I recently scored this most cool looking kit: 
I guess it’s supposed to be from a Japanese series.
Does anyone have an idea of what the thing on the swing arm in the picture in the upper right corner is supposed to be? Also, there’s a cone ended thing on the rear port side diagonally opposite the 20 mm turret. Any ideas on that? It almost looks like some sort of exhaust or stored snorkel.
Any help/toughts would be appreciated.
The vehicle comes from the Gundam universe; you can see it in action in: Gundam The 08th MS Team.
The swing arm attachment is a vibration sensor that the crew uses to detect Mobile Suits, rather like a submarine uses sonar. I haven’t finished watching the series, so I can’t answer your question about the “snorkel.”
Please keep us posted! I’d like to get this kit sometime.
m@
Alright, here I go again
this is a type 74 Hover Truck used by the Earth Federation Ground Forces in all theaters on Terra, most notably the Kojima Battalion in Asia and the White Dingo Battalion in Australia.
The mounted turret is a 20mm Vulcan used as anti air defense.
The side mounted spikes root the vehicle to the ground and read the sonic vibrations caused by the movement of enemy mobile suits. This is required because of extreme use of Minovsky particles on the battle fields, a Minovsky particle disrupts signals such as radio and radar.
The bed on the back is used for transporting supplies.
Normally a Type 74 would accompany a mobile suit division as forward scout. A normal mobile suit division consisted of Three Units, In the major theaters where this unit came into play they supported the RX-79[G] Ground type ‘GM’ Mobile Suit 
for Stats
Model number: Type 74
Code name: Hover Truck
Unit type: combat communications support truck
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
First deployment: UC 0074
Accommodation: 1 driver, 1 gunner, 1 sonar operator, 1 radio operator, in main cabin
Propulsion: 4 x hover engine
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; underground sonar system
Fixed armaments: 20mm vulcan gun, mounted on roof
While most people think that the Gundam series is all giant robots, this is one example of the many more conventional fighting units that are seen in the series.
If your interested in scratch building the interior here is some line art of the inner work stations.
Whew! You know your Gundam stuff. I will be using this in a a futuristic, non Gundam scene, probably with a Nitto suit.
Thanks.
Someone did a nice build of one of these about a year or so back.
painted it up in desert tan IIRC.
Link to that build.
Yes he does; and if you would like a link to the page where Smeagol got his intel, click here.
You say that like I didnt know the info off the top of my head.
That vehicle isn’t hard to fit into a non gundam setting. Just make sure you keep it in 1/35th or the doors on the truck will look to small
Hello! [:D]
Yeah when I first saw this kit I thought I’d work well in David Drake’s ‘Hammer’s Slammers’ universe.
I’m watching and waiting to see if can find one cheap somewhere.
Im just curious as to why whenever someone builds a gundam kit that isnt a Gundam they have to take it out of the gundam universe
Smeagol, speaking for myself I’m not knocking the Gundam setting but I’ve never really been into mecha. I find futuristic tanks and other AFVs more interesting on treads,wheels, or hovercraft.
well I understand that, but you can use the markings and decals that come with it and keep it in the universe without any kind of mecha in the dio
This is great kit. I built it for Workbench Review in the March 2008 issue of the magazine. When I remember my Photobucket account, I’ll post a couple photos.
Cheers, Aaron
I think in the instructions for mine, it said the large crayon-shaped missile thing on the rear deck was an antenna of some sort.
Photos:
Cheers, Aaron
Very nice Aaron, its nice to see a kit with the ESFS star on it
Good idea, that would certainly work as well. Course I don’t have the kit yet, but it’s a definately an idea I’ll keep in mind.
Thanks for the great photos Aaron!
I have to say, this is one of my favorite Non-Gundam Vehicles from 8th M.S. Team (the series it is featured in).
For a little more background info, this vehicle is attached to a unit of Three Gundam Suits known as the 8th Mobile suit Team, of the Earth Federation Space Forces, deployed on Earth, somewhere in Eastern Asia, near Odessa. This particular Hovertruck, while suited for a three-man crew, was only ever manned by two, a couple of troopers; Eledore, the wannabe rockstar, and Michele (pronounced Mick-L), a young boy who seems to be the narrator of the series, as we learn small portions of the plot through his letters to his girlfriend. Eledore usually mans the sonar-thingy, and alerts the team to incoming enemy suits, while Michele mans the anti-aircraft Vulcan cannon.
I have seen the entire series (at only 12 episodes, it is short for a Gundam series) several times, so if you, or anyone else, has any questions about builds from the 8th M.S. team, feel free to ask.[cptn]
It is a VERY good series and shows a bit more of the real war side, as opposed to the other series, showing some of the reasons that Zeon is a villian (though I still stand on their side) using gas on a colony, using anti personal shrapnel ordinance from a Zaku suit.
Also has one of the coolest mobile armors and a very cool variation of one of my favorite mechs