Jeeps

[bootneck]

When I was based in the Far East, in the 1960s and 70s, I used to see U.S. military police and shore patrols driving around in jeeps.  I am building up a diorama of that time and wondered if the jeeps of the 60s/70s were the same as the WW2 versions?  If they are then I can get Tamiya or Italeri kits of them for my dio.

 

cheers,
Mike

[John Tapsell]

They could have been post-war M38 Jeeps or by the late 60s/early 70s, most likely the Ford-designed M151 series which survived in service until the mid 1980s (being replaced by the Humvee family).  Tamiya offered the M151A1 and A2, as did Academy. The M38 series was kitted by AFV Club.

 

The wartime Willys Jeep series was being slowly replaced by the outbreak of the Korean War by the CJ2, but survived well into the 1950s. The two types are easily confused at first glance.

[bootneck]

36 minutes ago, John Tapsell said:

 The two types are easily confused at first glance.

That's what I think I've experienced,  assuming that they were just jeeps.   The WW2 jeep kits seem to be cheaper,  anyone know if it would be simple to upgrade the Willy's jeep to an M151?

 

cheers,
Mike

[John Tapsell]

The M151 is a completely different vehicle to the Willys Jeep - no connection between the two types. Officially, the M151 was never called a Jeep (because it's a trademarked name not owned by Ford) but a Military Utility Tactical Truck or MUTT. However, Jeep is such a generic term that you still see them referred to as such.

A quick google search ('1960s Shore Patrol Jeep') brings up photos of ex-Navy CJ4s restored in US Navy markings - they have a deeper bonnet/hood and different headlamps, plus they seem to sit higher off the ground. I think they also had a tailgate fitted. These might be more likely what you were thinking of for that period?

 

CJ3

 

M151A2

[bootneck]

It must have been the CJ3, as that M151 looks like a Mini-Moke and I would have noticed that.   It's sounding a bit more complex than I imagined and, as it will be a background vehicle, I shall probably go with a Jeep.

 

cheers,
Mike

[modelldoc]

Here at Patriot's Point in Charleston SC is a small exhibition about the Vietnam War with some equipment, including vehicles:

 

https://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/patriots-point-charleston-sc-uss-yorktown.40991/page-8

 

modelldoc

 

[Orso]

Well, I'm building in 1/72 scale and there are no CJ-2 /CJ-3 or early M38 in that scale so I started on an conversion using the war time Jeep as a starting point:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/swedish-jeep-s-t331843.html  I will not bother with the seats that were moved more to the rear, I'll focus to the front and rear of the body to get something that will look like an CJ-2

[malpaso]

The M151 MUTT was available from Tamiya for many years.  
Some resin company does a conversion kit for MB to CJ-2 , I think a fire service.  The most obvious  changes for CJ-2 are grille/headlights, no tools but a filler cap on the side and the rear tailgate with side mount spare.

In the Far East you might have seen what looked like M38 or CJ-3 tall hood types that were license built by Mitsubishi or Mahindra well into the late 20th century.  The Mitsubishi version is available in a 1/35 kit from Fine Molds 

[Kingsman]

The original M38 had the taller bonnet/hood of the civilian CJ3/4 as in the Navy photo.  This was fairly quickly replaced by the more rounded bonnet M38A1, equivalent of the civilian CJ5.  So many MB/GPW Jeeps were built during WW2 that they lingered long in service after WW2 - but not as late as the 60's.  A Shore Patrol MUTT would almost certainly be USMC rather than USN.

 

MMK do a kit of the M606.  This is essentially the standard civilian CJ-3B without the military modifications.  Used in "domestic" environments and by non-tactical units like USN and USAF, also for export (M38s/A1s were essentially reserved for US forces).  So a strong contender for your Shore Patrol.  €39 plus shipping from Czechia and probably import VAT and Royal Mail fees on top.  So you could be looking at £60-70.  A brand not available in the UK.

[dcrfan]

My local hobby ship appears to have a 1/35 Fine Moulds Mitsubishi Jeep in stock which I'm going to try and purchase to make as a Mahindra CJ-3 long wheelbase.  I'm sure it could also be built as a US Willys post WW2. I'm let you know if I'm successful purchasing it.

[Kingsman]

The Fine Molds Mitsubishi Type 73s could probably be hacked into a CJ3.  I had forgotten those.  The main differences are the longer wheelbase and longer rear overhang on the Type 73, meaning a double cut and shut of body and chassis.  There are other differences such as the front fender shape, body side shape and filler cap (and fuel tank) on the opposite side.

 

You might conceivably be able to combine Fine Molds and other brand parts, but that would be expensive and leave a lot of useless parts.  And FM kits aren't cheap.  In the UK, Frome Model Centre is generally a good source for them.

 

Something else I'd forgotten are the new AFV Club IDF Jeeps, available singly or in a dual pack.  These are CJ-5s.  Israel only ever had civilian CJ-5s, never the M38A1.  I understand that AFV Club have included the different CJ-5 parts in these new kits and not just replicated their M38A1.  AFV Club used to do a CJ-5 conversion set for the M38A1.  They may still.

[dcrfan]

I picked up the Fine Moulds kit today.  Looks pretty good. Wheelbase slightly longer than Willys MB - in 1/35th 58mm versus about 61mm (won't know exact until assembled).  Obviously the other key differences are right hand drive, much more comfortable seats and longer rear body.

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by dcrfan

[dcrfan]

I now also have a set of Jeep wheels with urban tyres on the way from Aussie. See http://www.defmodel.com/catalog/htm/dw30013.html

 

Can't have those chunky cross country tyres making too much road noise 😃