Flat-pack Jeep

Saw this picture and thought it was cool and could make for an interesting behind the front lines diorama. :thinking:

Would make a nice scene of some troops uncrating and preparing to assemble a Jeep. Anyway, just wanted to share.

Randy :slight_smile:

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Go. For. It. :grin:

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Could be a awesome vignette

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What about doing the same with a CCKW assembly line ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhf4ynHqVqA

H.P.

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Yup. I did the same a few years ago. You can see how mine turned out below. I used the laser-cut wood and resin set by CG Laser.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=172314

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The way the story goes these crated Jeeps were dumped off of cargo ships in the Pacific by the thousands after the surrender. Makes us Willys lovers cry in our sleep.

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Trucks were also dumped.
They were not wanted back home since they might compete with new production.

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Most weren’t even put back on ships. Here is a jeep graveyard in Okinawa at the end of the war. They were all eventually melted down for scrap…“The Horror…” :cry:



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awww, why’d they do that??
now i have to buy one.
Cheers!
L

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Thank you for the video Frenchy. That was cool.

That’s cool Gino. Thank you.

What a waste. That’s enough to make a grown modeler cry. :cry:

Thank you for the comments and information everyone. I appreciate it.

Randy :slight_smile:

The late Duane Pfister showed his interpretation of the theme in the july, 1988 issue of ‘Military Modeler’:

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As Gino mentioned, GC Laser offers a laser cut, wood kit of the crate (see his post above for the link).

It does seem a bit “spendy,” unfortunately. However, I do suspect that it uses a fair amount of their scale plywood material to produce.

I’ve never built this one, but I have built and used several other sets by them. They are really nice and do build up quite well. Working with actual laser cut wood and paper parts takes some getting used to. (I used artist matt acrylic medium as a glue.) Also, the parts do benefit from a light touch with a sanding block to true-up the edges (the laser leaves a slight bevel).

Anyways, for someone looking to do this, the CG Laser kit could be an option.

Here’s a happy snap of their roadside shrine kit built up on a vignette I did some time back. I’ve been very happy with all of their products that I’ve used.

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Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. I always enjoyed his work. I miss the old Military Modeler magazine.

Thanks Peter.

Thanks Michael.

Randy :slight_smile:

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Thats a great video!
Ken.

As a school-kid in the early 70s my neighbor got one of those crated jeeps and built it in his garage - we all thought it was so cool back then!

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Rather than paying or returning them to the US, the Royal Navy dumped hundreds of Lend-Lease Avengers, Corsairs and Hellcats, as well as some of their own Barracudas and Seafires into the ocean off the Australian coast.

Ironically, some of the Corsair squadrons received heavily used, older versions of Corsairs as replacements for the brand new ones they just dumped overboard from their carriers.

The ‘Million Dollar Point’ in Luganville, Vanuatu is another good example of wasting military equipment and supplies on an epic scale.

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M.D. Juan Enterprises from the Philippines is specializing in vintage Jeep aftermarket parts. They offer a ‘Jeep-In-A-Crate’ (minus the engine, drive train, steering and breaking): MD Juan Jeep In A Crate Video - YouTube

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So more “half a jeep in a crate”! :laughing:

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didn’t they show this on the tv show combat dealers?

I had never heard of that show before. I went over to YouTube and checked it out. Very cool. Thank you for your question as it made me aware of a new program to watch.

Thanks,
Randy :slight_smile:

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