Greetings, I’m a former USAF TACP. That means I was a FAC and an RTO all rolled into one called ROMAD (Radio Operator Maintainer and Driver). I’m looking for some good resin aftermarket stuff in 1:35th scale, in particularly radios like the PRC-117F (PRC-150 is basically the same chasis, just the HF only version, a 117 can be modified to reflect the 150’s changes in antenna and handset ports), PRC-113, and PRC-104. If I can find these radios, I figure I can scratch build the pallets they go to for mounting in Humvees and the M1130 Stryker CV TACP variant (of which I had the honor of being one of the first Airmen to operate out of at the Ft. Polk roll out and the deployment of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team in SEP05). It would also be handy for use with modern 1:35 scale soldiers. I’ve got an itch to model scenes from my old job…
…Right now, I just take the Large ALICE packs and scratch build the appropriate antennas, however its kinda boring that way, because than I can’t make a good diorama of someone working on a radio…
Nice idea. I plan to build a FAC jeep from Vietnam, with trailer mounted generator and in my case that would be a MRC-108 or MRC-107 commo palet. But finding any kind of kit that has a radio is already a problem. And people normally can’t tell them apart (neither can I), so nobody sells that. Now you, ROMAD, you know how the radios look like, maybe you can even get some TM’s that describe them. The way I see it you should at least scratchbuild the radios or post some fotos, maybe try to cast something in resin[:D]. OK, bad joke. But I really don’t see an alternative to scratchbuilding right now. Maybe somebody else can help you more. Have a nice day
That’ll be an awesome project! Here are some links you might find a bit helpful:
Korean War (pre ceasefire 1950-1953) ROMADs “Mosquitos” http://www.mosquitokorea.org/
Vietnam War Direct Air Support Squadron/Flight (DASS/DASF) ROMADs: http://www.afdasf.org/
Some photo galleries of interest there:
For the more modern items, here is the ROMAD Locator: www.romad.com Just select enter and click on the Equipment button, if you want the history which contains some of the photos of the older equipment, click the ROMAD 411 button and the History will be in there.
I dont think scratch building those radios out of some sheet plastic and rod in 1/35 would be very tough. All you need are dimensions and some pics of the control panels. I am real familiar with the 104 family myself and used either the 117 or 113 on occasion.
Thanks a lot for the links. This is a very nice surprise and a great help for me at the same time. It will still take some time until I will go on with working on another jeep (have to clear other projects first), but anyhow, now I’m much closer. I wish You success on Your build too. Thanks a lot again, and have a nice day
I have the US modern radio and communications set and it is awesome. Comes with most of the current radios, a laptop, cameras, a couple of mobile phones, the blue force tracking system and heaps of other stuff. Really good kit.