Hello all, need some wrecker info. My partner was a mech with the trans units in Nam and ran wreckers during convoys and I want to build a wrecker he was on during one of his trips. He never said what it was so I am trying to guess? They worked the roads so guess they needed the bigger ones to tow 5 ton tractors and trucks. I know HobbyLink have conversions, but need to know which wold be right. Any help is appreciated. Wayne
Both the M62 and its successor the M543 were used in Vietnam.
M62 (on the M62, the spare wheel is mounted on the shipper. On the M543 it’s behind the cab)
M543
The M543 was used by the Austalian Army as well
H.P.
3 Likes
This kit has been reissued and reboxed by Revell many times over the years. Might be a good starting point.
2 Likes
One of my earliest builds, still have 2 of them in my parts, recycle bin.Was going to try to build one into a 10 ton since it’s 1/32. Wayne
1 Like
‘Hooker Question’ …in Vietnam? are you certain you used the right term? LOL
2 Likes
That proper term would be boom boom girl. ha ha Wayne
2 Likes
With that title I came here looking for a totally different conversation 
2 Likes
M62 walkaround
M543 pics
https://www.nf6x.net/2012/08/1965-kaiser-jeep-m543a2-5-ton-6x6-medium-wrecker-for-sale/
The M543 was quite identical to the M62 except that it used a Gar Wood produced crane instead of the Austin Western one.
H.P.
1 Like
The Order of Battle book shows an M246 with a 5th wheel for towing trailers, this would be handy for bringing in trailers if the tractor was disabled or destroyed. Might go for it as they make a conversion. Wayne
“Me hook you long time…”
I remember seeing in a college course an ad saying “A French hooker for your hotel room”. It was a French-manufactured closet apparatus meant for hanging clothes. The mostly-female classmates were not amused though.
After a little more study, think I will go with the M543. Looks like a more likely possibility. Wayne
1 Like
Hi Frenchie, isn’t that last pic an M816? I believe a few of the early-issue M809 and their derivative trucks saw service in Vietnam as well, including the M819 tractor-wrecker.
Just looking at this one’s lack of o/s air filter and longer, slightly sloping hood (to allow for the bigger more powerful motor).
Cheers
That’s a good question 
. I’ve checked Michael K.Cecil’s Mud & Dust book which is a must have for Australian armor and softskins in Vietnam and it includes several other pics captioned as showing M543’s without fender-mounted air filters (same on the Australian War Memorial website)…Then I dug deeper and found this
I believe these M543s are early models, powered by the Continental R6602 gasoline engine.
Here’s a front view of another Australian Army M543 :
M809 for comparison
H.P.
2 Likes
Since he was there in 71/72 during the withdrawals I will go with the M543 as they weren’t getting many newer vehicles. Unfortunately he passed away from cancer a few years ago, so I can’t ask him. Wayne
Frenchy, I like that picture of the one with the ring mount for the 50 hauling the concrete bucket, hadn’t seen that setup before. Wayne
Here another M543 wrecker fitted with a gun ring. This is a Marine Corps M543A2 at Da Nang (1971)
Aussie local gun mount variant :
H.P.
1 Like
So would the ring mount from the M35A2 kit work on the M54? I have one in the stash that I was going to convert to a gun truck, so I would have that one. Wayne
Sort of, the poles are a little different. Most of the ring mount parts are in the AFV Club M54 kit though.
From an earlier post :
All the gun mount parts, minus the ring itself, are in the M54 kit on the cab parts sprue (D) and the sprues (H x2) for the seats in the bed. I added the ring from an M35 kit.
I added the above parts and an M35 gun ring parts onto my M818 tractor a while ago.
3 Likes
Apologies for my earlier post Wayne, I read “ if they do a conversion for the M246”.
I’ve got one in the stash although I’m still waiting on the correct-sized wheels from Cultus.