Small Scale Military Headquarters

OK, We have our WC51 and WC63 from 21st, but how about a serious truck that has shown an incredible service life in its various renditions? The deuce-and-a-half is practically as recognizable as the Willy's Jeep. And there are a lot of variations, from troop transport to command center to field hospital to fuel truck. Yet no one has made in 1:18 or even 1:32! The closest I can find is a 1:35 model kit or two.

And while we're at it, any other thoughts for "support vehicles"?

I agree! The The deuce-and-a-half is a vehicle that has definitely earned it's place in history and has numerous configuration possibilities. Amazing that none of the companies have made one so far.

Yes!

I think we all agree that a 1/18 duece & a half would be great.

Only problem is which duece & a half?

WW2 - CCKW
Post WW2 into the 60's - M-211 & my personal favorite M-135
Koream War up to modern - M-35.

Korean War had a mix of all dueces in use by us. Plenty of CCKW's were used into the late 50's. M-211 and M-135 were put in service because the Army decieded American kids were growing up on automatic transmissions and couldn't drive manual. Used up to the 60's.

Then comes the decision - long bed or short bed?

Decisions...decisions

TTT

TTT--I don't consider those so much decisions as options Considering the complete lack of one, I think most of us would be happy with pretty much anything we can get!

And while we're at it, any other thoughts for "support vehicles"?

Count me in for the Deuce and I love detail on the 32x Opel - it would be awesome in 1/18th. Matter of fact, how sweet would that be as an "Iron Horse Set"?

I've always loved the Deuce and a half! Open cab version with about 20 soldiers sitting on the benches, maybe the AA .50 cal mount. Sweet!

I'm with Digger on the Opel Blitz. What a great truck. The backbone of German transport....
Mine in 1/6:


TTT

Nice cannon there!

The wheels look kind of small

Now that we have the Opels in 32X the deuce and a half would seem a logical choice to produce, it would be sweet in my opinion, and would probably sell well too. They could kick off the deuces debut with a Red Ball Express version in suitable markings, and with an appropriate looking driver figure. No reason why it couldn't be done in XD as well.

Moth:

The main drawback of the Opel Blitz as produced by James DeSimone in 1/6 is the wheels. They suck. You can see the wheels that came with the truck laying in the bed. Up close they stink. I just threw on a set of Jeep tires and wheels I had in my "parts box". They wheels now on my truck are too small. I'm waiting for one of the artist's in making 1/6 stuff to make a decent set of German wheels. That's the reason I haven't preceeded further with the truck. I've collected all the parts (headlights, windshield, window glass, signals, low wood sides), just waiting on somebody to make the wheels.

The gun is the DML 2cm AA gun. The spent shells in the bed are brass (made by one artist), I also have armor shields made by an artist in Australia, in metal. Soon to go on.

Just something to occupy my time between 1/18 ground releases.

BTW....the dark side has at least two producers of dueces. One has the CCKW and is beautiful but a little pricey and another guy that makes a CCKW and M-35 out of wood. The wood guy will make whatever you want...short bed, long bed, gun truck?He does nice work. A 1/6 duece is on the BIG side...that's fur sure, that's fur dang sure.

I can't see why we can't have one in 1/18.......and how about a nice 105mm Howitzer to go behind the duece. We already have the PAK 40 to tow behind our 1/18 Opel Blitz.....I hope some day....

TTT

Threetoughtrucks wrote:A 1/6 duece is on the BIG side...that's fur sure, that's fur dang sure.

TTT

Of course, the scary part is that one of my big things about the deuce is that I have been fighting the urge to buy a real one for over a decade. And the worst part is that when I first looked at buying one, they were about $3500, and now I can't find a decent one under $10,000. But just think of the fun I could have out in the fields

Fiero....
Lots of dueces in your AO.

I was just following a restored M-211 in Michigan. It was on eBay and I think closed the auction around 4K.

They are not that big. Won't fit in a standard garage but then my M-37 won't either unless I dismantle the canvas top.

I've had a CCKW in my driveway with no problem, but then I've had a White M-3 half-track in my driveway too.

Good OT story...about the time I was going to get the half-track I had a new sidewalk installed and I told the concrete guy that I needed something stronger for the concrete where the sidewalk met the driveway, something stronger than standard sidewalk. The guy says "What weight" and when I said "Ten tons", his jaw dropped.

anyway, he used eight incles of concrete with rebar. Never had a problem.

Ya gotta think big. Just have to watch out, some states won't give you antique plates for something as big as a duece. You have to fught them and most times you'll win unless it's highly modified (like a monster truck). Makes a big difference, a $25 annual reggie verus up to $700 by weight.

TTT

I drove a Duece this past weekend from Ft Dix NJ back to Dover NJ doing 60mph up the turnpike to 287 N anf then 80 W. Its Tuesday morning and I still havnt gotten my hearing back! It has an aluminum maitenance van on the back that I spent the night in on Friday, froze my @$$ off in it.

Luft...:

I have one word for you......ear plugs......no wait, that's two words.....let's see now..well you get the idea.

TTT

yep. Not a practical daily driver (4 mpg on a good day is another issue), but definitely discourages tailgaters and people cutting you off!

My alltime favorite MV.
M-135, used in Korean War up to the '60's. I drove it and a M-211 in Korea in the 60's. Six wheels on the M-135, six wheel drive.
Auto trannie, finger tip power steering. Just a pleasure to drive. And everybody stays out of your way.....and relatively quiet


A little too Korean War for our 1/18 WW2 tastes, but..........

TTT

Threetoughtrucks wrote:Luft...:

I have one word for you......ear plugs......no wait, that's two words.....let's see now..well you get the idea.

TTT

Hu? what did you say? Another thing I like about driving my Duece is when the ladys drive by and see me in uniform diving down the turnpike and wave and smile and somtimes if Im lucky they flash a little somthing extra special

luftpanzer wrote:

Threetoughtrucks wrote:Luft...:

I have one word for you......ear plugs......no wait, that's two words.....let's see now..well you get the idea.

TTT

Hu? what did you say? Another thing I like about driving my Duece is when the ladys drive by and see me in uniform diving down the turnpike and wave and smile and somtimes if Im lucky they flash a little somthing extra special

ROFLMAO

I know it happens, it happend to me when I was ridding in the back of one, back in the day when I played army man in the 25th ID I also got a phone number..

I've been waiting for an M35 in 1/18. If I can ever find any tires around the right size I would scratch build one like I did with my M715. Nothing beats the M35 series of trucks though. Production ran from 1953 thru 1989 on them so they fit in a lot of catagories. My first one will look like my 67' M35a2.

I can see one of those painted lime green with huge chrome spinner rims and a gigantic wing on the back.

Seriously though, the Deuce and a half has always been one of my favorite military vehicles ever since I first got one in a bag of plastic army men. The truck looks mean just sitting there!

Well I'll put my big DUH in here, like this truck should have been the freaking first one made in 1/18...DUH

Let's get cracking 21C. All those figures need some transport

DH

scbvideoboy wrote:Well I'll put my big DUH in here, like this truck should have been the freaking first one made in 1/18...DUH

Let's get cracking 21C. All those figures need some transport

DH

First one that should have been done was done: the Jeep.
Though not a truck I wouldn't trade my M3A3 for a deuce & half either. Basically, while practical and cool to us, a big truck is NOT the most exciting vehicle you could place in the toy aisle, sorry. However I do think a well done version would draw the diecast car collector which could be good for sales..(don't shoot me guys, I want one too).

On the idea of other support vehicles, I still sometimes wish I could turn back time. When I was a kid, my dad picked up a tank retriever, I think WWII era, but maybe a bit later, at auction for $200. It was 100% intact except for the machine gun (mount for a .30 was still there, though) and the engine. He never did find an affordable engine that would be big enough to run it, and ended up selling for scrap a few years later, about 24 tons worth. He did keep the winch assembly, which is still stashed at his house... I just think of the fun that could have been had, especially out here in the country where I am