Small Scale Military Headquarters

**I edited this thread from "WC57 Patton command car question" to the subject of Merrill's Marauders battle packs, this way won't have another thread.**


Did the earlier release version come with the Patton figure or just the later ones?

Actually, the first one with the Patton Regalia didn't come with Patton.

Essentially there's three WC-57s:

S1 3rd Armored -- Patton regalia and 3rd Armored markings, no figure, TRU exclusive.
S2 29th ID -- Patton figure, dog, driver
S3 29th ID -- two 82nd AB Paratroopers, Wal Mart exclusive

The S2 and S3 versions are more "adaptable" for general use in different dios as the first one is pretty specific for General Patton. The later versions also have better weathering. Still, my favorite is the S1 Patton version

Great thanks guys. I just bought a S1 but it had no Patton fig with it, just making sure it wasn't missing.

Wasn't there another one included in the Merrill's Marauders set that was sold at TRU some years back? Maybe it wasn't Patton's car though.

Yes there was a WC-57 in the Merrill's Marauders set.

Forgot about that one. Guess it would be the S4 version.

I could have sworn Patton was in command of 2nd armored, Hell On Wheels. I was always told that... Odd. I'll sure kick my dad for that. Oddly enough, he should have known, as he was in 2nd. Forget 1st and 3rd, Hell On Wheels has the most awesome name ever (for an Armored Div.)

AS:
In WW2, Patton commanded "Armies".

In Africa - Western Task Force
In Sicily - 7th Army
In Europe - 3rd Army
and finally, the mostly paper 15th Army

"Armies" are comprosed of many units, including Divisions. The 2nd AD may well have been part of one of Pattons "Armies". If your Dad says he was commanded by Patton, and without looking up the 2nd AD history, I'd say he was right.

TTT

normandy wrote:Yes there was a WC-57 in the Merrill's Marauders set.

Man wish I woulda bought one of these when they were out.

Funny this subject came up. Just in the last week I saw a listing on Ebay for 3 different Patton figures for $13 plus $13 more for shipping.

There was only the little symbol of a camera, so there was no photo unless one clicked on the actual item auction.

That was kind of high for 3 figures of the same character, and I really had no great interest in them, so I ignored it like everybody else.

Just as the auction was about to end, I accidentally clicked on it, and to my surprise found that it also included the 1st Patton command car, which was MIB.

To my mind that was not a bad deal and since I was the only bidder, I got it at the listing price.

Cheers

hi everybody i have this set


By lafoy


http://die-cast-army.over-blog.com

So do I. Although the figures are not as good as the carded ones, the vehicles are .

lafoy wrote:hi everybody i have this set


By lafoy


http://die-cast-army.over-blog.com

What is that guy doing lounging in the back of the command car?
Won't Patton slap him silly if he catches him?

Forward Observer wrote:Funny this subject came up. Just in the last week I saw a listing on Ebay for 3 different Patton figures for $13 plus $13 more for shipping.

There was only the little symbol of a camera, so there was no photo unless one clicked on the actual item auction.

That was kind of high for 3 figures of the same character, and I really had no great interest in them, so I ignored it like everybody else.

Just as the auction was about to end, I accidentally clicked on it, and to my surprise found that it also included the 1st Patton command car, which was MIB.

To my mind that was not a bad deal and since I was the only bidder, I got it at the listing price.

Cheers

That is too funny - I saw the same auction and didn't even click on it cause it seemed WAAAY too high on shipping.... Guess that guy missed out on more bidders and you got a better deal!

Now that is a neat set. What happened, did I take a nap and that set came out and disapeared?

TTT

Holy Cow that is cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I think Zack is holding out on us.

never never saw that set....

It came out in WM or TRU - I can't remember.
But it was about 40.00 for the set in the store.
It was after the truck and command car had been out in WM boxed by themselves.

The set was out a couple years ago, around late 2005, early 2006 if memory serves correctly. It was the same time the first BBI WWII figures came out. One of my local TRUs got in about six of the sets - which surprised me! They were the first 21c products to be sold at TRU since 2003.

TTT, I must have confused you.

My dad isn't THAT old.

He was in 2nd armored, drafted in '72 right out of high school. I'm never clear on the hierarchy of military units. Wikipedia?

But my dad was getting ready to board a transport aircraft which would eventually take him to Vietnam, and he was pulled to the side, and told that we wasn't going. He told me that he always felt guilty about it, because he had buddies who were on that flight, and never came back from Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1975 after he was in a car wreck in Okinawa in which the engine came back, pushed his knees into his chest, broke some ribs, wrists, and dislocated his shoulder, and I also believe he broke something else.

I'm going to look and see if Patton in fact commanded 2nd armored real quick, just for clarification.

In fact he was in charge of training in 2nd armored, and was a commander from 1940-1942.

Warming: kind of a long war story

When I got back from Vietnam in Dec 69, I still had 5 months left in the Army. I got assigned to an artillery battalion that was part of the 2nd armored division stationed at Ft Hood, TX.

The 2nd Armored wears their large triangular "Hell on Wheels" unit patch on their left chest where as most units wear their unit patch on their left shoulder. There is also a custom that if you have served in combat you are allowed to wear the patch of your former combat unit on your right shoulder.

That meant that I was allowed to wear my "First Field Forces" patch on my right shoulder along with the 2nd Armored on my chest.

I was assigned as the battalion motor officer and on the first day I was introduced to the motor pool Sergeant major. It didn't take me too long to noticed that he had the 2nd armored patch on both his left chest and his right shoulder.

When he said he had never been to Vietnam, I did a double take and thought about it a minute. That could only mean that he could have served in the 2nd during WW II.

It turned out that he had been a corporal in the motor pool that was part of Patton's staff in North Africa and then later on in Sicily. He had actually been assigned as a driver for Patton on several occasions.

He had stayed with the 2nd through the war and on through his whole army career. He originally had joined the army in 1940 and was taking his 30 year retirement in February of 1970 while I was still there.

He had quite a few stories about Patton and none were very complimentary.

Anyway, I just always seemed kind of neat that I could say that I served with a soldier who knew and served with old "blood and guts" himself.

Cheers

I always wondered why my dad had the Hell On Wheels patch on the left chest on his shirt, now I know.

AlloySkull Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject:

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I always wondered why my dad had the Hell On Wheels patch on the left chest on his shirt, now I know.

I was told that Patton started the tradition of wearing it on the chest, but that could have been simply army B.S.

Cheers