M37 with AN/MLQ-24

Armor/AFV
1

Last year before I resigned back up here, I built one of the specialty trucks my father drove when he was in service in the early 1960’s with the Army Security Agency. This is a 50’s Dodge M37 with the AN/MLQ-24 radio/radar shelter. Starting with the Roden M37 kit, and since no one obviously make the AN/MLQ-24, I used the Hobby Link AN/MSQ-85 A/V shelter which was the closest to the configuration. My father drove and operated this truck in the Fall of 62’ for the Cuban Missile Crissis where they were TDY’d to Grassy Key in the Florida Keys where they set up and monitored Cuban radio and radar transmissions.

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Set up on Grassy Key

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The convoy down from Ft. Bragg. He jumped out of the truck with the open door to take a quick pic while on a fuel stop.

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Of course to make the AN/MLQ-24 the electrical ports need to be moved to the upper middle on the side and building the folding radar towers and a few other pieces.

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And although I couldn’t find a figure exactly like dad, I was able to modify one to have similar pose and style.

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I had custom printed decals made to match the markings on the original including the blue lightning bolts on the box sides.

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31 Likes
2

Nice job. That looks really good.

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3

I’d say you nailed it pretty good !

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4

Lookin’ really good! I especially love the colour picture your father took - the colours look so fresh!

Thanks for sharing and have a nice day!

Paweł

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5

Thanks guys, there was a lot of scratch building to make the folding radar towers. Luckily I had a few good pics to work from and was also able to talk with dad about it. There are not a lot of pictures or information out there on these trucks because they were very specialized and classified. Unfortunately, he had no interior pictures of it because of the classified equipment in it so I had to build it with the door shut.

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6

Great build Dave. I’ve never seen these types of vehicles anywhere on a modeling table so kudos for a subject almost never modeled. I’ve seen the M37 here and there, just not a communications version.

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7

Nice work and a unique subject; my own Roden kit lies half built - I found it quite difficult.

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8

Yes, the Roden kit take quite a bit a fiddle work to make it turn out decent. Luckily, I had built a few before and was able to use some of that previous build knowledge to work out my own build order to get things to fit better.

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9

Fantastic looking M37 in a very unique configuration, and great tribute to your father, love the relaxed pose of the figure!

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10

Outstanding build of a tough kit and the scratchbuilding is superb. Excellent detailing and a nice finish. Great paint work. I’m sure you and your Dad are both proud of this model.

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11

Thanks, I really wanted a relaxed feel, as listening to my dad’s stories from then, they had a pretty relaxed time there. Since the Keys were closed to tourists, they put them up in a brand new resort on Sugarloaf Key and he and a few other pooled their per diems together and bought a boat and would go fishing and water skiing during their off hours. Really rough time down in the tropics. Ha Ha.

5 Likes