Kaiser-Jeep M54A2 progress

[Terry Jessee]

Posted some pics of this earlier, but here's where it's gotten to. Big pieces are all together now--just some windshield pieces and small bits to add. From here I'll start the gun box, which is scratch built. But it's mostly flat shapes so should be fairly straightforward. The box is slightly more complicated than just a single wall box, but that's part of the fun. I'm into this about 300 parts so far. These kits are way over-engineered and don't fit all that well. But this is an interesting project, nonetheless.

As I've searched for reference photos, I've discovered that there were at least five different versions of this truck. Mine won't be 100% accurate to any particular version. I'll combine features I like, I guess.

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Terry Jessee

[Bainford]

That's a mean looking beast. The build is looking great. Is this 1/35?

[GLMFAA1]

You mentioned kit: which one is it and what scale?

Hope you're not competing with Charlie in the military vehicles.

greg

[Terry Jessee]

  On 8/10/2022 at 12:32 PM, Bainford said:

That's a mean looking beast. The build is looking great. Is this 1/35?

Expand  

Yes. AFV Club.

 

[Terry Jessee]

  On 8/10/2022 at 1:58 PM, GLMFAA1 said:

You mentioned kit: which one is it and what scale?

Hope you're not competing with Charlie in the military vehicles.

greg

Expand  

AFV Club M54A2. And no.

[Madd Trucker]

there  was alot of  those in Nam   they  would  run  convoys  with   us some  was mounted  with   M60s  and some  with   50s

[Chariots of Fire]

  On 8/10/2022 at 4:50 PM, Terry Jessee said:

AFV Club M54A2. And no.

Expand  

He's working in that "other" scale.  ?

[gotnitro?]

Looks good !!! Don't forget the floor lined  w ammo cans ! 

There was a special on tv showing all these nam built gun trucks ..amazing the purpose built fabrication that went into each one by their crews 

[Warren D]

I saw a few of the replicas 10+ years ago at a gun truck convention in Carlisle, PA.  Talked with some of the crews, it was a special day. 

[Terry Jessee]

  On 8/12/2022 at 4:57 PM, Warren D said:

I saw a few of the replicas 10+ years ago at a gun truck convention in Carlisle, PA.  Talked with some of the crews, it was a special day. 

Expand  

Wow. That would have been a treasure.

 

[Warren D]

  On 8/13/2022 at 12:20 AM, Terry Jessee said:

Wow. That would have been a treasure.

 

Expand  

It was! I assume you know about the Guntruck books by James Lytle.  Very good references.  I have my own M-37 guntruck, 1:1 scale.   Pair of M60's, there weren't many of them as the weight of the armor slowed them to a crawl and they broke down often.  The progression from M151 to M37 to M35 to M54 was quick.

[Terry Jessee]

  On 8/13/2022 at 6:56 AM, Warren D said:

It was! I assume you know about the Guntruck books by James Lytle.  Very good references.  I have my own M-37 guntruck, 1:1 scale.   Pair of M60's, there weren't many of them as the weight of the armor slowed them to a crawl and they broke down often.  The progression from M151 to M37 to M35 to M54 was quick.

Expand  

Plus the books by David Doyle and Timothy Kutta, yes. Research can be half the fun.

 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

This is cool!! Excellent work too!

[MeatMan]

Awesome work!