SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Weak link suggestions please.

1535 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2016
  • From: N. Burbs of ChiKawgo
Weak link suggestions please.
Posted by GlennH on Thursday, June 24, 2021 3:18 PM

And ideally something a mere mortal can accomplish. Building the AFV club quad 50 gun truck and the crowning piece on this kit is lacking terribly. It's not something I'm used to with AFV. The 50 cal guns and ammo cans. First off I have two with badly warped barrels and second you are supposed to chop the ends to alter the muzzels. Also the ammo cans are sitting closed acting worthless. Are their replacement 50's RVN era that I can use and 50 cal ammo cans with the means of having an ammo belt coming from them to the gun as after market?

A number Army Viet Nam scans from hundreds yet to be done:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestdreams/albums/72157621855914355

Have had the great fortune to be on every side of the howitzers.

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Friday, June 25, 2021 11:25 AM

Lots of options, really.

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION%5B%5D=All&q=M2+Browning+1%2F35+.50*

Here's an update set ust for the quad fifty:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/griffon-model-l35a091-update-set-wwii-american-vehicle-trailer-mount--223739

Resin "tombstone" cans:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/the-new-tmd-35-1346-ww-ii-50-cal-tomb-stone-cans-w-mounting-gear-4-pcs--1116477

The tombstone cans only held abotu 250 rounds versusthe 100 rounds of the "ordinary" cans; either were only a few seconds' of firing.

Plenty of contemporary photos of "plain" ammo cans on the quads.

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Friday, June 25, 2021 3:26 PM

Hello Glenn!

Did I ever show you this thing I've built?:

M55 Quad 50 diorama by Pawel

I even had not one, not two but three build threads here on the forum - I'll post a link if you want to. They are all summarized on my web page here: http://www.vietnam.net.pl/M55moden.htm

But you are buildind something else... Here's my idea for you: Get the Dragon M55 Quad trailer and use most of it in your model. Now the biggest problem with the AFV Club model is the wrong base for the quad - the model shows a M16 (Half track) - style base for the quad, in Vietnam they didn't use anything but the trailers, so there should be a disassembled trailer in the back of the truck (with wheels and tow bar removed). Dragon gives you parts for that.

There should also be the channels there that let you roll the trailer on and off the truck. Many gun trucks also left the tailgate open and put a kind of steel box there to increase the cargo bed space but still keep things (mainly ammo cans) from falling out.

Leave off the sight - they didn't use it in Vietnam as they were shooting people, not aircraft and as the classic once said "...you just don't lead them that much..." plus the sight breaks too easily. A real expert would tell you the small gas engine in the back and the batteries are WWII style, wrong for Vietnam, too. You can use the AFV Club's flash suppressors. Cap'n Mac - the "Tombstone" ammo boxes are wrong for Vietnam, too - they either used standard M2 feed trays with standard 100 round ammo boxes, or they cut down the trays and welded something there - I've seen cut down jerry cans welded there to hold more ammo, 40mm belted grenade boxes were very popular, too. This was throughly discussed in my build thread here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/t/120370.aspx

And of course post some photos of your gun trucks - I have to build it some day, too!

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    April 2016
  • From: N. Burbs of ChiKawgo
Posted by GlennH on Friday, June 25, 2021 8:42 PM
Thanks guys. Pawell I was just looking at your build again today. That Dragon kit has been sold out for some time I think. I followed one of the other guys builds on this forum and even back then I think it was not to be found.

A number Army Viet Nam scans from hundreds yet to be done:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestdreams/albums/72157621855914355

Have had the great fortune to be on every side of the howitzers.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: East Stroudsburg, PA
Posted by TigerII on Saturday, June 26, 2021 12:38 AM

Hey Glenn if you want to stick to plastic you can try Asuka .50cal M2 machine guns. They have great relief and not costly. I've used them for my M41 Walker Bulldog tank and my Khe Sanh diorama. They have different sets ie.tripod or carriage. Good luck.

Achtung Panzer! Colonel General Heinz Guderian
  • Member since
    April 2016
  • From: N. Burbs of ChiKawgo
Posted by GlennH on Saturday, June 26, 2021 12:23 PM
I put my name on list at Sprue Brothers. I'm guessing each gun is the same and the variation in the three kits is just the mount which I don't need anyway.

A number Army Viet Nam scans from hundreds yet to be done:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestdreams/albums/72157621855914355

Have had the great fortune to be on every side of the howitzers.

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Saturday, June 26, 2021 1:17 PM

I agree that the Asuka makes a great .50cal in plastic, but good luck finding one in the U.S. Every place I've checked has them out of stock.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Saturday, June 26, 2021 11:40 PM

That's a nice looking build Pawel!

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, June 27, 2021 2:19 AM

Hello!

Rob - thanks a lot for your kind words!

I'm just building an Asuka M2 for another build and I've got some PE for the sights and the ammo box tray - it's really a beauty!

But what about that trailer?

I'm starting to think about drawing one in 3D and putting it up for printing on Shapeways...

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.