L.C.M.3s and L.C.M.6s and L.C.V.P.s

Italeri makes a nice LCVP in 1/35 scale-- it is a much nicer kit than the old 1/32 scale Lindberg LCVP. 

You're right-- there is no kit of the LCM-6 available.   Both Italeri and Trumpeter make an LCM-3 in 1/35 scale.   Hobby Boss has a "3" in 1/48.  Trumpeter also offers the LCM-3 in 1/72 and 1/144 scales.   Dragon also makes one in 1/72.  Finally, there is also the old airfix LCM-3, too.  

The LCM-3 was 50 feet long, and the LCM-6 was 56 feet long.  The "6" was a "3" with six feet of length added amidships.  Some threes were made into sixes by cutting them in half and splicing an extra 6 feet of length in.   There is a picture in the book Allied Landing craft of WW2 showing a "3" that had been converted this way.  

Though designed to carry a 30 ton medium tank,  the "3" was found to be unsuitabel to carry the M4 Sherman as it evolved, gaining weight from more armor and larger guns.  The "6" solved this problem.

Postwar, the "6" became the standard USN landing craft.

tankerbuilder

I believe MONOGRAM used to do one with a U.D.T. pickup vein.Heaven only knows where that one went.

The one I scored off eBay about a decade ago was Revell AG, and I got it not for the partially dubious UDT boat use, but because it's the only 1/35 LCPR, the Ramped higgins boat with forward gun tubs, kitted.

It looks small, too, in that old-european-kit way.  I've not scaled it against my references, though, it could be dead on. 

Always meant to get the italeri LCVP if only to compare it to the Lindberg edition.  I remember, at the time, knowing I was not going to fork over what Fondries Miniaure wanted for theirs.

Have thought that is would be nice to have the scratch laying around to cut the middle 52mm out of one of the LCM-3 kits and make a resin plug from it, then find an intereseted AM company.

The person who finds a way to knock out a decent LCM-6 also gets a long-starved market in Riverine modifications, too.  So, it remains one of those open questions as to why it has not been tapped yet--other than there are so many other untapped specialty kits out there to make.

Now, in my more perfect world, there'd be kits of:

• LCVP(L)
• LCP
• LCT
• and at least one LCU

Probably ought to be at least one ALC for Brit/Euro modelers out there, too, just to be fair.

CapnMac82

I remember, at the time, knowing I was not going to fork over what Fondries Miniaure wanted for theirs.

The FM kit was an LCA not LCVP. It should have 4 legs, a tail & go woof!

I have the FM LCA & if treated like a limited run / resin kit, (eg a lot of work & refs needed!) could be made into a reasonable kit.

The Italeri 1/35 LCVP (nice kit) is almost the same size as the Lindy 1/32(nominal) motorised kit. It has a rope bumper strip moulded on, not bad, considering it's age. From my readings, it appears that there were variations, from different builders, so either could be ok.

I have the Italeri LCM3  in the stash, & this could be chopped & extended, project anyone?

Jon_a_its

The FM kit was an LCA not LCVP. It should have 4 legs, a tail & go woof!

It has a rope bumper strip moulded on

Which may have been Army practice, and post-WWII when a lot of the VPs were used for river use, where they spent a lot of time pushing brages, bridge parts and the like. 

There's a distinct dearth of WWII LCVP photos with anything on the rails but the gun'nels themselves.  The converted-to-video training films show clean rails as well--and the use of the fold down lookout step on the starboard side of the ramp, too.

I have the Italeri LCM3  in the stash, & this could be chopped & extended, project anyone?

Well, some "3" boats were chopped and 6' stuck in the center section to "upgrade" them to be LCM-6.  The converted Mike boats will keep the raised deck over the engine space; "pure" sixes had a flush afterdeck.

here's a cool bit of info:  http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/surfskill-8.htm

Jon_a_its

CapnMac82:

I remember, at the time, knowing I was not going to fork over what Fondries Miniaure wanted for theirs.

 

The FM kit was an LCA not LCVP. It should have 4 legs, a tail & go woof!

I have the FM LCA & if treated like a limited run / resin kit, (eg a lot of work & refs needed!) could be made into a reasonable kit.

FM did make a LCVP.    Its a dog too.

While adding to the list of LCVP manufacturers,  Quartermaster made a LCVP in 1:48 scale.  Its all [oops - edit RESIN] and of very good quality

Thanks for the Head's up, EdGrune

I've never seen FM's LCVP listed, but based on everything i've read about FM & my own FM LCA, I'd say....

Run, Run far away.... from FM, the Italeri Is Way better.

Jon

Aah Ha!  Knew there was a LCM-6 kit available!

http://www.milicast.com/american/LCM6.shtml

But then again it is is 1:76 scale,  and it is resin so therefore it doesn't exist.

They also make LCI, LCP, LCP(R), and LCVPs as well as some nicely cast crew figures in that scale.

http://www.milicast.com/american/landingcraft.shtml

as well as some British landing craft & crew

http://www.milicast.com/british/landingcraft.shtml

I've seen that Milicast does some fine work.   I may need to place an order with them.

I forgot to mention the Airfix 1/72 LCVP-- a new kit from a few years ago.  It is not bad-- especially considing that it costs about $7 or so in the shops. 

I think the shape of the Lindberg 1/32 LCVP is suspect-- it has a (shallow) pointed transom, sorta like you'd see on the Monogram UDT (LCPR) boat.   I've never seen that hullshape on any other LCVP kit-- and all of the other kits match the hull shape shown in the book Allied Landing Craft of WW2. 

I also forgot to mention the differences between the Trumpeter and Italeri LCM-3 kits in 1/35 scale.

There is a great comparison article on the Pert Military Modeling site:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/lcm3/lcm3.htm

Basically, Trumpeter's hull is too deep, by 11mm or so.    I used that to my advantage, as I was converting the kit to radio control, and the extra hull dpeth gave me more room to hide my batteries under the well deck.

Here's a link to a picture of my model.  I'm carrying a sherman, which isn't really appropriate, but it was all I had on hand at the time.

http://www.marinemodelers.org/gallery/military/LCM.jpeg

I have one more in the stash that I forgot about -- if you want a larger vessel, Dean's Marine has a nice Landing Ship, Medium kit.  The 1/72 scale kit gives a model about 33 inches long. 

The model is designed for RC-- which is how I'll be building mine....

Can you tell I really like Landing Craft models?