I remember seeing in tactical units from the 1970s on were on smaller vehicles, for example the Gamma Goat (5/4 ton I believe, although I do seem to recall that the mech units (Inf and Armor) may have had a unique M113 ambulance version. I recall that when we went from the plain OD to pattern painting in about 1973-1974, that the ambulances remained in OD with the white square and red cross on them. I don't ever recall seeing a purpose built ambulance on an M35 series vehicle.

Tom

I never saw any of these 2 1/2 ton version in Nam. All the Units that were near my area used converted busses to transport patients to the air fields. They used helicopters to transfer wounded from fire bases and field operations to med evac hospitals. These units were normally near the Air bases. The trucks you saw could have been Hollywood's idea.

the deuce n a half with the box on the back and the big red cross?..not medical...dental. a rolling medievil torture chamber...trust me.

john