Ideas welcomed !

[The Smythe Meister]

Hi Chaps,
I`m considering getting a certain kit from Evil Bay,however,before i decide whether to or not,i`d like some advice please........
Does anyone know of a decent U.S. Howitzer crew set,(Vietnam era),in 1/35th.... apart from the Academy set,(which seems to be impossible to get now!),
Any thoughts would be more than welcomed!
Andy

 

[The Smythe Meister]

It don`t matter now..........
I couldn`t resist and bought one anyway!!......

 

[Dave Ward]

It don`t matter now..........
I couldn`t resist and bought one anyway!!......

52 minutes between first post & purchase! No-one could call you indecisive - I do hope that a much superior figure set, at half the price, isn't referenced....................
Dave

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Ha,no need to worry a

52 minutes between first post & purchase! No-one could call you indecisive - I do hope that a much superior figure set, at half the price, isn't referenced....................
Dave

Ha,no need to worry about that Dave,
It was the actual Howitzer that I bought..... Still haven't found any crew for it yet,as I said,that academy set is impossible to find!!
Andy

 

[Jakko]

Academy figures are nothing to write home about anyway. They tend to be on the small and thin side (probably closer to 1:40 scale than 1:35) and much of their equipment kind of resembles the real thing but not if you actually compare it to photos.

That said, I don’t know any 1:35 scale American artillery crews suitable for Vietnam. I suppose you’ll have to convert some, for which your best starting point would probably be lightly equipped infantry, because artillery crews in Vietnam tended to wear little beyond jacket, trousers, combat boots and perhaps some headgear and/or a flak vest. You can also go for bare-chested figures, as long as they’re wearing the right trousers and boots, which expands your options because US Army jungle fatigue trousers are pretty much the same cut as the later BDU trousers of the 1970s–2000s.

 

[minitnkr]

Typically so busy pants were worn to have something to wipe your sweaty hands on.


So young.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Academy figures are nothing to write home about anyway. They tend to be on the small and thin side (probably closer to 1:40 scale than 1:35) and much of their equipment kind of resembles the real thing but not if you actually compare it to photos.

That said, I don’t know any 1:35 scale American artillery crews suitable for Vietnam. I suppose you’ll have to convert some, for which your best starting point would probably be lightly equipped infantry, because artillery crews in Vietnam tended to wear little beyond jacket, trousers, combat boots and perhaps some headgear and/or a flak vest. You can also go for bare-chested figures, as long as they’re wearing the right trousers and boots, which expands your options because US Army jungle fatigue trousers are pretty much the same cut as the later BDU trousers of the 1970s–2000s.

Hi Jakko,Hope you`re well ,
Thanks for the info,I`ve not done any Academy figures before,so that`s worth knowing
I`m pretty sure that i can "Adapt" some figures to suit,(AS long as it`s not TOO complicated!!),,i shall seek out some kits like you mentioned.
Andy.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Typically so busy pants were worn to have something to wipe your sweaty hands on.
View attachment 432407
View attachment 432408
So young.

Hello Paul,
That`s a couple of awe inspiring pictures you`ve put up there mate.... and,as you say...... "So young" ... Heroes, one an` all mind.
I`ve actually bought a Self propelled 110 ,but i shall certainly try to model/shape some of the figures to represent those guys.... when i find a donor kit that is!!
Thanks for taking the time to post that up,i really appreciate it ,
Andy

 

[minitnkr]

You didn't say if 8" or 175mm, so here are a couple dio ideas. Auto rammer on these were so unreliable & time consuming (had to lower barrel to use rammer) that motivated crews used old school steel pipe with rubber tip to hand ram projectiles.
Hillbilly armor added.

Retube 175 process.

Photographer caught this moment perfectly.

 

[Jakko]

Retube 175 process.
View attachment 432465

If you want to make an even more impressive diorama of that, there are also photos of M88 ARVs being used instead of the wrecker trucks in this picture.

Photographer caught this moment perfectly.
View attachment 432464

And notice the empty propellant container chained to the right rear of the vehicle, for holding the swab for the chamber (at least, I assume that’s what it is that the chap on the right is holding onto).

 

[Airborne01]

Typically so busy pants were worn to have something to wipe your sweaty hands on.
View attachment 432407
View attachment 432408
So young.

Book.. We were Young then - and Soldiers'

 

[Jakko]

Best introduction to armour in this war, if you ask me, is Vietnam Tracks by Simon Dunstan. The original edition is from 1982, off the top of my head, and it was reprinted sometime this century. I read that that edition has some minor changes, but I couldn’t tell you what as I saw no need to buy it after having had the original for decades by now

 

[JR]

evil bay , unfortunately from outside the UK

 

[The Smythe Meister]

You didn't say if 8" or 175mm, so here are a couple dio ideas. Auto rammer on these were so unreliable & time consuming (had to lower barrel to use rammer) that motivated crews used old school steel pipe with rubber tip to hand ram projectiles.
Hillbilly armor added.
View attachment 432463
Retube 175 process.
View attachment 432465
Photographer caught this moment perfectly.
View attachment 432464

Hi Paul,
Thanks again for the top notch pictures ,
The kit has actually arrived today,(It`s the Italeri M110 Self Propelled Gun,and that one which you said "Hillbilly armour" added is actually one of this kit`s options!!)
Excellent footage there thank you Buddy,gives me some good scope for Diorama ideas....... although i STILL haven`t sourced any crew for it that look any good!!
Andy

 

[The Smythe Meister]

View attachment 432485 evil bay , unfortunately from outside the UK

Nice figures there John,thank you,
I have seen them before,during my many sweeps of the internet for "U.S. Vietnam Figures",at some point i`ll probably succumb as they do look great......however,they ain`t the "Howitzer crew" members that i`m after!
Andy

 

[minitnkr]

Andy, cool they included the option, crews prolly stole or swapped stuff with 155 howitzer crews for hand rammers. Hobby Fan has a selection of VN era GIs & Masterbox has a USA WWII Long Tom artillery crew that might be modified for use.

 

[Jakko]

that one which you said "Hillbilly armour" added is actually one of this kit`s options!!)

Though you’ll have to make the armour yourself … Luckily it’s just a flat plate, so an ideal first conversion with plastic card, if you’ve never done that.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Yes indeed Jakko,
I haven`t decided exactly which version i`ll do yet,
however,if i do go down that way then i think i may be ok,as i`ve done a little scratch building recently......
https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/tonight-long-stick-goes-boom.36328/
If you`re interested then go to page 2 and have a look from about the 4th post down onwards,
Be warned though,it`s a bit of a lengthy read!!
Andy

 

[JR]

Yes indeed Jakko,
I haven`t decided exactly which version i`ll do yet,
however,if i do go down that way then i think i may be ok,as i`ve done a little scratch building recently......
https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/tonight-long-stick-goes-boom.36328/
If you`re interested then go to page 2 and have a look from about the 4th post down onwards,
Be warned though,it`s a bit of a lengthy read!!
Andy

Andy you'll have no problems scratch building , I remember the search light.

 

[Jakko]

i think i may be ok,as i`ve done a little scratch building recently......
https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/tonight-long-stick-goes-boom.36328/
If you`re interested then go to page 2 and have a look from about the 4th post down onwards,

It looks like I missed (or not remembered) that thread, but I gather you scratchbuilt a lizard? I’ll have to read the thread now, I suppose …

By the way, you can link directly to a specific post by right-clicking (or tapping-and-holding on a tablet or smartphone) on the icon with the three linked circled, and then choosing to copy the link.