Another oldie but goodie from Tamiya's military vehicle miniatures line, and perhaps the best of their earlier American AFV's. All of Tamiya's half-tracks really are nice kits. Not too difficult to build, even for the novice, as I first put one of these (M3 Half-Track) together when I was 13, and very well detailed for the time. Today it still builds into an impressive miniature - right out of the box. With a little additional detailing, this miniature can become a show-stopper. I hope you can see from the photos of the completed miniature I really enjoyed this project - perhaps more than Vince did in receiving the final product!

The major shortcoming with Tamiya's half-track models (besides the loose Tracks themselves) lie in the moldings of the Drive & Idler Wheels. The actual parts are quite spindly in reality, whereas the kit parts are noticeably beefier. Eduard makes a stainless steel replacement set that looks equally as spindly (and complicated) to build as the real parts. Tank Workshop also makes a resin replacement set, including tracks, that is wonderfully detailed. However, this set is difficult to obtain, and I didn't have another for this project. When I find one, perhaps I'll buy two of them!

This being a commissioned miniature for Staff Sergeant Hutson's son Vince, I set out to depict his vehicle as used in the Korean War. A plus for rendering this model came in never before published photographs of SSG Hutson's vehicle. Simply put, there is no better reference than pictures of the Man and his Machine. So, not only did I get to build a cool miniature, but I got a glimpse of personal history too. Vince supplied a great deal of interesting photos of his Father and this vehicle - along with it's crew and a glimpse of life during the Korean War. This was an educational experience beyond just reading a book.

Outside of photographs of the M16 MGMC "SWEET HEART" itself, I'd also use photos I took of a wonderfully restored vehicle that's a part of Jacques Littlefield's collection of AFV's in Portola Valley, California. I also have US Army Technical Manual 9-710 to supplement information on anything I didn't already have photographs. Last, the most often ingredient in building models, I employed a lot of heart and soul into the project. This intangible often separates a simple model kit from all the rest.

Below and on the next pages are selections of pictures of the real "SWEET HEART" loaned to me from Vince interspersed with my miniature. This vehicle, like the others in its unit, was very well maintained. Nor is it adorned with graffiti or other colorful epitaphs. It is difficult to see on the right side of the fighting compartment (partially under the depressed side shield, even the nickname "SWEET HEART" is rather sedate. I like this, as the simplicity makes the vehicle look purposeful. For a time, "SWEET HEART" carried a form of armor plating on the Maxson Turret, similar to the type fielded by the 702nd Ordnance Battalion. This called for a bit of scratchbuilding as though Eduard makes a brass detail set for the Tamiya M16 MGMC, replete with shields for the Maxson Turret - these are more along the lines of the design employed during World War II. Vince's photographs are the only ones I've seen that cover all sides and angles of the modified shields. Another unique feature of "SWEET HEART" is the carriage of a 3" Bazooka on the front of the half-track. It's mounted right above the armored grill slats, at the tops of the headlight guards. Again, this is a feature I've not seen before, and made modeling "SWEET HEART" that much more enjoyable. This unconventional detail makes this M16 MGMC unique beyond a nickname.

This miniature had been on display at San Antonio Hobby Shop for several years. With the unfortunate closing of this great hobby shop after 40 years of service to hobbyists, I found opportunity to retreive the model for cleaning and maintnenance. Over time, minor dust had settled upon it and all of the Verlinden Productions poly-vinyl tubing I had used for the firing cables had deteriorated and snapped in several places - causing me to now think twice about using them in the future. The Tamiya vinyl tracks had popped loose from the wheels and called for reattachment. In short, the miniature needed a little care and attention. I made the repairs - leaving the miniature as close to it's original appearance as possible and resisting the temptation to go nuts with it. Solder replaced Verlinden's tubing and 5-minute epoxy came in handy to wrestle the tracks back down to an acceptable appearance. Gentle air flow and a soft brush got all of the fine dust out of the nooks and crannies of the model kit.

Photo Coverage

A rear view of "SWEET HEART", showing the backside of the armor plates on the Maxson Turret. The sides of the armor are folded back against the front plates. When deployed, they wrap around to offer protection to the sides of the ammo drums - and Loaders!. Note in this photo the mix of .50cals on the Turret, and only two ammo drums are fitted at this time. In addition to the shields in front of the ammo drums, there is a small platform behind the gunner - the two braces are visible near center photo.

Note just under the side shield overhang, the half-track's nickname "SWEET HEART". Also note the antenna mount. This feature doesn't come in the basic Tamiya kit. I would add this equipment in the final miniature. Below is another view of the armor shields for the Maxson Turret. There are also two additional plates, seen in profile, on the front of the Turret.

Later in the war, "SWEET HEART" discarded her armor plating about the Maxson Turret, but gained flash suppressors for the .50cals. I reasoned, and suggested to Vince, that though we didn't have photos of it, it was reasonable to assume at one point "SWEET HEART" would have been armed with the flash suppressors and the armor plates on the Turret. I went this route with the miniature. Below, another view of the rear of the armor plating - with the ammo cans removed. The Maxson Turret is pretty much what you get in the Tamiya M16 MGMC model kit - with a bit of cleanup. The .50cals are Tamiya guns, with the barrel ends sliced off. I made a master and cast three more Flash Suppressors. The simple Firing Cables are Verlinden flexible tubing - I wish I had a tone of that stuff. The Turret Shields are naturally scratchbuilt out of .020" styrene sheet and rod - not so much to mimic scale thickness of the actual parts as to blend in with the rest of the Tamiya manufactured parts. The Radio Fit is modified per the actual example - and not given in the Tamiya model kit. It was an easy detail to pull together from the spare parts box. The Antenna Mount is a Verlinden resin item, with a Minimeca Modelismo Antenna Wire.

"SWEET HEART" carried the number 4061527 and belonged to "A" Battery of the 15th AA. Staff Sergeant Hutson appears in all of the photos of Vehicle #141. Markings for this miniature came primarily from Railroad Scenics dry-transfers - placed on clear decal trim film for application to the model like traditional waterslide decals. Stenciled markings came from a Superscale wet-decal sheet. The National Insignia were Third Group wet-decals. Tarps are made from Tissue and White Glue/Water mixture. Jerry Cans are AP Bayardi resin items in On the Mark Models' brass holders, with paper straps and brass buckles. "SWEET HEART" has MV Products lenses for the headlights too. Bolt detail is assorted Grandt Line, Verlinden, and Punched Disc details where ever called for. The Winch Cable is Nylon String, with a length of black model railroader's Chain and a Tamiya Hook.

The Bazooka mounted on the front of "SWEET HEART". An interesting place to stow a piece of equipment like that. I liked it! I cobbled this one together with a length of aluminum tubing and some strips of foil. I made handles and braces from plastic scrap and foil. It was fun. Later, I'll complete a diorama setting of the revetment "SWEET HEART" is seen parked in. Vince loaned me many photos of this encampment - as well as photos of the men DIGGING these in the hillsides! There weren't earthmovers back there in Korea - these guys dug these pits out! Just one was a whole lot of earth to move.

Building & Finishing Tamiya's M16 MGMC

Tamiya's series of Half-Track model kits aren't bad at all, well-liked by modelers and reasonably accurate considering their age. Replacements have been a long time in coming, and I think sometime during the first decade of the 21st Century, US Half-Tracks will be again visited by a major model kit manufacturer and the old Tamiya kits will finally be superseeded. To model SSG Hutson's "SWEET HEART" only easily manageable detail changes and additions were called for to complete the miniature.

Basically, there are few pitfalls for the modeler to beware of while constructing the Tamiya model kit. Cleanup is slight, the model goes together quickly and will setup true if the modeler is careful during assembly. The Tamiya model kit does capture the essence of the Multiple Gun Motor Carriage, M16 well - most importantly.

The wheels and tracks are stiff poly-vinyl products, with seams than can be removed with a minor amount of effort. The weakest part of the model's detail are the tracks themselves - stiff and hard to work with - not easily set into a convincing position. They're too loose. At the time, there was little in the way available to quickly replace these items, so I worked with them. I have high hopes that a future US Half-Track model kit will address these deficiences .

Trimming away closed armored panels and posing them in more candid positions really helps the final appearance of the Tamiya model kit. Small detail additions like bolts go a long way to creating a visually satisfying product.

This miniature is painted with a custom mix of Tamiya Acrylics. I finished this miniature before I got serious about documenting modeling projects. But, there wasn't a great deal to document in constructing and finishing this particular Tamiya model kit.

References & Acknowledgements

This miniature is dedicated to Vince Hutson's father and I thank Vince for both the opportunity and the knowledge I gained from photos in his private collection. The following books are in my library, and recommended for modelers seeking information for their own modeling efforts:

HALF-TRACK: A History of American Semi-Tracked Vehicles (ISBN: 0891417427) by R.P. Hunnicutt is a fine reference book on US Half-Tracks.

US M3 Half-Tracks (Military Vehicles in Detail Series) (ISBN: 0711030472) by Terry Gander is a good photo book for referencing US Half-Tracks.

Jim Mesko's M3 Half-Track in Action (Squadron Signal Publications ISBN: 0897473633) is another good reference source for modelers. His most recent effort, M2/M3 Half-Track Walk Around (Squadron Signal Publications ISBN: 0897474805) is even better, with more photo detail coverage for modelers.

David Haugh's US Half-Tracks: Their Design and Development (ISBN: 1892848023) rounds out my library reference books and is full of period photos of a surprising number of US Half-Track variants - complete with some 1:35th scale line drawings. This book nicely compliments the above mentioned Squadron Signal Publications book - with the combined cost of both less than the price of the R.P. Hunnicutt reference.