I was the Battery Commander of A BTRY (TAB - Target Acquisition Battery), 1-39 FA (MLRS), 3ID during OIF 1 ('03 - invasion of Iraq). In addition to the 3 Q-36 sections, I also had 2 AN/TPQ-37 radar sections in the Battery. The Q-37 radar is larger and used to locate larger artillery and rocket fire.
I recently built the vehicles of the Q-36 Fire Finder Radar section.
This time I am only building the Q-37 Radar, up and in the operating position. The rest of the section is similar to the Q-36 section with the same Shelter HMMWV and Section Chief’s Cargo HMMWV. It also has two 5-ton trucks to pull the radar and a generator trailer. I may do the 5-ton(s) to pull another radar in the future.
I found a file of one on Cults 3D and proceeded to print it. Before I did, I modified it a bit. The largest mod was hollowing out the well on the radar base. It was made with a cover over the well. I hollowed out the well and made a rear door out of styrene. I also added the safety bars on the back of the radar face. I wrapped the worm gear on the raising mechanism in thread to replicate the screw threads on it. I also added the maintenance steps on the sides and front. Lastly, I added a washer as a spacer between the base and the radar part.
The trailer was not really right on it, so I built most of it from sheet styrene and the leftover floor from the bed of the M1082 trailer I converted into an M1095 trailer. It was almost the perfect size. I also used styrene cannel on it.
The tongue, partial frame, suspension, wheels, track, and air tank are from the M200 tracked MICLIC that I built a while ago and are 3D printed as well.
Next up is painting. It is coming along nicely.
