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USMC M50A1 ONTOS - National Museum of the Marine Corps

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  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Monday, May 4, 2020 7:55 PM

Originally, I was going to glue the rubber tracks to the wood base, that was before I decided to put my presentation plaque (Proof #1) on the bottom of the base. My concern is that when someone attempts to turn the display over to look at the plaque the tracks may allow the ONTOS to move or even come unglued.

To solve this potential problem, I decided to drill two 1/16" holes in the bottom of the ONTOS that will be hidden in the engine compartment and glue two metal pins made of heavy clothes hanger material in the holes. These pins would then be glued into two holes in the 3/4" thick wood base to insure the ONTOS cannot move.

Before I start drilling holes in something that has taken months to build, I decided to ask for suggestions or confirmation of what I am planning to do. One other consideration is the ONTOS model is much heavier than it looks because of the resin plastic interior floor and bulkheads that are 1/4" thick.

Also, I accepted the proofs shown below to have brass plaques made and the supplier notified me today they are ready to ship priority mail from California. I should have them by Friday this week.

Harold

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 4:59 PM

I repainted the wood base with Vallejo #71.057 Black, anchored the ONTOS to the base with two 1/16" metal pins so it can not move. Glued down the 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division pin and a 3rd Marine Vietnam Theatre of War pin. All that remains to be done is mount the brass plaques which should arrive on Friday and then seal the glass dome in a bead of clear silicon caulking.

Harold

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Thursday, May 7, 2020 7:09 AM

It turned out really nice.  Great job on it.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, May 7, 2020 11:24 AM

That looks perfect!!! I'm sure the recipent is going to love it!!! Heart

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Thursday, May 7, 2020 1:44 PM

Outstanding work on a fitting tribute.

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Friday, May 8, 2020 6:55 PM

Thank you, Gino, Gamera and Templar1099. This has been a fun project and I have learned a great deal.

The brass plaques are installed and other than sealing the glass dome with silicon caulking the only remaining step is to deliver this display to Captain Seely. As mentioned before Captain Seely has a picture of his ONTOS Company that I will post for you to see when its available.

I want to thank all the Armor Forum members who helped me through this project. The ONTOS is unique in Marine Corps history, but it became secondary as I learned more about Corporal Bosquet and the brave men he served with in Vietnam. I am thankful most of us will never face death the way so many of our young men did in the jungles and rice paddies of southeast Asia.

Harold

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Saturday, May 9, 2020 8:45 PM

This lockdown is getting a touch  annoying in some respects, but I'm out running my son to work, getting groceries, and generally taking it easy. I'm glad they've finally opened up the parks. Me and the fam need to get into the woods for a bit.

Washington is a gorgeous state and I'm usually a proud resident. Not too happy with the governor right now, but not too many are.

Still, you can't complain about the low amount of traffic! 

Which VFW are you with, Harold? I may have to see this build in person. Maybe donate some of my builds?

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, May 9, 2020 9:46 PM

M. Brindos
Which VFW are you with, Harold? I may have to see this build in person. Maybe donate some of my builds?
 

I'm not a member of the VFW, but I am a member of American Legion, Smith-Reynold Post 14 on St. James Street in Vancouver. We too are shut down until the Governor gives us permission to reopen, but when we do open you are very welcome to join us for dinner, lunch or whatever you like.

Harold

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Saturday, May 9, 2020 9:53 PM

That sounds like a good time to me, Harold. I'm up in Tumwater and I have a brother in Portland. 

I might have to figure something out in the future. I don't get many opportunities to visit with fellow model enthusiasts. It's a rare thing to talk shop with anyone besides my Dad lol.

I'd enjoy that very much.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Sunday, May 10, 2020 10:13 PM

She turned out great, beautiful job!!! Heart

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, May 16, 2020 12:41 AM

Gamera

She turned out great, beautiful job!!!

 

Thank you Gamera. As promised, I have uploaded Captain Seely's ONTOS Company photograph from 1963. This was taking while the Company was still in Hawaii. They later deployed to Vietnam as part of Operation Starlight.

17–24 August 1965
Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War and the first purely American operation.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Saturday, May 16, 2020 7:56 AM

Wow! That turned out amazing! Unique vehicle that I have not seen much about. Great job!

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Saturday, May 16, 2020 8:30 AM

Oh! Good Gosh !

      I hope you haven't delivered it yet. I learned that even something small like that needs a breathing hole somewhere in the base. Otherwise bad things can happen. Believe me I learned this from a Display Builder in the T.A.P. Plastics store in Concord,Ca. years ago.

       I was told that things in cases need to " Breathe" as the Humidity and Temp changes in an environment. Even if it's plastic models!

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, May 16, 2020 9:46 AM

Thank you Bruce.

Tanker-Builder
I was told that things in cases need to " Breathe" as the Humidity and Temp changes in an environment. Even if it's plastic models

Tanker-Builder, I didn't know that, but it makes good sense and will be easy to do too. I can drill a 1/16" hole in the wood base under the model where it can't be seen and the wood base has three cork pads under it that will allow air in and out of the display case. Thank you for a little pearl of wisdom.

Harold

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 7:15 PM

Below are actual photographs of the 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion during the Vietnam War. The first photograph is a wave of amphibious landing craft heading for Chu Lai beachhead on June 24, 1965.

Chu Lai Landing

Con Thien Fire Mission 1968

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=Con+Thien+Fire+Mission+1968&client=firefox-b-1-m&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwig5uH8tsTpAhVSgp4KHWJSCBwQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1261&bih=810&dpr=2

 

The Marines of 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion called themselves the 3rd AT's which is interesting because the ONTOS was never used as an Anti-Tank weapon by the Marines in the Vietnam War. From what I have been told it was a search-and-destroy weapon the Marines used to ambush the NVA. The NVA called the ONTOS a 'devil' and if they saw it coming would avoid contact.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 7:34 PM

Awesome job.  Looks fantastic.  Such an interesting vehicle.  I want one.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, May 21, 2020 8:18 AM

Harold: Thanks for sharing the photos. Very interesting vehicle, and it's fascinating to see it 'in action' so to speak. God bless those guys who served. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Thursday, June 25, 2020 3:45 PM

keavdog

Awesome job.  Looks fantastic.  Such an interesting vehicle.  I want one.

 

Thank you, John, and Gamera. I have a message from Captain Rae Seely I want to share with our Forum. Rae has shown the American Legion the ONTOS display that many of you helped me build. He also shared it with Lynn Terry who was the Platoon Commander of Corporal Bousquet in Vietnam and the officer who notified Robert's parents when he was killed in 1965. Mr. Terry is now on the Board of the National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Virginia and would like to have the ONTOS dedication model to display. Of course I told Rae yes, I am honored to have it on display and want to thank our members for helping me complete the project.

Harold

National Museum of the Marine Corps: https://www.usmcmuseum.com/

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Saturday, June 27, 2020 4:13 AM

Outstanding, Harold. You hit everything just right! Happy to help with the paints, my friend.

Getting a build into a museum is not easy, and a national one too! Much Kudos to you Harold. This is not just a feather in your cap, but a full Ostrich!!!!

Have you been following my V-2 build? Would be interested in your thoughts.

 

 

James

Known occasionally as "Snap the Mad"

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:30 AM

Congratulations on having your build noticed and requested to be displayed at the Marine Corps museum Harold. It is a well deserved honor. You did a super job on it, and a project of this sort truly belongs in such a place. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, June 27, 2020 10:11 AM

Congratulations, Harold!

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, June 27, 2020 3:31 PM

snapdragonxxx

Outstanding, Harold. You hit everything just right! Happy to help with the paints, my friend.

Getting a build into a museum is not easy, and a national one too! Much Kudos to you Harold. This is not just a feather in your cap, but a full Ostrich!!!!

 

Thank you, James, Carlos, and Bill. As you know I'm somewhat new to modeling, so I had no idea what a big deal it is to have a model displayed in a museum. I realize it was more of who Captain Seely knows than anything I did but thank you for your kind words of support. I am pleased that people like the display.

Few if any of our members know that James and I started talking about this project 4 months ago and sent no less than 50 messages back and forth in a 30-day period regarding the Marine Corps green paint. In the process we determined the Federal Standard FED-STD-595C had two possible colors for Marine Corps tactical vehicles, FS24052 and FS35052. It was later confirmed with USMC specifications that FS34052 was the correct color and that Vallejo #71.013 Yellow Olive was in fact FS35052. James also insisted that we confirm the Vallejo color with actual Vietnam Marine veterans, which I did with 100% results.

Thank you again for helping me with this project, it was both interesting and challenging.

Harold

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, June 29, 2020 8:51 AM

Yeah congratulations! Quite an honour but you deserved it. Great show!!! 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Ohio (USA)
Posted by DRUMS01 on Monday, June 29, 2020 2:34 PM

This is a wonderful read and salutations to you for the well received accomplishment. 

Ben

"Everyones the normal until you get to know them" (Unknown)

LAST COMPLETED:

1/35 Churchill Mk IV AVRE with bridge - DONE

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1/35 CH-54A Tarhe Helicopter

 

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