1/35 M114A1 155mm Howitzer in Viet Nam, 9-15-13, Details

[robbo]

Some great armour/guns used in Vietnam, not enough of it gets shown on the modelling sites though, look forward to seeing where this build goes

[sturmbird]

Jun 18, 2013 14:26:38 GMT -5 @chrisb said:

Gary,whilst some of the fellas here may be familiar with the terminology you're using,some of the non Military guys may not,as Acronyms are prone to changes over time.Any chance you could throw up a short Glossary of some of your abbreviations,Acronyms etc..?,for future members references?

why don't you guys come up with a list, and I'll chime in afterwards.
gary

[Tobi]

A friend of mine here in Germany is a former Marine (German mother) and his father also was a Marine who served three times in Vietnam.

I hate to say it, but the things he went through broke the man, or even drove him insane (won't go into detail here for similar reasons as Gary, I believe). He died way too early because of alcoholism, before my friend was old enough to really get to know his dad.

So the light hearted stuff is perfectly ok for me. Easier to cope with, whether you are directly concerned or uninvolved. As long as the uninvolved people like me, who live with the privilege that they never had to step upon a battlefield so far keep in mind, that war is no walk in the park!

And now on with the build Michael, I'm keen to see how this baby will develop. Already looking promising! If there just weren't so many great models to build (sigh)...

Cheers,
Tobi

[sturmbird]

Jun 19, 2013 1:56:00 GMT -5 Tobi said:

A friend of mine here in Germany is a former Marine (German mother) and his father also was a Marine who served three times in Vietnam.

I hate to say it, but the things he went through broke the man, or even drove him insane (won't go into detail here for similar reasons as Gary, I believe). He died way too early because of alcoholism, before my friend was old enough to really get to know his dad.

So the light hearted stuff is perfectly ok for me. Easier to cope with, whether you are directly concerned or uninvolved. As long as the uninvolved people like me, who live with the privilege that they never had to step upon a battlefield so far keep in mind, that war is no walk in the park!

And now on with the build Michael, I'm keen to see how this baby will develop. Already looking promising! If there just weren't so many great models to build (sigh)...

Cheers,
Tobi

I'm going to get way off the subject of this thread a slight bit, but please bear with me as this is important. May also help some of us understand why folks kinda act odd when these subjects come up.

I came home from Uncle Sam's imposition of involuntary servitude in the late winter of 69. I weighed 147lb. and and was 5'8" tall. My chest was 44" and my waist was 29". No fat boys in the bush! My thighs looked like an NFL half back's. I kinda stayed out of the limelight and just chased skirts (every one I saw). Looking at a couple photos awhile back with my sons, I was shocked! I saw that deep stare that I recognized from my Uncle Cliff who did the PTO grand tour with the Marines in WWII. I looked like I was a youngish forty years old! I got to spend two extra days in the Army because of a uniform problem (nothing would fit!) They asked me to do a volunter interview with a team from the University of Washington. Had nothing better to do, so I did this three hour interview with them. They asked me all kinds of questions about life in general, and then the last couple hours started digging into my side of combat. After it was all said and done they told me I was the first guy they'd been alble to talk to that did Tet. They said that every day of combat is a form of mental trauma (I didn't say that, but they did). When I left Washington state they said I was mentally aged to where I was in my forties. Maybe so I don't know. But I do know that it's as hard on you mentally as it can be physically. This leads us into the next paragraph:

OK, I'm around combat vets almost daily. We rarely talk about hard nosed combat, as some guys don't handle the subject as well as others do. We all have PTSD in one size or another (everybody is different). I learned to tame my PTSD by sorta "handing it off to others." But I also know the dragon's still hanging sround, and will be till I'm cold in the ground. I rode that dragon's tail for about ten or twelve long years, then one day woke and said I ain't doing this anymore! The smell of burning charcoal and the sound of a military chopper scare me to death, and I also avoid them like the plague. Don't do well on foggy nights or slow drizzeling rain, but have learned to deal with these things. Other guys are different, and different things bother them. Yet compaired to many guys, I'm lucky. Some guys deal with flashbacks all the time, and others rarely if ever have one. I've had a few, but they get further and further apart as I age. Plus there are subjects I don't want to remember because of this (if I say I don't want to discuss something that's usually why). This gist of this paragraph is a warning! Be kind of carefull with who and what you ask. Some of us don't do well with some subjects, and others it dosn't bother.

Combat vets are usually very non violant folks contrary to what the bimbo on the local news channel will tell you. A few of us just want to leave society in general and keep to ourselves like hermits. Others are the opposite, so we're all different. I'm a bonafied I-Corp Rat, and it's a society you can't join. You were placed into it by the U.S. Taxpayer wether he wants to admit it or not. Your marine buddy is an I-Corp Rat, and tell him I said "Welcome Home Brother!" Cause nobody else will! My VFW Post has it's share of them, and we are very tight with each other, and we are there when we bury one of us. Plus we seriously take offense to somebody stepping on one of the guys from I-Corps. We help each other thru bad times and we will be there for the good times. My girl friend and I decided to do Tom's wake a few years back at the Post instead of out back. We partied till about two in the morning and folks came around and asked us what we were upto. Few understood, and then they asked what the one can of warm beer was for on the table (Budwiser). After that they understood and joined in. I told them who Tommy was, and why with tears. The next year on the 22 day of Febuary, Gloria and I held the annual wake in the exact same spot. About twnety guys and a couple women joined in. The next year I invited everybody to bring a can of beer for somebody that was dear to them, and have their own wake. We had about forty people. This year was about the same. We don't want to forget those folks, because society already has.
gary

[Deleted]

Gary....I'm not ashamed to say it,but I read that last post with tears in my eyes!!!My limited experience of a 4 month tour in Northern Ireland in the 70's was nothing compared to what you guys went through in Vietnam,and what a lotta guys are still doing over in Afghanistan,even now.
I have the greatest respect for all the Vets,and all the currently serving guys and gals.May you all stay safe!!

[Tobi]

Yep - not much more left to say!

Sadly so much described by Gary applied to my friend's dead father, and for him it took a really bad ending a couple of years ago.

For my friend, who only did a short tour in Ex-Yugoslavia and, though getting wounded according to himself "hasn't seen so much", he said lately at least he was able to learn from his father's mistakes. Besides that he says as well, hearing the stories, he would never dare to say he could empathize what his father and uncle have been thru.

As I said before, no one can imagine or understand if he hasn't been there. But remembering is not asked too much.

Tobi

[redleg12]

Gary - I have read your posts, I understand and with a quite look I have a beer for a few guys.

Chris - I will agree with Gary. We who have served understand our language. Either post a list or feel free to PM. We will get you on the stick!

Robbo - Thanks for stopping by and the comments

Tobi - Well said!

Rounds Complete!!

[Leon]

Redleg,Gary i have the deepest respect for you and all who served in Nam.I had just graduated high school in 74 and registered for the draft with my dad by my side.I,m writing this with tears in my eyes,i never got drafted but if i did i was willing to go for whatever the reason.I salute all those who never made it home.May they never be forgotten.

[sturmbird]

Thanks for your replys, and don't worry much about me. But worry a little about the other guy. Shake his hand and welcome him home. The rest will take care of itself.

When I was young, we were the new kids on the block. The WWII vets were the old guys. Now there are about one third of us left (so they say), and we are the next group to dissappear. Probably long overdue, so they can put that bad piece of luggage back in the closet where it belongs.

good day
gary

[fightnjoe]

first is to say that this build is up to your usual high level red. outstanding in construction and detail.

this part i have written and rewritten several times.
gary thank you for sharing what you have so far and what you will further down the line. some of us, for what ever reason, did not serve. speaking for myself, and i am sure others, thank you for the sacrifices you made. i did not serve but members of my family did, including my grandfather PFC Joseph E McCaslin. without you and others who share memories so much would be lost. i also had tears in my eyes when i read your earlier post. not ashamed of it. not ashamed when i do the same when i hear taps. chrisb and i had a conversation a while back where he said the us holds their vets in higher esteem than other countries, think i got that right chris correct me if i am wrong. i told him that it is a learned trait. some of us have no prouder moment than to shake the hand of and thank a vet.


joe

[sturmbird]

Jun 20, 2013 16:49:09 GMT -5 fightnjoe said:

first is to say that this build is up to your usual high level red. outstanding in construction and detail.

this part i have written and rewritten several times.
gary thank you for sharing what you have so far and what you will further down the line. some of us, for what ever reason, did not serve. speaking for myself, and i am sure others, thank you for the sacrifices you made. i did not serve but members of my family did, including my grandfather PFC Joseph E McCaslin. without you and others who share memories so much would be lost. i also had tears in my eyes when i read your earlier post. not ashamed of it. not ashamed when i do the same when i hear taps. chrisb and i had a conversation a while back where he said the us holds their vets in higher esteem than other countries, think i got that right chris correct me if i am wrong. i told him that it is a learned trait. some of us have no prouder moment than to shake the hand of and thank a vet.


joe

Joe,

Comming from you, is the highest comment a fellow can recieve. Thank you from the deepest part of my heart. Joe is one of my favorite modelers, and I have always respected his endevor to keep the PTO in front of us. I still always think of his Pearl Harbor group builds when I think of his name. I think this man needs a lot of respect amongst his peers, and he will always have mine.

I never dwell much on the game of mortal combat. A lot of it I shrug off like water on a duck's back. But trust me I will never forget the fellows I ate mud with. Some events hit so hard in your chest that it was like being hit with a 50 caliber round, and they will never heal up. Can't help it as that's the way God made me. I've cried many a night over one person, and would trade myself for him seven days a week. Still I also know I can't. I have made it a point to force every man in my company to remember him wether they want to or not. I don't usually goto reunions and such, but was sorta conned into attending one awhile back. It ended up being kinda funny, and very sad at the sametime. You see they thought I bought the farm on the way out of the field to the rear, and had long since assumed my past demise. Now that part was funny! One guy actually touched me in a stairwell to see if I was real (Randy). Randy and I were tight, and he was my spotter when I manned the M60. Then we of course had to figure out just who it was that didn't make it out. It was another friend of mine, and that hurt real bad. Most of the guys didn't know him, but I did. Couple of guys actually ask me if the stories about my short timers parties were real! I said of course they were, as I had a reputation to keep. (I don't even remember most of them)

I've tried to help you guys build the most accurate parapit the modeling world has ever seen in my posts. I also expect a few of you to consider a howitzer being hooked up for an insertion onto a hill top out on the border (they don't serve good TexMex out there by the way). I was the hook up man in my unit, and also rigged about half of the them to be transported. If I can help you, speak up. You'll just need a time frame. (early verses late CH46 and Jolley Green Giant)

hotter than blue blazes out on Ryder this afternoon
gary

[redleg12]

Leon - Thank you for you thoughts.

Joe - First on the build, thanks. As to Gary, I continue to love his stories

Gary - I continue to thank you for the info and you enhance all of our experience here and our knowledge for a firebase. Now as far as that aerial insertion....I have the 1/35 Hook and an M102....someday!

Rounds Complete!!

[sturmbird]

Jun 20, 2013 19:01:39 GMT -5 redleg12 said:

Leon - Thank you for you thoughts.

Joe - First on the build, thanks. As to Gary, I continue to love his stories

Gary - I continue to thank you for the info and you enhance all of our experience here and our knowledge for a firebase. Now as far as that aerial insertion....I have the 1/35 Hook and an M102....someday!

Rounds Complete!!

I'm still working at getting the pieces together for the M102 diorama. Conex container deminsions are elusive! Plus I need about a mile of razor wire (maybe more). Going to donate it to the VFW when I get it done (if ever!). I've decided that it will be a jump battery from the 101st up north. Plus I got to get Bob Dillon's M26 tank done (two of them).

Ah the wonderfull experience of getting sandblasted and literally beat silly hooking up a pig to a CH46. Then you get the full blast of the static charge like nothing you can imagine! The first time I did it, I was literally blown about eight feet off the top of the gun while my first sargent was rolling around on the ground laughing his butt off. I saw nothing funny about it! Top and I were close, but he had a cold hearted sense of humor! That would have been on LZ Ross around the first week of May in 1968, and was my first incursion into the Que Son Valley to a place called O'Conner (later changed to Lurch in June). Also my first OP with the 196th Infantry. Later in early June we sent three guns to an unkown SF manned mountain top that would later be known as LZ Melon. Also the first OP I did with Green Berets. We finally had to do an extraction due to untenable WIA's, and the lack of warm bodies to fill their places. Tough place with a very obnoxious home owners association. (they didn't have any good bars or TexMex places out there either). I'd actually forgot all about Melon till Randy produced a handfull of photos with me in them. (Randy was WIA during the second week up there) That's the place where we slept with the rats, and had the six AM wake up call from the chunk of 82mm mortars just like clock work. You'd crawl out from sleeping in a culvert, and unwrap yourself from the pauncho liner with the rats going in the opposite direction (they had to get warm too). Not even a good place for Superman!
gary

[Deleted]

Gary,you mentioned the Conex containers,and I knew I'd seen a new product on the market....Have a look here...
www.mecmodels.com/E_frame.html?http://www.mecmodels.com/E_art_64.php
It's a fairly new company,that appears to specialise in Vietnam era gear....

[redleg12]

Gary - Air Assault artillery is a trip. Under the Hook...the A22 bag with the ammunition. Trying to guide one in while you are trying to breath from the rotor-wash and keep your eyes open with the dust!

Chris - Thanks for the link to the site. They have the old style conex and a lot more interesting VN items.

Rounds Complete!!

[sturmbird]

had a couple beers last night with my VFW post commander. He was an FO with the 101st up near the Ashau. Tough guy, and a strait up guy at that. We were planning on setting a wreath at the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall in August. My idea and he said it was a go. Then he and I, plus a SOG guy we really respect got to talking about the wall in Washington DC. I said I'd never been there and was not all that sure I wanted to go there. All was understood. Then Bob said something just hit me like a ton of bricks. He saw a Lady place a small plastic bag at the foot of one of the sections. In it was her wedding band. He said it brought tears to his eyes, even after 40 years! Kinda grabbed me by the jugular.
gary

[redleg12]

Back at it this week as I got some work in here and there though quite a busy week.

On the lower carriage, I painted the tires with a 50/50 mix of NATO & Flat black. The main color is Tamiya JSDF OD. The fittings on the air lines are painted with Alclad Steel. The cylinder on the carriage jack is painted with Alclad Aluminum. After the paint dried the entire lower carriage, except tires, was coated with Testors Acryl Semi Gloss.



The upper carriage was painted also with JSDF OD. The equilibrator piston and retainers were painted with Alclad Aluminum. Also the piston for the breech was painted with Alclad Aluminum. Elevating and traversing gears were painted with Alclad Steel. The entire upper carriage, except the barrel and screw breech, were then coated with Testors Acryl Semi Gloss.



The barrel was given the greased look with a light coat of MIG Smoke pigment washed onto areas of the barrel.



Here is a view from the breech with the breech open. The inside of the breech is also painted with Alclad Aluminum.



Well that is this week’s work. I will begin casting the pile of crates, drums and ammunition needed and finishing up my work with wood.

Also picked up Bravo 6 Vietnam Helmets to have around the position.

As always if you have any comments, please feel free to drop in.

Rounds Complete!!

[Leon]

Looking good Mike.The breach assembly looks like the same thing on the M109 i just finished.

[wbill76]

Nice progress as usual Mike, glad to see you're getting in some regular rotations at the bench! Barrel looks neat with the pigment/grease treatment and always love the little details you add to a build. The casting work sounds like it ought to be fun, crank up the assembly line!

[redleg12]

Leon - The screw lock breech for the 155mm is very similar. Most separate loading howitzers use a screw lock breech system.

Bill - Thanks for the comments. Trying to keep steady progress. will need lots of projos, powder cans and ammunition crates for this one.

Rounds Complete!!

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

It's been a few years Mike but that looks just like a 155 and the roll away looks great.

We had a set of those on high ground not far from our hootch pointed at the mountains to the west and when those dang thing went off in the middle of the night or early early morning I would levitate at least three feet off the sack.

Those were the days my friend I thought they would never end
Tony lee

[fightnjoe]

mike wow. she looks incredible from here. she looks ready to send rounds downrange.





joe

[redleg12]

Tony - Thanks for stopping by. Yep, a 155 will tend to knock you out of the sack unless you are prepared for it!! Trying to get back into the swing of things. Great to have you stop in old friend.

Joe - Thank for the peek. Always try for the realistic look. Now I need the smell of muzzle blast!!

Rounds Complete!!

[fightnjoe]

mike the smell maybe but the noise is something for the memory banks i would bet. i have met a few artillery guys and they all have hearing loss to some degree.



joe

[bbd468]

Man, thats comin along sweet Mike! M114A1 is a beautiful piece or Artillery.

[sturmbird]

Jun 23, 2013 17:57:26 GMT -5 redleg12 said:

Back at it this week as I got some work in here and there though quite a busy week.

On the lower carriage, I painted the tires with a 50/50 mix of NATO & Flat black. The main color is Tamiya JSDF OD. The fittings on the air lines are painted with Alclad Steel. The cylinder on the carriage jack is painted with Alclad Aluminum. After the paint dried the entire lower carriage, except tires, was coated with Testors Acryl Semi Gloss.



The upper carriage was painted also with JSDF OD. The equilibrator piston and retainers were painted with Alclad Aluminum. Also the piston for the breech was painted with Alclad Aluminum. Elevating and traversing gears were painted with Alclad Steel. The entire upper carriage, except the barrel and screw breech, were then coated with Testors Acryl Semi Gloss.



The barrel was given the greased look with a light coat of MIG Smoke pigment washed onto areas of the barrel.



Here is a view from the breech with the breech open. The inside of the breech is also painted with Alclad Aluminum.



Well that is this week’s work. I will begin casting the pile of crates, drums and ammunition needed and finishing up my work with wood.

Also picked up Bravo 6 Vietnam Helmets to have around the position.

As always if you have any comments, please feel free to drop in.

Rounds Complete!!

that barrel looks like it's seen more than a couple one round zone sweeps shot thru it. Looks just right to me. But what caught me eye was the breech (as I live right by it). Bronco looks to have done a bang up job in getting it right! I couldn't tell if the got the flash hole in the center on the mushrum head on the breech door. I'd guess you did. Also the female threads are either bare metal or hard chromed (the male threads have the same hard chromed finish). It was near impossible to keep the handle painted where the AG handled it.

After shooting a few rounds thru the gun, not only does the finish of the barrel get a dirty look to it, but also the mushrum head will get a slight bit dirty (about like your barrel work) This is actually caused by the swab picking up soot and burnt rag out of the chamber and being wiped across the head. Also creates a gas that will make you want to puke! The guy with the swab was instructed to always use the minimum amount of water on the swab, and the steam it created was noxious. Plus I'd whoop his butt if he did that to us up by the breech. After the mission was complete ("bore clear") the AG would usually take a wet rag and wipe down the breech head.
gary

[sturmbird]

Jun 23, 2013 19:02:25 GMT -5 Leon said:

Looking good Mike.The breach assembly looks like the same thing on the M109 i just finished.

they are very similar. Even the M110 with the 8" is similar, but of course bigger.
gary

[sturmbird]

Jun 24, 2013 6:24:36 GMT -5 tonylee-Rest In Peace said:

It's been a few years Mike but that looks just like a 155 and the roll away looks great.

We had a set of those on high ground not far from our hootch pointed at the mountains to the west and when those dang thing went off in the middle of the night or early early morning I would levitate at least three feet off the sack.

Those were the days my friend I thought they would never end
Tony lee

perhaps I've never said it Tony, but "welcome home brother!"

What was your AO? I was an I-Corps rat. Talk about muzzel blast, I was sleeping on the chopper pad out on LZ Ross. Got there just as dusk set in, and paid little attention to what was around me while I rigged six howitzers for the lift in the morning. About one in the morning I was hit with blast that literally blew me off the ground! I was sleeping about a 150 yards infront of three 175 guns!! They only shot about six rounds, and that was enough to ruin my day. But then about five thirty in the morning I get woke up again by all kinds of 105mm gunfire and even some 4.2" mortar fire. They are actually chasing an NVA truck as it rolling thru some switchbacks going down a mountain side nearby. Must have fired fifty rounds, and never hit the guy. Bet his shorts were full<g>!!! Plus how could they have missed at 4000 yards?
gary

[Tobi]

Mike, clean build and paintjob so far, and nice subtle weathering on the barrel!

Seems to me that Tamiya color would also make for a nice WWII "Lusterless Forest Green" on USMC equipment? What is the XF code?

Cheers,
Tobi

[bullardino]

Mike, the howitzer looks gorgeous, splendid job.

Gary, thanks for sharing. I'm not a vet, I'll never understand what you've been through. All I know about vets are the tales my two grandfathers told me when I was younger. One was in Africa fighting along Rommel's Afrika Korps and was wounded at El Alamein, the other one was one of the few ARMIR survivors (ARMIR was the name of the combat corps sent to Russia to fight to capture Stalingrad. We all know who won...). All they told me is a part of what I am, they really inspired me and the way I see life.

As the others said, thank you and all the others who served.