Small Scale Military Headquarters

What was the figure packed with the M41 in Vietnam series packaging? The database photos only show the head and shoulders - what uniform was it wearing?

I can't vouch for the S1 M41, but the figure that comes with the whitewashed tank has the same uniform as the BOTB tanker. He also has the S1 swivel rotation.

flayrah wrote:What was the figure packed with the M41 in Vietnam series packaging? The database photos only show the head and shoulders - what uniform was it wearing?

The figure that came with the M41 in Vietnam series box was a South Vietnamese soldier (NVA head attached to body in US fatigues). This figure was made to go with this tank ONLY! Of course our talented group here could make the figure at home with the correct parts.

Razor17019 wrote:

flayrah wrote:What was the figure packed with the M41 in Vietnam series packaging? The database photos only show the head and shoulders - what uniform was it wearing?

The figure that came with the M41 in Vietnam series box was a South Vietnamese soldier (NVA head attached to body in US fatigues). This figure was made to go with this tank ONLY! Of course our talented group here could make the figure at home with the correct parts.

The NVA-head figure must have been with the S2 release (at Walmart). I'm pretty sure that the S1 release (at TRU) came with a WWII type tanker figure.

yes that's right. They originally tried to pass the Bulldog off as a WWII tank and then later re-released it as an ARVN Bulldog (sorta, it was still in US markings).

Why they ever made that thing i will never know. They should have made a Pershing instead. The Bulldog is a frustrating tank. It's neat but has no significant combat history whatsoever. so there's not much you can do with it, that's the main reason i never bothered to get one....

The M41 was the tank I knew as a kid from my 'toy soldiers' (appx 1/32 soft plastic that you could buy in a bag or box 'playsets'). It was also the tank I remember from many Japanese monster movies of the 60's and 70's. I didn't know it was the M41 until it was made by 21st, then I was disappointed to learn that it saw such limited use in real life, and never bought one. I still like the way it looks, though and would pick one up at the right price. I'd need a 1/18 scale Godzilla....

The M-41 was used in VN by ROK and ARVN troops. It saw combat with those units.

As a side story, while I was in VN, I was personally involved with a ROK unit when I passed a ROK convoy of M-113's and M-41's in a M-151 Mutt and as the road was two lanes, I kept having to cut back into the ROK convoy to avoid oncoming traffic. One guy driving a M-41 did not like me cutting in and out and while I was waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, this guy started to accelerate to squeeze me between him and the M-41 in front of me. He bumped me still accelerating and just then I had a chance to cut back into the oncoming lane and escaped with my life. This unit was a ROK Marine unit and to be a ROK Marine they were all around 6' tall and nasty characters. Anyway, I'm still here.

BTW - I do like the M-41 by 21C, especially the turret interior. All the 21C tanks should have had interiors.

TTT

Good story TTT. Don't want to side track the post to much, but this past weekend will celebrating my Grandmothers 100 birthday I got to see my cousin that was in 5th SF DeltaProject (Nha Trang) Oct 66 thru Oct 67. Talk about good stories he has a few also. However still won't talk much about his experiences in the bush.

Eric

Eric:

I have a million stories about my time in VN, in Korea, and the toughest service of all, in Texas. Yeah, I won't talk about my time in the bush either........ but that's because all my time in the bush was at 1000 feet in the air, once a month going from fire base to firebase paying my battalion guys manning radio repeaters in the fire bases. The rest of my time sitting in my tent office breathing in Agent Orange and having a good time.

I have a BIL who was a Marine sniper near the NVN border. He is a little screwy anyway. Now he is a Deacon in his church..... I guess he's gotta pay for his past.

TTT

While I'm obviously a fan of the M48, 21C did such a nice job with the M41 that I distort history and use it as a US tank in Vietnam. It's just a fun piece to play around with.

Great story, TTT

Thanks for the stories, TTT

Yeah, the M-41 was sort of an oddly-placed choice for 21c. It was probably selected because someone at the company's leadership level liked the tank. (sort of the same reason why 21c chose the FW-190D9 over the FW-190A). I will admit, it does look good for an armored vehicle. Also, think of all those WWII films from the '70s (like Patton) where M-41s were used as stand-ins for US tanks. Suddenly they don't seem so out of place in a WWII setting...

In terms of detail and function, its one of 21c's best efforts, right behind the Tiger. The full interior, opening engine, stowage lockers, etc make it a winner in my book.

As for the figure, the S1 OD green (TRU version) and S2 winter whitewash both came with an S1-style WWII tanker figure. The S3 OD Green tank (Wal Mart version) came with the quasi-ARVN soldier, but I think that's already been settled.

I tend to use my 1:18 M-41s in more of a WWII or Korean War setting (the tank seem most appropriate for that, even though they were involved in neither conflict). My vehicles are crewed with the 21c WWII tanker figures and look good that way, I think. I once crewed one with the 21c Vietnam tankers and just didn't like the way it looked...

Thanks TTT for all the sacrifices you've made in the service and all the knowledgable contributions you've made to our forum.

Respectfully

Eric