Logistics, the trucks & Jeeps Update April 6, 2012
While on a recent trip, I found a die cast store in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I'm not into die cast but I've been looking for something I could use for an American staff car for Patton's entourage. I wanted to include General Omar Bradley and Ike's chief of staff, Lt. General Walter Bedell (Beetle) Smith. I found a 1941 Plymouth in 1/32nd scale, yes, 1/32nd, don't tell anybody I fudged a couple of millimeters on the size of the staff car!
It looks perfectly at home next to the Tamiya Jeep.
It was fairly decent quality for die cast, I only had to repaint everything, including the interior, and add the military insignia and paraphernalia. There will be two jeeps, Patton's 3/4 ton Dodge, an M-16 half track, two Harley Davidson motorcycles as escorts and now the "Beetle" Smith staff car. In case someone doesn't know, Walter Bedell Smith picked up the nickname "Beetle", when in school and carried it the rest of his life.
Here is the car as purchased and with packaging.
I did very little weathering. I figure that a Lt. General's car would be kept clean and maintained, especially the Supreme Commander's Chief of Staff.
This brings the number of vehicles in total to an even 50 for this diorama.
Bob
