American Reconnaissance Vehicles

The workhorse reconnaissance vehicle of the US Army was the Willys Jeep. 640,000 of them were built during the war, with about a third of them going to the British and the Soviets. The Jeep began its development in 1940. It was initially prototyped by the American Bantam Car Company. Despite the success of their initial prototype, a second prototype was ordered from Ford and Willys-Overland who made small adjustments, mainly giving it a more powerful engine. The Army selected the Willys model but because of the number of vehicles required, production contracts were granted to both companies, although both would build the Willys model. The Willys Jeeps were labeled as the Model MB and the Ford ones were the Model GPW, with production beginning in 1941. The Jeep was a rugged, reliable 4-wheel drive vehicle, able to travel all over the battlefield. It was used both as a command vehicle as well as a scout car. It often mounted a .50 cal Browning machine gun. An amphibious variation of the Jeep was also produced by Ford called the GPA or 'Seep' (Sea Jeep), but it did not enjoy much success as it was neither a good off-road vehicle nor a good water vessel. In terms of models, I have a couple examples to show, courtesy of Forces of Valor.

Forces of Valor US Willys Jeep

A decent looking vehicle, although I would have expected a more detailed paint job from FOV. Considering that this is an off-road vehicle, some mud would have been in order and perhaps even some dents. Also, the driver is way too clean.

Britains Deetail US Willys Jeep - Part 1

Here is another version of the Jeep. It is a little beaten up. You can tell that this vehicle has been through some rough backyard battles! It is still a good addition to the collection.

Britains Deetail US Willys Jeep - Part 2

I initially thought that the jeep had come without any figures, which was unusual because the Deetail vehicles usually had a crew, and weeks later I realized that I had left the figures in the bubble wrap that it came in. Luckily I had not thrown it away. Note how the man in the back is leaning back to shoot at the Stuka dive bomber coming at them!

New Ray US Willys Jeep

This is a decent die cast vehicle from New Ray. It has a nice metal weight/feel to it. The level of details is also nice enough. It does not have much in terms of moving parts though, but still a nice addition to the collection.

Lone Star Willys Jeep - Part I

This is a Willys Jeep made by Lone Star. It is a bit on the smaller side of the 1/32 scale, but still acceptable. I believe it came with a crew of British Paras, so perhaps it should be featured under the post about British Reconnaissance Vehicles? Such a vehicle could have been made available to them through Lend Lease.

Lone Star Willys Jeep - Part II

Here is the same Jeep from Lone Star in Tan. Presumably it would have been used in the North Africa Theater of Operations, although I don't recall seeing any pictures of tan US vehicles. Either way, it is rare enough as a collectible that I was glad to get my hands on one of them. 

Auburn US Willys Jeep

This is an unusual vehicle that I ran across recently while trying to collect the rest of the Auburn GIs. It is made out of rubber and the driver is cast as part of the vehicle. It is slightly under scale for 54mm. It probably dates from shortly after the War as Auburn switched from rubber to plastic when plastic became common in the late 50s or 60's. Not the prettiest, but certainly unique.

Dinky US Willys Jeep

Here is another version of the popular Willys Jeep. This one is made by Dinky and it can be used to tow the M101 105mm howitzer. It came with its own driver and overall it is a nice, well made vehicle. The only 'negative' thing to note is that over the years, the tires have become a bit dry as they are made out of rubber, and some of them have begun to crack, particularly the spare tire in the back. I suppose someone tried to remove it and that made it worse. 

Forces of Valor US Amphibian GPA

Similar commentary about this vehicle as for the Jeep. But at least this vehicle gets extra points for being more unique and unusual.

Britains Deetail US Dispatch Rider
This guys is probably more of a messenger than a scout, but hey, you could still send him ahead if you needed to take a quick look up the road. Like the other Deetail motorcycles, it is a nice, well made vehicle. Will need to look into the make of the actual bike that it represents.

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German Cargo Trucks

While Germany took great advantage of Europe's rail network, supplies still had to be delivered from the rail station to the front line troops, not to mention that many places were out of reach by train. Or for instance, in the Soviet Union, the tracks were wider, so supplies had to be transferred to trains using Soviet train wagons, or tracks had to be made narrower (see this link for an in depth look at the German rail network during WWII). The problem was that it took time to peform such conversions and during the first couple years of the war against the Soviet Union the front line kept moving further away, so trucks had to fill the gap. A key vehicle for this in the German military was the Opel Blitz 3 ton LKW (Lastkraftwagen). It was used both for movement of troops and supplies as well as to tow artillery pieces. Weighing 5.8 tons, and with an 82 liter (20 gallon) fuel tank, they could travel up to 320 km on road, or 230 off-road. Over 82,000 of them were manufactured between 1937 and 1944 across several models, and they served in all fronts. Another earlier vehicle was the Krupp Protze Sd Kfz 70. This was a six-wheel truck/tractor produced between 1936 and 1941. 7000 of them were made and saw significant action in North Africa, the invasion of France, the Eastern front, and the Italian campaigns. It could carry a load of 1150kg for a distance of 450 km, using 110 liters (28 gallons) of fuel. It was phased out in favor of the Opel which offered better fuel economy. In terms of scale models we have a few options to examine.

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the basic troop carrier or cargo truck, by 21C Toys. It is a nice model. It comes with a removable top, not included in this picture. It has a few moving parts lke the back door and the cabin doors. Can't go wrong with this truck to keep your German armies supplied. 

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the same truck seen from behind. Note that it comes with benches -also removable- so that your troops can travel sitting down. Here I took advantage of some seated German soldiers to give it some passengers. I believe these guys are part of the Marx Battleground set. Now we can take them to the front.

Forces of Valor 3 Ton Cargo Truck - Eastern Front 1943-1944

This is FOV's version of the Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305 without the top. I am not a big fan of the color scheme and how clean it looks, but I think the figures that come with it lift it up. Note also how the benches are along the sides of the truck, as opposed to across, as is the case with the model from 21C Toys. The upper portion of the railing is also a bit different, which makes it look a bit more realistic.

21st Century Toys Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305

This is the same truck, with the top on and with the Afrika Korps color scheme. Just what you need to move supplies across the great expanses of the North African desert.

Forces of Valor 3 Ton Cargo Truck

This is FOV's variation of the Opel Blitz Sd Kfz 305 with the top on. I actually like the canvas a lot. It has so much texture and the ventilation flaps look so real that you might even think that you can open them. The paint scheme is not my favorite, but at least it has a minor amount of weathering, to make it a bit dusty and avoid making it look brand new. This truck also comes in grey, with a green tarp, which I think I like a bit more than this one. 

21st Century Toys Maultier - Grey

The Maultier or Mule was a variation of the Opel truck (and other truck types) that used the Panzer I track system which was no longer in production to give the trucks greater mobility in the Rasputitsa -the thick mud of the Soviet Union- Some Maultiers were armored (Sd Kfz 4) and even equipped with rocket launchers (Sd Kfz 4/1). Just as it was relatively easy for the Germans to add tracks to their trucks it was also easy for 21C to adapt their Opel Blitz model to have tracks. In addition to that they changed the divisional insignia and we got a new model.

21st Century Toys Maultier - Tan Cammo

Another variation on the Maultier from 21C Toys. I don't know if the Maultier was actually used in North Africa. I could imagine that on sandy terrain it might work better than a wheeled truck, plus these colors seem adequate, so this one has been allocated to the Afrika Korps.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Cargo Truck - Part I

Definitely a more attractive model than the Opel. The lines and the amount of wheels on it simply make it more interesting. A well made model, and the 3 figures which come with it make it come to life. The only thing not to like about it is the price, as has been the case with most recent FOV models. Well the other thing is that they are increasinly using more plastic pieces in these vehicles and they are losing the nicer, heavier feel that they used to have.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Cargo Truck - Part II

The back view. Note that in this configuration, the Sd Kfz comes with sitting benches and side walls to hold troops or cargo inside. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part I

The same chassis, but this time a different configuration on the back, adapted to carry a bunch of ammo boxes for the PAK 36 which it is towing behind. I did not show it in this picture, but it is also possible to load the PAK on to the back of the truck, with the wheels resting on the middle seat and the tip of the gun pointing back. In such case, you can't have the men sitting there. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part II

Here is a shot with the PAK deployed. This is BTW, the only PAK 36 that I have come across, so it was a nice extra that came with the truck. Unfortunately it does not come with an artillery crew, so I will have to find some guys to operate it. 

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 70 as Artillery Tractor - Part III

A view from the back. I like how that man can sit facing the rear. It even seems like the vehicle provides him with foot rests by design.   

Forces of Valor Opel Blitz Ambulance

This one comes to us from Forces of Valor. A nice variation of the Opel truck. Die cast, so it has a heavier feel to it. All doors on the back and sides open, and you can actually see the inside of the ambulance. I should probably update this post to show it. Now I just need some German stretcher bearers to go with it.

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Click here to see a post about German reconnaissance vehicles

American Cargo Trucks

Logistics are as important to an army, if not more than the fighting units. An army without bullets or food can't fight. Napoleon's army became so powerful in part because he understood logistics well, which allowed his army to move fast and kept his corps well supplied -that is of course before they went into Russia. When you read the memoirs of German soldiers, often they are amazed at the amount of  food, fuel, medical supplies, and ammunition that the Americans had, and sometimes wonder what they might have been able to accomplish with such amounts of supplies. Of course, the Allies also had their share of logistical challenges, caused by their failure to quickly capture the port of Cherbourg, and the pace at which their land armies eventually broke out of the Normandy region. In order to keep the ground troops supplied, the 'Red Ball Express' was formed. This was a shipping operation running between August and November of 1944. It consisted of almost 6000 cargo trucks carrying supplies to the front over dedicated roads and a distance that grew up to 400 miles. Considering that the speed limit was set at 25mph, this was a very taxing journey for the drivers, as well as for the vehicles which had very little down time for maintenance. It is the vehicles described in this post which provided the foundation to keep the allies properly supplied in the field. In terms of scale models, there is not much available, but there are a couple of nice vehicles that we can examine.

Forces of Valor US 6x6 1.5 Ton Cargo Truck

Also known as the Dodge WC63, this was a light truck. The difference between the WC62 and WC63 was only the winch at the front. It weighed 3.25 tons and could carry 1.5 on its bed. It was used to move both troops and cargo. It had a mount in the front for a .50 cal Browning MG. This model from Forces of Valor comes with a driver and a MG operator. The top is removable. The only thing missing compared to pictures of real ones is the spare tire next to the driver. The model does have a small round bend on the side next to the driver, but I guess they did not get around to fastening a tire there. The only thing I have to complain about this truck is its price. It is one of the most recent releases and they have become increasingly expensive. In the past I might have purchased 2 or 3 of them to setup a small convoy scene, but at these prices I am not buying more than one!

Forces of Valor US 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck

Officially known as the GMC CCKW and unofficially called 'Jimmy' or 'deuce and a half' (all 2.5 ton trucks were referred to in this manner), this was a medium cargo truck in the US Army. Note how it has 4 extra tires compared to the 1.5 ton truck to accommodate the extra load. It is a six-wheel-drive vehicle. Over half a million of them were made before and during WWII in multiple variations, which gives an idea of the amount of supplies that had to be moved to keep the fighting forces supplied. Before the port of Antwerp was captured, all supplies to the forces in Europe had to be carried from the beaches in Normandy, requiring at its peak close to 6000 of these trucks. This operation was known as the Red Ball Express. Forces of Valor has delivered another nice model. It also comes with 2 crewmen, a winch up front, and a removable top.

 Forces of Valor U.S. GMC. 2.5 Ton Cargo Truck with 4 x 0.5 AA Machine Gun - Part I

Here is a variation of the GMC 2.5 ton truck, equipped with a quadruple Anti Aircraft 50 cal. machine gun. Not really a cargo truck, but built on top of one. The truck comes with the driver only. The two other figures are borrowed from other FOV sets. As with some of the other recent FOV sets, it is made mostly out of plastic and it hardly comes with any other battlefield accessories. And the price is also a bit hard to swallow, unless you manage to find it on sale as I did. The uniqueness factor is what tilted the balance in its favor.

Forces of Valor U.S. GMC. 2.5 Ton Cargo Truck with 4 x 0.5 AA Machine Gun - Part II

In this picture you have a better view of the front. not the distinctive grilles protecting the headlamps and the towing cable in the front.

MPC DUKW

The DUKW, informally referred to as 'Duck', was built on top of the GMC CCKW 2.5 ton truck described above, which meant that it was also manufactured by General Motors. It was used to move troops and cargo over land and water. It was particularly useful for landing operations, playing an important role in the Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Normandy landings among other amphibious operations. Weighing 6.5 tons, it could move at a speed of 50 mph on land and 6.3 mph on water. Over 21,000 of them were built. This model was produced by MPC. It comes unpainted and it's not that well detailed. For instance, some Ducks had a ring-mounted MG. This one comes with three MGs, and no ring-mount. It does have a driver and it also comes with a winch in the back and a hook, to which you can attach a string. This vehicle was probably meant initially as a toy, but given the fact that it is the only DUKW that comes assembled it has become relatively popular. Like other MPC vehicles, once it is painted it will probably look fairly decent.

TimMee M35 US 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck

This is actually a post war vehicle, which came into service in 1951 and widely used during the Vietnam War, which explains why TimMee released it to complement the Vietnam era GIs that were so popular in the 80s. It was also referred as a Deuce and a Half as its predecessor because of its 2 1/2 tonnage capacity. This model was released with a canvas cover for the back, but unfortunately it was missing when I got it.

Forces of Valor Dodge WC 54 4x4 Ambulance

 This is a nice vehicle from FOV. Mostly metal with a nice heavy feel to it. The back opens for you to load up your wounded and it comes with folding bunks in case it needs to transport additional casualties. The front doors also open and the paint work is very well done. In contrast with earlier FOV vehicles, it does not come with much in the terms of other battlefield accessories.

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German Half-tracks

The Sd.Kfz. 251 was the largest and most popular of the German Halftracks. Commonly known as Hanomags, because of their main manufacturer, they came in many different variations, from standard troop carriers to mobile artillery. It was designed before the war and by 1939 was already in production. In total, over 15,000 were manufactured across 23 different types. Their main purpose was to allow infantry to move at the same speed as the tanks, to provide the Panzers with protection. These troops were commonly referred to as Panzergrenadiers. A Hanomag could carry a squad of 10 men, plus two crewmen. The Hanomag was not only a troop transport, but could also act as a fighting platform. Equipped with 2 MG 34s or MG 42s, it was capable of supporting the squad once it had deployed through the back door, and its open top also allowed the men to fight from within it. Of course, the open top also made them vulnerable to fire from above and indirect fire. Also, the armor was not particularly thick. At most 15mm, which still left it vulnerable to higher caliber weapons. The tracks used the same configuration of interleaved wheels found later on the Tiger and Panther tanks. This was better at distributing the weight of the vehicle, giving them better cross country performance but it also created problems in thick mud or in cold winter conditions which could cause the wheels to freeze in place. In terms of scale models, we have a few variations from both 21 Century Toys and Forces of Valor. Let's take a look.

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 259

This half-track was one of the first vehicles released by 21st Century Toys over a decade ago. They labeled the box as Sd Kfz 259, but I don't believe that designation existed in the German armed forces. To me this vehicle looks like a standard Sd Kfz 251/1. In any case, this vehicle along with the Tiger and the Scout Car that were released at the same time caused a revolution in the toy soldier hobby. Prior to this moment all armored vehicles that had been manufactured were unpainted, under-scale, with greatly simplified level of detail. This one came with three figures and moving parts, like the MG and its shield, wheels, tracks, the engine compartment, and the exit doors on the back. The only thing that now seems lacking is a bit more detail on the paint job, but at the time, this was greatly superior to anything that had come before.

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 259 Tan Cammo

21C Toys also released the same vehicle in a tan cammo color scheme. I suspect that they intended it to be a late war vehicle, but I think it can also pass for an AK version. Again, the box was labeled incorrectly as Sd Kfz 259. I even saw a box which was labeled as Sd Kf2 259...

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/1 Hanomag - Normandy

Forces of Valor also produced their version of the Sd Kfz 251/1, labeled as the Normandy version. This one is a die-cast vehicle in metal, and the level of detail is a bit more precise, as is the paint job. Like other FOV vehicles it also comes with accessories like backpacks, helmets, etc. Two other versions of the 251/1 were released with additional figures: an officer directing the machine gun fire, and a panzergrenadier helping a wounded comrade back to the vehicle under fire. One version comes painted in tan, the other in a green/brown/tan cammo color scheme.

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/1 Hanomag - Lithuania 1944

This Halftrack is not much different than the previous one. The main difference is the color scheme. But what is really nice about it is the figures that come along with it. They have so much action and drama sculpted into them, and they can be used in many other scenes and setups. Of course, if you already have a FOV 251/1 and the main reason to buy it again are the figures, then these are some pretty expensive poses, specially now that some of these vehicles are no longer being produced. But in my case, this is only my second FOV Hanomag, and I always like to have two or three of the same to be able to setup scenes with a small troop of vehicles. And lastly, there's that other aspect of being able to finally check it off the list of missing items from the collection...

Forces of Valor Sd Kfz 251/9 Kanonenwagen - Normandy

Also known as the Stummel (German for stump), the Sd Kfz 251/9 carried a low velocity 75mm gun (7.5 cm KwK37) used in support of the infantry against soft targets. This one was produced by FOV, also as a Normandy model, with the usual level of quality and detail. It also comes with a two man crew operating the gun. FOV also released a second version of this vehicle with additional figures, one of them standing on top of the engine compartment cleaning the inside of the gun's barrel.

Dinky Sd Kfz 251/22 Tank Destroyer

As far as I can tell this is the version of the Sd Kfz 251 that had the 75mm PAK 40 mounted on it. I say that because Dinky only labeled it as a tank destroyer. It is a bit underscale, maybe more like a 1:35 than 1:32 model. But it given its uniqueness, I don't really mind. Since it did not come with a crew of its own, I lend it a couple of FOV guys to operate it, although there's not much room left for them by the mounted gun. Similar to other Dinky artillery pieces, it comes with a spring mechanism that allows it to fire mini projectiles. All in all a nice item to add to the collection.

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American Half-tracks

This post is about US halftracks based on the M3 model, aka as 'Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3'. This vehicle was designed prior to WWII as an infantry transport. It was capable of carrying 13 men, 10 in the back and 3 in front. The ten men in the back sat in two rows against the sides of the vehicle with a door in the back. The top of the vehicle was open which was a cause of concern for those riding in them. It was armed with a .50 cal Browning machine gun behind the passenger seat and two smaller .30 cal MGs mounted on the back. It was only lightly armored, with enemy machine gun fire able to penetrate it. The radiator also had an armored shutter for protection. Literature says that the windshield was bullet proof, but the models in this post show them armored with vision slots. The fact that it carried 13 men meant that storage space was often an issue and future models tried to add extra storage compartment or racks on the outside for this purpose. The top speed was 45 mph, and with a 60 gallon fule tank it was able to travel 175 miles. Somewhere between 41,000 and 43,000 of them were produced, across their multiple variations, and it was used by all the allied armies.

21st Century Toys M3 Halftrack

This is the basic M3 Halftrack. It comes to us courtesy of 21C Toys. It is nicely detailed, but a bit too clean for my taste. The troop compartment is also well detailed with the seats and rifle racks. The crewman on the front is a tank man from one of the FOV sets. As far as I remember it came only with the driver and the man standing at the .50 cal.

Forces of Valor US M3A1 Halftrack

This is the M3A1 model. Besides some mechanical improvements, the main fighting upgrade was that the .50 cal machine gun came mounted on a ring, which made it easier to traverse it to wherever the fire was needed. This model was released by Forces of Valor. It is a  metal, die-cast model, with even more detail and accessories than the 21C halftrack. It comes with backpacks that can be hung on the sides and more crew figures ready to go into action.

InAir / New Ray EZ Build M3 Halftrack

This is an all-plastic kit that required a bit of assembly -about 6 or 8 small screws to hold it all together. The sides of the halftrack are a bit low in my opinion, and it has a light feel to it when you hold it, but the appearance overall is acceptable.

CTS M3 Halftrack

Here's a halftrack from CTS, painted by a prior owner for the North African campaign. I don't know if the crew came with it, or if they were part of a model kit and were added later. I have to say that when I saw the picture, I had higher expectations, but when I got it, I was a bit disappointed by its size. Even though it's supposed to be 1/32, it is smaller than 1/35. Hard to combine with any other vehicles or troops. So it's only purpose will be to check a box in the list of items to collect. 

Forces of Valor US M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage - Normandy

This vehicle was built on top of the M3 chassis, but instead of being a troop transport it hosted a quadruple machine gun, called the Maxson M45 Quadmount. This was a set of 4 .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns which could be used against air and ground targets. The round ammo boxes, nicknamed 'tombstones' held 200 rounds each. Forces of Valor released this vehicle in two models: The one pictured and another one labeled as the Ardennes model, with a slightly whiter paint coat. This one, the Normandy model,  is well covered in mud, and it comes with a crew of two: a driver and an observer.  

InAir / New Ray EZ Build US M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

Another plastic kit requiring some assembly. The quad machine gun is definitely under-scale. As far as the manufacturer goes I have seen the kits marketed as New Ray and InAir. The kits I just bought came labeled as InAir, so perhaps the brand got purchased?

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