I was just over at the perth site and looking at the new kit news for AFV Club I was suprised to see an M548 Guntruck kit being announced I never knew that type was converted to one

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/newkitnews/newf.htm

There's some debate as to whether or not it actually was fielded.

The real M548 could be used in the AA role. The Technical Manual describes the setup and use of the Quad .50cal installation for this purpose. The question is if any were so employed in Vietnam in this (the 'gun truck' armored convoy escort) role.

The only photo I've seen is the one in Concord Publications book - and this one looks suspicious - like it's a layered image from Photoshop.

Gunnie

Jim

Thanks for the info

I've always considered the M548 to be the weak link of the M113 family because the open rear compartment removed quite a bit of stiffness from the chassis when unloaded and we always felt that was a reason why the maintenance requirements were higher on the 548's even though their numbers and usage was lower.

I'd be real suspicious of the rear compartment being able to handle the stress of quad 50's without significant stiffening.

But actually know nothing about the vehicle in question .... I just wish AFV Club would release that M40 SP gun or drop it completely -- I've been waiting well over 2 years ...

John

There are a couple of guys over at the gun truck site who think they may have seen something like the 548 quad. They believe it was assigned to an engineer unit and used for perimeter security duty. I never saw or heard of anyone that had one when I was station over there. I am going to check with the research dept at the Transportation Museum and see if they can get any info about this vehicle.

Dave

Sounds like a pretty strange and rare subject for an injection-molded kit. Sounds like maybe they might be out to make a quick buck off this one. Animal's friends certainly sound right. I can't see a 548 holding up very long doing highway miles and speeds in a convoy protection role

Like John, I'm wondering where the M40 is???

I remember another modeller posting a question on another site asking about the M548 with the quad .50 a while back before the AFV Club kit was announced.

He thought it was used in Vietnam for ground defence at airfields. They were in dug in positions.

I think there was an article on the build of an M548 with the quad .50 in Issue 12 of Steel Masters. It was a Vietnam War Special Issue. Anyone have that issue or seen it?

Never seen nor heard of such an "ride." It'd be interesting tho as it seems that the Quad 50 was mounted to anything that moved!.....yes, I'm being facetious. I am in agreement that a tracked vehicle, especially from that era (up to the '80's), could not handle the miles a wheeled vehicle could get.

Mike (++) (++)

Hi all,
There was some discussion on missing lynx on this vehicle: http://www.network54.com/Forum/47209/message/1139678471/M548+Gun+Truck+with+Quad+50

and here's a picture: http://www.track-link.net/forum/news_industry/8647

I think it's nice because we finally get the trailer with the quad 50's, so it's not just the 'guntruck Nancy sprue' AFV added to their M548 kit (my first tought I must admit)

And Jason, I have the Steel Masters no. 12 and it has an article on this M548 with quad 50's (if you would like to have some scans let me know and I'll give it a try)

kind regards
Mark

Hey Jason, I've got that issue (Steel Masters Hors-Serie Special #12) on Vietnam. No real photo of the vehicle in question. The model itself is the Maxon quad mount from the 'Nancy' M35 kit plopped into the M548, with some sheet styrene shields. No mention of reference material, unfortunately, but with my limited knowledge of French, I might have missed something!
Maybe AFV Club got thier idea from that article...

Jim

Mark and Jim,

Thanks for digging out your Steel Masters.

I won't need a copy of the article. I was just trying to expand on any knowledge of this strange variant of the M548.

I have enough other modern armour projects on the work bench, on the shelves, on paper, in my computer, and swimming around my head to last me for years and years.

I'm just glad to see the M548 is coming out again. I haven't seen it listed in Squadron for a while. And maybe they'll re-release the M730. I had to sell mine.

A few of us have been talking about the 'image' of the built-up M548 which appeared on that 'other' site. Personally, I doubt a company with the credibility of AFV Club would ever produce such a piece of garbage as publicity material. The thing looks as if it was built after a (long) night on Tequila Slammers...Jim :-)

I was just thinking,Jim,
God,"what if" this 548 combo was moiunted on a 5 ton bed like the M-113 was? It would have been lighter.
(++) (++) (++) (++)

Nothing really gained by mounting the M548/Quad .50 combo on a 5-ton truck. The armor on the M548 was thinner than the M113s.

There were M54 guntrucks with the Quad Maxim turret mounted in the bed with armor plating, etc. though.

Like The Bounty Hunter.