The subject is a 1952 Willys M38A1-C (for 'cannon') Jeep, with a distinctive split screen so the barrel of the recoilless rifle can be secured for travel. Note the round in front of the jeep, about the same size as the Wombat rounds regimental prisoners used to have to carry above their heads to and from the Cookhouse!
The only model of this I've encountered is the Roco-Minitanks one, which is a standard jeep with a full windscreen and the gun sitting high on a rather fictional tripod, it was copied by Aurora and UPC and possibly Marx - so; as Brian pointed out in his eMail, "It would make an interesting customizing project". Note also the re-positioning of the spare wheel and Jerry-can from the normal places on the rear, to give the crew room to maneuver the weapon.
And thanks to Brian for the images - Real McCoy!
2 comments:
Matchbox made a model of a jeep with recoilless rifle (Superfast no.38) - it didn't exactly have a split screen, there was just a dent or scallop in the top to hold the gun barrel in place. French Dinky also made one but without any change to the windscreen at all. I wonder what morale was like in the crews - you'd want a driver who was good at reversing quick if you got fired at!
If it would drive after firing Hexeres, we had Wombats in Berlin and they always got a cheer if they could drive-off after firing at firepower demo's, because some years the kerfuffle of blast and back blast would loosen a wire or connection in the engine and the Lanny would just sit there!
Matchbox one's on the Blog somewhere!
H
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