I am working on completing a quartet of LVT4s that participated in Operation Detachment, the assault on Iwo Jima in Feb ’45. I decided to do an LVT4 of each of the Marine Amphibious Tractor Battalions that participated. Through the myriad references and videos I have managed to solidify markings for all but the 11th Amphibious Tractor Battalion. Although references state the 11th operated LVT2s and LVT4s, I have not been able to locate any photographs of their LVT4s. I would like to do each AmTrac battalion but, without an LVTA4 in 1/76 I cannot build a representative of the 2ND Armored Amphibian Battalion.
The base is the Airfix 1/76 LVT4 kit, that I will build OOB even though the temptation to replace and refine many kit parts weighs on me, I want to finish this within the next couple weeks. I may need to get a fifth kit to go crazy on – water deflectors, gun shields, handles and cargo compartment details.
The LVTA1 I am finishing up is actually a “ready to display” die-cast model that I have cleaned up the gaps and seams on, as well as repainting it as an LVTA1 of the Marine 1ST Armored Amphibian Battalion.
LVT4 of 3RD Amphibious Tractor Battalion towing artillery piece on Iwo Jima – 3AABN landed on Beaches Red 1 & 2.
LVT4 of 5TH Amphibious Tractor Battalion sitting off Iwo Jima – 5AABN although assigned Beaches Blue 1 & 2 only landed on Blue 1.
LVT4 (half submerged by beach) of 10TH Amphibious Tractor Battalion on the beaches of Iwo Jima – 10AABN landed on Beaches Yellow 1 & 2.
LVT2 of 11TH Amphibious Tractor Battalion off-loading supplies on Iwo Jima – 11AABN landed on Beach Green.
LVTA1 of 1ST Armored Amphibian Battalion that participated in assault on Namur Island in Feb ’44.
I am making slow and steady progress on my Operation Detachment LVT4s. Assembling the sponson / roadwheels were particularly aggravating – before you sits 88 ridiculously tiny and fiddly roadwheels.
Time to begin priming, pre-shading and prepping the Archer dry transfers for tac numbers.
Between this build and concurrently reading “Alligator Marines, The United States Marine Corps’ 5th Amphibious Tractor Battalion in WWII” – highly recommended, may provide the neccassary motivation to pull my 1/35 LVT4 from the stash for a turn on the hobby desk.
How are you. I see you finely found some time to build some LVT’s and an ambitious project to boot. Good luck in your builds. I will be following the build.
If you ever make it back to Barstow. Please get lots of pictures of the old exprimental LVT’s.
Beach ID and tac marks have been applied to the two OD tractors, 3rd and 5th Amphibious Tractor Battalion LVT4s. 10th and 11th Amphibious Tractor Battalion LVT4s have been masked and sand color applied, tomorrow will see the earth brown painted.
I resisted the temptation to paint the 5th AmphTracs LVT in a gray finish – recent readings identified four to six of their tractors being painted blue gray immediately before the operation.
Ralph,
Hopefully I will be able to finagle a trip back to Barstow, I have not even had a chance to work on the LVTA5 as of late. The only project I was able to get my hands into was repainting the LVT3 and am thinking about repainting the LVT2 and LVT4 inside the museum to add a tad more color.
Camouflage and beach markings now adorn the tiny LVT4s. I need touch up some the camouflage here and there, but overall I am satisfied. Next should be wash and weather.
