High Mobility Battlefield Logistics Transport - The Build

[Old Wombat]

General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada?

[Old Wombat]

Update on this high speed production!

Prime mover - crew space:




Commanders weapons control unit:


Inside top, not very exciting:


(Note the anti-spalling mat on the side wall & the air-con unit on the ceiling.)

Linkage:

(You have no idea how much time I've spent finding the right parts for this. Eventually 1 x novelty biro top + 1 x toy fairy wand supplied the parts.)

Crew's survival vests (in case they need to bail out in hostile territory):



Now, how do I fit them AND 3 crewmen in here?

(Actually, I'm pretty sure I know how I'm doing this but one of the vests is probably not going to be visible.)

Questions or comments welcome.



Guy.

[kerick]

I will be watching this build! Looks fasinating

[rickshaw]

Why aren't the crewmen wearing their vests?

[Mossie]

Too hot and bulky?

They'd probably fold up flatter in real life.  If it's official, there'd probably be some racking provided, a bit like in a fire engine where they manage to shoehorn four guys, breathing apparatus and other stuff into the rear cab.  If it's unoffical, (like Brian mentioned if they're really supposed to wear it in the cab but take it off when sarge isn't looking) they'll probably just shove it into gaps or have makeshift pegs.

[Old Wombat]

Why aren't the crewmen wearing their vests?

Well, I suppose, 1st up, there's the "camelbak" type water-pack on the back. Then there's a bum-pack (for personal items/med kit?), 2 of those bulky hip/side-packs that seem to be used these days (1 with a 1-man shelter, the other with rat-packs & cooking gear), 4-mag pouch for the MP-5, an ammo pouch (possibly for boxed rounds to refill the MP-5 mags) with a rope, a pouch for a field dressing and 3 flares.

As Mossie said, they'd probably fold up smaller in real life (& I may try to force it a bit with these) but I figure they're just too bulky to wear comfortably in the cabin. I'm going for make-shift racks/hooks & jammed into a free corner.



Guy

[NARSES2]

Now that is really nice work 

[rickshaw]

Why aren't the crewmen wearing their vests?

Well, I suppose, 1st up, there's the "camelbak" type water-pack on the back. Then there's a bum-pack (for personal items/med kit?), 2 of those bulky hip/side-packs that seem to be used these days (1 with a 1-man shelter, the other with rat-packs & cooking gear), 4-mag pouch for the MP-5, an ammo pouch (possibly for boxed rounds to refill the MP-5 mags) with a rope, a pouch for a field dressing and 3 flares.

As Mossie said, they'd probably fold up smaller in real life (& I may try to force it a bit with these) but I figure they're just too bulky to wear comfortably in the cabin. I'm going for make-shift racks/hooks & jammed into a free corner.



Guy

Might be easier to give them a "bug-out" pack on the outside of the vehicle.  They wear the vest inside, with ammunition and perhaps a personal weapon and a water-bottle on them and when/if things get hairy, as they exit they grab their pack with all the other stuff and depart the scene toute-sweete.  In my day, AFV crews used to wear a one piece coverall with a shoulder-holster or belt holster with a pistol (commanders preferred the shoulder-holster but it was rare and hard to get, 'cause the belt holster used to catch on the hatch rims and they were always getting in and out all the time).  Nowadays they wear an armoured vest with a pistol.   On the outside of the vehicle is their personal pack.  When you're escaping a burning vehicle you don't want to be encumbered very much.  There also simply isn't room inside for much personal gear and as was found in WWII, invariably its the flammable stuff inside the vehicle which catches fire first and it's often the personal stuff stowed inside which goes up first!  That is why most AFVs on campaign look like gypsy caravans. 

[Old Wombat]

Good points, Brian!

Back to the bloody drawing board!



Guy

[buzzbomb]

Still.. those vests are damn purdy !

I gotta say though the monitor on the fold out arm (if that is what it is) looks ace.

[Old Wombat]

Still.. those vests are damn purdy !

I gotta say though the monitor on the fold out arm (if that is what it is) looks ace.

That is what it is, (other) Brian. For the 3rd crewman to operate the remote weapons station on the "guard-van".

The vests are already being recycled into the new (old?) concept.



Guy.

[nighthunter]

I'd like to ask, what era would this be in, and why not the P-90 over the MP-5? I get that it is your build, but I would have figured the P-90 would have been the weapon of choice. Just my $0.02. Keep up the awesome work!

[rickshaw]

I'd like to ask, what era would this be in, and why not the P-90 over the MP-5? I get that it is your build, but I would have figured the P-90 would have been the weapon of choice. Just my $0.02. Keep up the awesome work!

The P90 (note, the correct nomenclature has no dash in the middle) has a "coolness" factor that can't really be surpassed.  However, there is a reason why its only been adopted by special forces.  Basically, its not a very good weapon firing a non-STANAG round.   It is prone to stoppages. Special Forces love it though, 'cause of the "coolness" factor and they can spend the required amount of time to keep the weapon working, whereas general military forces can't.  If you look at the Wiki page on the weapon, you'll see numbers that have been purchased have remained quite small. 

All weapons in the PDW (Personal Defence Weapons) IMHO leave somewhat to be desired.  If you're in a firefight, even if you're a Loggie or a AFV crewman, you need a real rifle.  SMGs, over-grown pistols, P90s, just don't really cut it.  Either they fire a too-light a round or have too short a barrel to be accurate at the ranges required in real life.   The British Army adopted the L22 carbine which is perhaps one of the best compromises for this sort of work.  It has a rifle length barrel but is short enough to be used by vehicle crews.  The carbine version of the Steyr AUG is another such weapon.  Thats the chief advantage of bullpup weapons - you get a long barrel in a short package.  The MP5 is an excellent weapon but it fires 9mm Parabellum which leaves somewhat to be desired as a military round against armoured vests.

[Old Wombat]

I'd like to ask, what era would this be in, and why not the P-90 over the MP-5? I get that it is your build, but I would have figured the P-90 would have been the weapon of choice. Just my $0.02. Keep up the awesome work!

Era is pretty much "now", give or take 5 years.

Why the MP5? Mostly because I had a set of MP5's in the stash (still have some left). I was tossing up using some resin Austeyr's I have in the stash but they're a bit finicky to construct & I didn't have 3 of a kind, which I did of the MP5's. I was tossing up the idea of M4's (of which I have quite a few) but I really want them for other builds, as I do my UMP's. So, MP5's it was!

(How's that for a verbose reply? )



Guy

[Go4fun]

I'm happy with your progress on this. It looks loke a really great build and the detail is stunning... and your not even done! 
Wondering how the 'caboose' is coming on this land-train?