Maxim Turret: I would change the Maxim Turret mount into the appropriate configuration exhibited by other trucks converted by artillery units for this employment - mounting the towed M55 Quad into a steel box, inserted into the cargo bed of the Deuce or 5-ton Cargo Truck like performed by the Artillery units when converting these trucks for AA duty. I pulled the turret off the Tamiya Pedestal base and added my own scratchbuilt M55 Quad Trailer details to make the weapon fittings more accurate. I virtually followed the pattern of the Kirin resin M55 Quad in the photo below.

This is Kirin's #25026 M55 Quad Gun Trailer - also designed by Chris "Panzer" Mrosko. Another denizen of my detail parts box (now more aptly called "Collector's Chest") this is the best place to start if you don't want to scratchbuild your own M55 Towed Mount for this type of gun truck or Artillery AA Truck conversion. This resin kit is quite difficult to find too - and can go at up to 200% its original price if you aren't lucky in looking in the right place! The Trailer itself was literally pulled up a set of metal ramps and secured in the steel box inside the cargo bed - with the wheels pulled off. See the below photos for examples of how this weapon was fitted into the cargo beds of the Deuce and 5-ton cargo trucks. The ramps are to either side of the mount. The center of the steer box appears to be planked with wood in this example. I chose to mount mine is a slightly different fashion, per other photographs of these weapons as mounted in a cargo truck bed.

There is additional armor plating on the Turret behind the gunner, as shown in the 1968 photo above. This was a detail I couldn't see in the photographs I had in the first build-up of "Nancy". I don't have a better view to offer here, and had to 'guesstimate' its fittings for my miniature. It appears that "Nancy" had a Geisha Girl type "pinup" applied under the legend "NANCY" on this armor plate. Wanting to add this detail to my new miniature, I hand-drew a Geisha Girl. Not being able to see behind the flank armor plate, I speculated that "Nancy" might have been based on a likeness of the Okinawan Princess. She carried a sword in her hair, and no man dared gaze upon her lest he wished to invite a swift beheading at her hand with that sword. I brought a doll Okinawa Princess home when I returned Stateside - and it was the first thing I though of when looking at this photo and trying to figure out what the 'lady' might have looked like. Instead of placing the hand-sword in the Geisha Girl's hair - I drew it clasped in her hands, held in front of her. "NANCY" above the Geisha Girl is not outlined in red - and I printed a decal for this too in the same color as used in the other decals.

I trimmed both of these decals freehand - the 'Geisha Girl' with a curve cutter blade (like an X-Acto knife equipped with a collette that holds the blade but can swivel through 360 degrees, and the "NANCY" letter arched above head with a regular X-Acto #11 blade. I trimmed the lettering with a thin white border around the yellow - as this is what I interpreted from the 1968 photo above. Not a regular practice, I've watched my wife produce some impressive craft work over the years - close enough in fact that I just sat down and knew what to do to trim these little decals out.

This is my graphic for "Nancy's" 'toothy grin on the gunner's turret. Same procedure for applying it goes the same as above for the fighting compartment logo. Of course, I cut away and applied the nose and mouth separately. I would match the color of the yellow to paint on the lower portion of the Gunner's Shield and then apply the 'mouth' over that area. This was a custom mixture of Tamiya Flat White, Lemon Yellow, and Yellow Green - yes, SOMEONE really does use that color! Not an exact match - but close enough for government work...

I really had fun doing these graphics and decals on the computer. I got no modeling done that whole day fiddling around with making my own decals! I'm no graphic artist, but when reduced to 1:35 scale and applied, the images more than satisfied me. They're such a large part of the overall finished miniature that I wanted something pleasing to compliment the rest of the work.

Below are photos of the fittings I modeled for my miniature - minus the loading ramps.