For my first model I'll be doing the M41 Walker Bulldog.
Now, some wiki:
The M41 Walker Bulldog was a U.S. light tank developed to replace the M24 Chaffee. It was named for General Walton Walker who died in a jeep accident in Korea. On 7 November 1950, the US Ordnance Committee Minutes (OCM) issued item #33476, re-designating the heavy, medium, and light tank, according to the armament; the 120mm (heavy) Gun Tanks, 90mm (medium) Gun Tanks, and the 76mm (light) Gun tanks.
While the M24 Chaffee was a successful design, its main gun was not effective enough against well armored opponents. Although the primary mission of a light tank was scouting, the U.S. Army wanted one with more powerful armament. The development of the new tank, T37, began in 1947. The vehicle was designed to be air-transportable, and the desired anti-tank capabilities were provided by installing a long 76 mm gun with an advanced rangefinder. In 1949, with the adoption of a less ambitious rangefinder, the project's designation was changed to T41. Production started in 1951 at Cadillac's Cleveland Tank Plant, and by 1953 the new tank completely replaced the M24 in the United States Army. Initially it was nicknamed "Little Bulldog", then renamed "Walker Bulldog" after General Walton Walker, who was killed in a jeep accident in Korea in 1950.
The M41 was an agile and well armed vehicle. On the other hand, it was noisy, fuel-hungry and heavy enough to cause problems with air transport. In 1952 work began on lighter designs (T71, T92), but those projects came to naught and were eventually abandoned.
The Walker Bulldog saw limited combat with the U.S. Army during the Korean War, but for the most part, the conflict served as a testing ground to work out the tank's deficiencies, especially with its rangefinder. At the time, it was designated as the T41, and was rushed to the battlefield even before its first test run. This was due to the fact that the North Koreans were supplied with Soviet T-34 tanks, which were superior to the M24. By 1961, 150 were delivered to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to supplement their Type 61 medium tanks.
Vietnam
In 1964 the M41 light tank was selected to replace the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) M24 Chaffee light tank, which they had inherited from the French, who in turn had received them from the United States during the First Indochina War. The first M41A3s arrived in January 1965, equipping five ARVN squadrons by the end of the year. The M41 was an instant success with South Vietnamese armour crewmen, who found its interior to be just perfect for their stature, which had been a principal criticism by US armour crewmen who had been assigned to the vehicle. This, combined with the tank's "mechanical reliability, simplicity, and excellent handling" made the Bulldog a worthy war machine.
In 1971, the ARVN and US forces commenced Operation Lam Son 719, a disruption of North Vietnamese Army (NVA) supply lines in neighbouring Laos; a combination of armour and airmobile attacks on three axes into enemy held territory. The ARVN 1st Armor Brigade, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments penetrated approximately 4 miles into Laos on 8 February, enemy reaction was swift, with this first engagement between NVA and ARVN tanks, the 17 M41s knocked out 22 NVA tanks; six T-54s and sixteen PT-76s. Friendly units lost 5 M-41s and 25 APCs.
By 1973, over 200 M41 light tanks remained in service with the ARVN. US units in Europe and CONUS equipped with the M41 Walker Bulldog eventually transitioned to the M48 Patton medium tank.
Due to my excitement, it wasn't until after I cut the wheels off the sprues did I remember that I needed to photo everythin - so hopefully this will be OK. I started this build around 1pm today, and completed the entire build by 9pm. This is a super amazing kit that quite literally snaps together. Quite detailed for such a small tank, with lots of moving parts.
Enough talking, here are the shots and my progress
Here are the sprues and pieces - as you can see, all that was done was wheels glued and then prepped for paint
Not very much flash at all, anywhere - and the figures are actually quite nicely detailed.
Instructions
Decals - 3 options
awful tamiya tracks in this metallic plastic
Both halves of the gun have been connected, and seem removed - I not only use Tamiya thin to seal the seam, but also super glue and insta-set to fill the cracks and then instantly sand it down.
Lower hull
Upper hull
Turret
Turret and upper hull dry-fit
And that's all. I'm going to let it dry overnight and then connect the top to the bottom - with the clip included, you don't even need to glue it together... but I will... and cut out the middle section some more so that I can get inside to attach the paint holder.
Thanks for looking in!
Looking forward for more!
