I need a little help. Do any of you experts know if they make a m48 duster kit. I know it was used in nam but thats it. Any help would be good. Thanks
If you mean an M42 Duster, there’a an ancient Tamiya kit that’s been around since the 70’s and goes in and out of production from time to time.
in a m48 the only thing close would be the sgt. york.in testing the radar kept locking on the outhouse vent fan
Ditto to the M247 Sgt York if you are looking at M48 chassis AA guns.
If it’s the M42 then you have the Tamiya kit. They actual have two releases I believe, the white box one and a much earlier full color graphic boxed one which is the motorized version and also comes with a set of figures. AFV Club is also releasing one based on their MUCH better and newer M41 molds.
edited: correction on AFV Club, that’s just my wishful thinking.
The previous answers are correct on the M42 and the kits. As far as the Sgt York system, it was a dismal failure and was never full fielded to my knowledge.
Rounds Complete!!
Redleg is correct on the M247 SGT York. It never went past the testing stage. The Tamiya kit of it is not very accurate either. They just took their M48A3 kit and added the new turret and a few boxes for the hull and called it an M247. The rear hull was extensively modified on the real vehicle.
The Tamiya M42 Duster can come out really nice with some work. Here is mine that won at TamiyaCon IX in '04. I added a lot to it and modified most of the rest. It is a good base to start with though. It has since been updated with the AFV Club M41 suspension set and AFV Club M41 tracks.
And the full truck/trailer combo it was loaded on.
Good luck.
To further the comments on the M247 Sgt York, it was supposed to be as good as the Navy Phalanx ship system and have capability to even (if needed) shoot down a missle. The Army spent $$$$$$$$ and the tests showed it could not hit a stationary helo. It was the mating of three different systems from different services and failed.
Once the word got out how bad it was doing, the program was cancelled and too the Army having an air defense gun.
Thank God the Patriot worked!!
Rounds Complete!!
The Army kep an AA gun for many years. Both the towed and M163 Vulcan ADA systems were used well into the 90s when they were replaced by the Linebacker (which was recently retired).
Rob! You’ve turned into…a cartoon!!! [(-D]
Arty, that’s one sharp looking model–WOW! I can see why it took the award!
The Army also had the Chaparal system, but actually have never seen one in the real.
gary
Rob…You are correct on the Vulcan. What I was trying to say was the York was intended to replace the Vulcan. Since the York failed, the Vulcan stayed in service until the mid 90s.
Squeakie…The Chaparal was a missile system, mainly deployed in Korea and Germany in the 70s & 80s. The Army has had a long history of AA missiles through to todays Patriot, Avenger ect.
To my knowledge (and Rob or Heavy can correct me since I have been out for a while) the concept of a new AA GUN system pretty much died with the York, especially SP system, and the Army has not had a AA GUN system since the mid 90s.
Rounds Complete!!
You are correct. We have relied on Stinger-derived missile systems (Stinger ManPads, Avenger, BSFV (Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle), and Linebacker) for SHORAD (SHOrt Range Air Defense). The only one left in the force is currently the Avenger HMMWV-mounted system which is assigned only down to Corps level. Patriot is a Medium Range ADA sytem and the new THAAD (THeatre Area Air Defense)is a Theatre-level ADA system.
Doog - Thanks for the kudows on my M42 as well.
First
Rob…WHAT IN THE WIDE WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS DOES THAT PICTURE MEAN???[#dots]
We have have all been trained with your usual fabulous picture staring at us. The picture and your answers were always like looking at the teacher who you just asked a stupid question. We love that old picture!!![swg]
Heavy…I did not comment on your M42 eariler because I was at work and I can get in but the pictures are blocked[|(]
I’m at home now and now that I see it…Well it is beyound words [bow]
Lastly thanks for closing the loop on the current status of ADA. Like all of us in the mid 90s the draw down hit those guys and everything was thinned out. I’m sure its generally (execpt where you are) hard to find some one with cross cannons with a missile through the middle these days.
Rounds Complete!!
No problem about commenting on the Duster. My damn firewall at work blocks most pics too. You are right about the ADA branch dying though. We do have a few here since this is where III Corps HQ is. Actually, we have an ADA Bn (2-1 ADA, Patriot) currently attached to my unit, 41st Fires BDE. They are relocating from Korea to Ft Hood and needed a HQ to fall under. I guess they just looked at the artillery part and figured we were close enough.
Here is a picture I took of a Duster at Mott’s Military Museum. It’s 2nd from the left.
The Tamiya is the only Duster kit Ive ever seen, it was around in the early 70`s IIRC
The Duster and the quad .50 half track were used as infantry fire support during the Korean War, I have some photos showing them in use and have talked to a KW vet who crewed one of the half tracks.
Would make an interesting diorama with one of each, I think.
You may have to look around for some vintage, or out of productionkit dealers, or maybe Ebay to find one of the Tamiya offerings.
Renwal (reissued by Revell) had a M42 Duster in 1/32 as well. It was pretty bad though, typical '70s Renwal; soft and missing details, out of scale, tracks with no detail, etc…
The M42 was used in Vietnam for ground support as well.
The Tamiya kit is still readily available and can be easily found on eBay. It goes in and out of production often.
Typically the M42 Duster was enployed with heavy artillery especially up near the DMZ in VN. There would be a Duster on each flank and one at batter center. These were used for battery defense.
Light artillery could employ direct fire for defense. M108 & 109 had organic M2 50 cal. The M110 and M107 had no defense, therefore the employment of the Duster.
If you are looking for a VN dio, an M110 or M107 emplacement with and M42 nearby would do the trick.
Rounds Complete!!