But I couldn’t find any info about this tank… The only thing I want to know is the serial of this tank… for example, the Italeri kit comes with one Indochina M24 marking, with the code 1C-93015, I supose that the “Conti”'s serial is very simmilar, but I want to know exactly the code. Another thing… The camo scheme was added in the field or in a factory?..maybe, if it was applied in the field, I can cover the serial with some paint… Thanks in advance.
Ten M24’s were air-lifted into Dien Bien Phu in December 1954 in major components (back then there were no aircraft capable of airlifting a 20+ ton tank intact). They were painted with improvied camouflage of sand and/or red-brown over the issued olive drab during the reassembly on arrival at D.B.P. Some vehicles wore temporary camouflage (mud); so yes you can get away with covering the serial numbers. The French called them “Bisons”. The names assigned to these include: Smolenske, Bazeille, Ettlingen, Auerstadt, Douaumont, Posen, Ratisbonne, Mulhouse, and Neumach. They were assigned to 1er Regiment de Chasseurs a Cheval. All were destroyed by May 1954. Track down a book titled “Vietnam Tracks” (I do not remember the author or publisher) and the Squadron book “Armor of the Vietnam War”.
Even though the kit is an old one it still has possibilities! Enjoy[:)]