stikpusher

but then I'd need a truck to tow it and a place to shoot it..

M-35 go for pretty reasonable prices (if not so much for the tires).

A decent M-38 Jeep would probably do the trick (was the Airborn prime mover, if memory serves).  Although a WC-54 might be a better candidate (and could carry more 50bmg ammo to the range)

Mind, when you start collecting full size as well, it's kind of a sign you may be too addicted to modeling

Right... right... all very good points Capn... well it is a nice dream... but then I'd need a truck to tow it and a place to shoot it... been a long time since I have fired a .50.... 

stikpusher

I'd buy the full auto M55

You just have to file the Form 1 four separate times.

And find four M2HB for sale.

Then be able to pony up the $40-50K each.

Makes the "tombstone" ammocans at about $250 each pretty cheap.

If you hand-load, .50bmg is only about $1.45 per round.  The mil-surplus stocks have dried up, so the "cheap" .50bmjg are going for about $2.50 each.  Which is still cheaper than the long-range, "bullseye" target rounds which go for $3.75 each (some of which is the solid-bronze turned 740gr projectiles.

So, better be a solid lotto win

I remember seeing the big tombstone cans in surplus yards back i nthe 70s at what then seemed an impossible price of $25 each.  I remember seeing a couple of M55s out in those yards looking abit forlorn for being stripped down.

Thanks Karl. I had wanted the kit since it was first released. But after I found that photo I knew I had to get it and build one.

Nice progress, Carlos, and a nice story behind the motivation. :)

Griffin, yes, that's Humbrol Gun Metal... 56 I think, drybrushed on over a flat black base. 

GM, that it was against massed  troops in the open... a very effective weapon. 

The "Maxson Meat Chopper"

Those M2's are coming along nicely. Was the gunmetal Humbrol as well? 

Thanks... I have just been doing little bits of painting over the past few days. Not much else to update yet.

Cool, good to see you back to work on this. 

Thanks... Well I have let this one sit sidelined for too long over the past few weeks... but I was able to get a bit more done the other day. I dry brushed on some gun metal over the flat black base on the .50s.

Nice work SP, always good to see the first coat of paint. 

OD base coat on... Xtracolor WWII Olive Drab 319... and then Humbrol Matt Black on the .50s

Update: Yesterday I removed the turret rear platform, per Pawel's critique. Then after clean up of those areas, I airbrushed on a coat of Humbrol Primer. I am letting that dry and cure before I add the base coat of OD.

Thanks for looking in and the comments guys.

Sprue, yes not many builds of mine have a personal connection. But this one is quite personal, and for all the right reasons.

Ken, these things have been in plenty of WWII movies. I never saw Waterworld, so I can't comment on that one. But in Battleground, The Longest Day, and Battle of Britain, I remember seeing them on screen.

 Griffin, the bores are molded hollow on this kit. A nice touch by Dragon that saved me the time of having to drill them out myself.

 That's looking really good. Can't wait to see it painted. That looks like a really high quality kit. The M2's come drilled out? That's a nice touch.

Coming along nicely and a thoughtful project idea.

Kevin, thank you for your thoughts. Yes, I do hope he's watching this build. I'm glad to hear that you built your father his ship. I had built a couple planes for my dad that he was associated with when I was a teenager. But those builds are long gone.

GM, yes, I'm gonna build this in tow/travel mode. I have an AFV Club M35 that will be the prime mover. Man if I win the lotto, I'd buy the full auto M55... that would be sweet!

Maybe the platform weight slowed down the rotational speed.

I read somewhere it could go about 60 degrees a second.

apparently these things are on the collector market. $25 K with dummy guns, $ 50K with semi auto and over $ 100K full auto.

Theres an article about the M45 on guns.com.

in that one, there's a photo of one at a show. They unlimbered the wheels when it was emplaced. It's hard to tell in your picture if that's the case. But I'm guessing yours will be in travel mode.

The Dragon painting also looks kind of silly on its little trailer firing.

Pawel the US is a wonderful place...

Stik

SOrry about the loss of your father, great way to pay tribute to him.

I'm glad I got to finish my Dad's WW2 ship while he is still able to enjoy it.

I'm sure your Dad appreciates what you are doing, looking over your shoulder.

Its looking great!! Cant wait to see more!

Kevin

Wood, thank you for your kind words. I certainly will model on in his memory. This is the first of several projects for him.

Pawel, thank you for the correction. I will have to go thru his photos at home just to be sure. Image searches show only a TM type photo with the platform, and the rest of the period photos that I could find do not show that area, or show no platform. So it looks like I will likely be taking that platform off. I can't see weight being a real issue when towed by a M35 truck as was the norm in Germany at that time. But it is one less thing in the way when emplacing the gun. 

Hello Stik!

That quad is lookin' good! Please note that the platform behind the mount is only supposed to be there on a half-track mounted quad. At least the TM says that. On the trailer mounted quad it can be easily enough reloaded from the ground, and so the platform only adds weight. Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks Bish. Yes, there were two different trailer mounts, this smaller one that could also be installed on a vehicle bed for an improvised mobile mount, and a larger twin axle trailer that also had ammo drum storage. Or the turret was installed on purpose built vehicles.

Thats looking good. I had not realised the gun was operated from the trailer.

Yes, in a M23 ammunition trailer. I do, AFV Club.

Thank you sir. Now I just have to decide which OD to use... LOL! 

Nice photo of your father's battery. I see a couple M4 HSTs there on the far side of the M40s. I presume those hauled the ammo for the guns?

Dont you have one of those sidelined in progress somewhere?

My fathers battery.

What a nice little kit, Stik. Clean building job.

Thank you Gamera and Bish. Well this is a fairly quick to build kit. Today I finished up the turret, aside from adding the guns and sight, which I will add after painting

then I built the trailer base

The turret on the trailer base

Next up, painting...