Searching for 1962 US Army

Good luck.  There really aren't many, if any, non-Vietnam figures from theat period.  Some of the older Tamiya figures can be used as that era though.  The 4.2" Mortar Crew (35119) works well.  They also came in teh M106A1 Mortar Carrier kit.

As does their US Command Figures, that came w/thier M577.

Their Armored Troops set could work too.  They also came in the original Tamiya M113 kit.

Legend has a US Soldier Poncho Clad (Vietnam) figure  that is non-desript enough that it would work as what you are looking for.

Other than that, I think you are out of luck.  It is definitely a time period that has been neglected.  There aren't really any early Cold War figures, esp. in cold/wet weather gear.

Thanks Gino. I have used the Mortar team to create some 1967 Egyptians (with Russian helmets) by adding shirt tails.

I will pick up some more as they are in the standing poses I need.

The command group is a good one too.

They want to be wearing coats like the Lt. in this picture, which I should be able to add with Sculpey.

http://www.senzafili.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Checkpoint-Charlie-Oct-1961.jpg

The Lt in that photo is wearing a M-1951 Field Jacket. Which is very similar to the M-1943 introduced at the end of WWII.

The later combat boots issued after Korea did away with the leather collar and were similar to Jump Boots, but without the capped toe if you want to get down to nitty gritty details like that

You can mix and match parts from these newer sets for early 60s Berlin Checkpoint Charlie GIs

and even use a figure or two from this set if you want a tall/big guy...

The Airfix guys actually come closest uniform wise for that time period, but being 1/32...

Thanks! Yes spending the afternoon learning this stuff.

The weapon? I'd call it a bazooka?

That Dragon set is nice. But there's a lot of web gear. Bookmarking it though.

My dio currently has the wrong model Patton, the wrong jeep, getting soldiers in shirtsleeves but hey replace one element at a time.

But it has a brother!

Yeah, you chose a tough one. Not shake and bake out of the box at all.

So the weapon they have on the sandbags?

That is the 3.5" Rocket Launcher, AKA "Super Bazooka". In use from Korea thru Vietnam as a man portable (read heavy but not too heavy) anti tank weapon. 

replaced later by the M67 90mm Recoilless Rifle,

which was in turn replaced by the M47 Dragon ATGM. ( a good way to get you killed in actual combat due to the peculiarities of that weapon- short range, slow flight time, significant launch and flight signatures...)

The one in the Arifix kit is the the M-1 2.43" Bazooka, which was aWWII only weapon.

For '62, Army troopies might be carrying the M-77 LAWS (Light Anti-tank Weapon System)--I'm not sure those are available in 1/35.  The follow-on to the LAWS was the AT-4

That M-51 is known as a "fish tail" parka as it is split in both front and rear. with drawstrings to hold the tails to the wearer's legs.  It's a shell which can be worn over a coat, and with or without a liner  There's a detachable hood, too.  The issue hood was trimmed in coyote fur

That parka, and all the fatigues will be in AG-107.  Some of the fatigues will be in sateen cloth, others in polyester blends; some will be heavily-starched cotton.  Web gear will be the M-56 series, which being cotton will be both lighter and darker than the OG-107 uniforms.

The M-1 Bazooka saw service in the opening phase of the Korean War with Task Force Smith... and not successfully I might add. Their  failure against the T-34s used by the NKPA gave a new generation of soldiers "tank fright" until the 3.5" rocket launchers arrived in July of 1950 and finally gave the infantry a weapon that could kill the T-34. The commander of the 24th ID, Major General Dean personally led some troops tank hunting in Taejon, and helped to knock one out that was photographed. He was later captured and spent the war as a POW doing the same thing.

M72 LAWS are available in 1/35 as part of the Dragon "Vietnam War Weapons" set, but the photo the GM has posted definitely shows a M20 Bazooka resting on the sandbags in Berlin 1962. According to Wiki, the M72 did not enter service until 1963.

The M-1951 Field Jacket and the M-1951 Parka are two different cold weather gear garments. The parka being longer and with no chest pockets like the field jacket has, only two "slash" pockets. And just to add to what CapnMac has said, in addition to the cotton sateen fatigues, the old HBT (Herringbone Twill) fatigues of late WWII and Korean War vintage could still be found being worn in the early to mid 1960s. Lt Col. Hal Moore was wearing those at the Battle of LZ X-Ray in 1965 in Vietnam. Of course Colonel's can have a little more say on what they wear into battle... Headgear will be either the good old M1 Steel pot or "Ridgeway" caps for that time period.

All super helpful. I'll have more questions once I  get the figs up and running. Like uniform paint preferences.

Now you guys have me going to get it right.

So I was thinking sardonically- the position of the rocket launcher would cook the hut if it were fired...but in that scenario, toasting a T-55 coming over the wall I guess it wouldn't really matter.

Yes indeed. If fired from that spot, the back blast would blow out the windows and, depending upon what the hut is made from, cause other damage. Recoilless weapons have that charecteristic  in  common. Backblast.

Hello!

I'd like to help here some. First - I have some WIP reports on modifying figures, including those from the mentioned Tamiya kits. OOB they look bad, but after some sanding can really look good. It might be a good idea to change their heads and boots - simple mod but adds a lot to the look. Here's the WIP I've been talking about - I hope it can be helpful to you:

www.vietnam.net.pl/M55mod2en.htm

Other than that I also have an article on the LAW:

www.vietnam.net.pl/LAWen.htm

Like I said, I hope it helps you and good luck with your project, have a nice day

Paweł

Thank you Pawel.

Hu 116 for the uniforms.

I like HU 86 Light Olive or HU 102 Army Green for US fatigues.

Here is a shot of some tanker in a M1951 Field Jacket, fatigues, and Ridgeway cap from that era..

Excellent! Regulation sideburns too.

Here is a nice color shot of some Berlin Brigade stuff during the 1961 crisis. This is the time I would say to minimize the weathering as the Berlin Brigade kept their stuff looking very "strac" as they were always on display as the front line of the Cold War. Notice the sheen on the jeep and tank OD paint.

Any more like that???

Sweet 1/4 ton- ordered one last night. Kind of pricy but it sounds like a good kit.

I...need...that...tank! (M48 A1)

Do you know why the tops of the Jerry cans are painted white? I did some research, and got yellow for diesel, red for gas and a white W for water.

I just got three more sets of the mortar team. Guy on eBay has a pile (no boxes) for about $ 5.00 each.

So who wants a 107mm mortar? Just ask!

I don't recall any color coding system for Jerry cans in any unit that I was in... BUT... We had two different types, one for water and one for POL products. If a water can was used for any POL fluid, it was subsequently marked with yellow or white paint and never to be used for water again.

If I stumble across any more good photos like that I will put em up here.

And regarding those mortar maggots... I mean 11Chucks, the Tamiya figures have the late/post Vietnam ALICE web gear with a Y Harness, instead of the M1945 or M1956 web gear with the X or H style suspenders, that would be found in the early 1960s... Don't you just love all this Army stuff... ;)

Actually I kind of do. They are getting M51 jackets anyhow. Looks like the legs and boots are the most useful part. Oh and the heads and helmets too.

GMorrison

Do you know why the tops of the Jerry cans are painted white? I did some research, and got yellow for diesel, red for gas and a white W for water.

My time has been all post metal water cans, but yes, the color coding still applies.  Some units still use/used mogas during my time.  Fuel can tops were still red for mogas and yellow for diesel.  The white top with a white "W" for water makes sense.

stikpusher

I seem to remember that one of Murphy's Laws of Combat (can't remember the number) states

"Man portable designations do not state the number of men required"

Isn't that the truth... LOL! And a fingertip takes up a grid square on a 1:50,000 map when your are telling the aviators where you want to be inserted with that "man portable" system... "put us down here"

i think you would like this. I remember when these bases where very real in miami in 1962

Valkyrie Miniatures has been saying on FB that they are in the process of making mid-late 70's era US ARMY tankers.

http://www.valkyrie.co.kr/

Nothing about it on their websight so far. My Dad ordered a Marine tanker set from them that I'm going to review for him. I'll let you guys know when they arrive.