Dynamo Models' first 1/35 scale injection-molded kit features this American heavy machine gun setup used as an AA platform. It may be built either as the Vietnam M55 version with multiple decal options, or the WW2 M45 version. Available for release this March.
Nice. This will be great to make a Vietnam gun truck with since it includes the whole trailer base, unlike AFV Club’s M35 “Nancy” guntruck.
I’m talking more like this; in the rear of an M54.
That’s what the first pic is.
Some schmucks over at BrightCloud thinks that the Dynamo Models website:
is about nudity and pornography.
They ought to change their company name to Not-very-brightCloud
i always fancied building one of these with a general lee/dukes of hazzard rebel flag or a texas state flag on the front cover.
Sorry, couldn’t tell from the pic on first glance. I believe the truck was an M35 2 1/2 ton though, not an M54 5-ton. An M54 rear bed is different.
Here’s a few more M54 Quad Gun Trucks
This one is my favorite. I will most likely build it.
Star decals makes a sheet that covers this one and “A Whole Lota Lead” above. They actually do 3 sheets for M54 Quad gun trucks and 7 sheets total that cover just about every type of Vietnam gun truck that was used. Echelon also has five sheets for Vietnam gun trucks.
Lots more info on Vietnam gun trucks in this older thread too.
1/35 M35A1 Quad gun truck - Armor/AFV / Cold War - KitMaker Network
Here is another oddity you can build from it.
An M548 Gun Track(?). I believe this was only a test vehicle and never fielded.
AFV Club offered it as a kit for a limited time. It came with the M45 quad mount parts from the M35 “Nancy” gun truck and resin parts for the M20 trailer.
Maybe it was field-tested at least…
Here’s what I found on another forum :
“Though the M548’s main purpose was to carry cargo, that didn’t stop some of their crews from improvising in various ways. One of these improvisations was done by Battery G of the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment of the 23rd Infantry Division on a M548 nicknamed “Swamp Fox”. This M548 was modified to carry the M55 quad .50 cal AA turret. Because of this modification, the canopy could not be fitted, however, the cabin can and was, along with the extra .50 cal. The M55 turret was an improvement over the M45 turret (seen on the M16), featuring a more powerful generator. The example that Swamp Fox used was fitted with addon shields on either side of the turret. The M55 turret weighs less than 2 tons, likely allowing the vehicle to retain its amphibious capabilities. Not much else is known about the Swamp Fox, however, it’s likely that it was a one-off field modification.”
https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/540449-m548-swamp-fox-ditching-the-half-track/
H.P.
Here are the postwar details I was talking about (the picture montage is from an earlier thread
H.P.
@Frenchy , What book is that picture of the M55 from? Looks like some great references!
It’s from David Doyle’s Gun Trucks book (Ampersand Publishing)
https://archive.armorama.com/review/12270/index.htm
https://modelingmadness.com/scott/books/amp/guntruck.htm
Great book indeed !
H.P.
Hi Frenchy,
Dynamo is looking now to make the auxiliary génération, if anyone of you have well detailled pictures or documentation about the parts
Please let me know
Saw this update over at Finescale Modeler. It looks like Dynamo Models made the Vietnam corrections.
“Hello everyone, I’ve come to give you news of the M55, sorry for the wait…I have the right to share the following photos. If there are defects, do not hesitate.”
Very nice. The Vietnam version parts look great. Great job at listening to modelers and adjusting as needed. One of these will look great in the back of a guntruck.
@Sylvain59 Sylvain, would it be possible to buy just the engine and electrical box 3D parts to update the older AFV Club or Dragon M55s to Vietnam standards? Maybe you could do an update set for them with some of your newer parts, or of all the 3D parts?
I ordered 1 kit and 1 set of 3D parts to update the AFV Club parts straight from Dynamo on Apr 15.
I contacted Dynamo from the contact email on their web page: support@dynamo-models.com
Sylvain got back to me promptly and was very easy to deal with. The total with shipping was only about $75. Not too bad in my book.
Website:
I just got a P.O. tracking notice. I should have them tomorrow. I’ll let you know how they look upon arrival.
I missed the postman on Thurs and the package had to be signed for. I was able to get to the P.O. today and got the box. It was packaged in a large box w/lots of peanuts. The kit box is heavy cardboard with a plastic box inside for the 3D parts. Everything came through w/out any breakage. The plastic is the Dragon kit. They parts are crisp and clean w/no flash. The 3D parts are exquisite; they look awesome. You get a few extra pieces too; six total ammo cans w/ammo belts and five ammo can holders. I won’t post more pics as it looks just like the ones above.
The decals are awesome; very crisply printed and with lots of extras. There are white and yellow can markings for the WWII tombstone cans; a total of 24 of each color, you only need 4. The same for the Vietnam ammo can decals, there are 36 and you only need 4. Overall it looks like a great kit, I highly recommend it.
