M-37

[Don Boose]

Nothing to do with the M37, but in other postings I have mentioned that a pileated woodpecker regularly comes to eat at the back garden feeder (and sometimes to eat the feeder). Although it feeds within a few feet of the sun room window, it's a cautious bird and whenever I try to approach for a photo, it flies away. This shot of Pileated in the ash tree is the best I've been able to do so far.

Don

[dansls1]

Looking good - and nice woodpecker

The 'axle boxes' as you describe I beleve would actually be the 'axle' or possibly 'axle housing', with the spinning bits being shafts (often half-shafts, as the planetary gear would be in the middle of the axle with the drive-shaft bringing the power in).

I don't see the 'lumps' as you say, but remember that most military vehicles see a bit of abuse (I hear stories about them running over large trees and such) - so even if there are some there, it is easily brushed off as 'battle damage'.

[Gharbad]

Nice truck and woodpecker! I saw a Hairy pretty close up the other day... some local teens drinking in the woods even stopped by to take a look :p

Is that Rapa-nui a Bionicle character, by any chance?

[Don Boose]

Thanks for the terminology, Dan. And I could tell you stories about riding in military vehicles . . .

In Vietnam, our little three-man advisor team had an M151 -- about the only one in the Mekong Delta at the time. All the other vehicles in the division were Japanese-built "offshore procurement" versions of the M35, M37, M38 family. The story was that it had been stolen from a Navy officers' club in Saigon and driven all the way down to Vinh-binh City by one of my crazy predecessors. I cannot confirm that story, but I can tell you that all the serial numbers had been ground off.

That M151 traveled over some very rough roads in the year I was there. Our driver, Khy, had a very primitive tool kit, with which he could completely disassemble, clean, repair, and reassemble any part of the vehicle. It ran like a top at all times, I'm here to tell you. IF I can ever recover the shoe box full of 40-year-old photos, I'll post some one day.

Kuba -- Rapa-nui is distantly related to the universe of Bionicles. The two grandsons are great Bionicle builders and inventors of a very rich and constantly changing universe inhabited by Bionicles, Lego people, and Sponge Bob characters, among many others. Then 11-year old Don4 made the original drawings, provided advice, and did some building, but, since I myself was not very clued in as to the technical requirements of Bionicles, Rapa-nui turned out to be sui generis.

We have hairy woodpeckers and red bellies as constant companions in our back garden. Downies are less frequent, and northern flickers stop by from time to time.

Don

[birder]

That is a fine pileated, there. They have regal-like appearance somehow, like a loon or a peregrine. Here they are very shy and live in remote areas, but when we lived in Orlando they moved through the old deciduous trees right in town, sandhill cranes walking on the road, and great blue herons had to be shoed off the sidewalk at times. most odd.

[Jimr]

Orazio-
Thank you very much for the lists of websites in reference to to the AS 37.
I have read that they were very fine vehicles. I would like to build a model of one. My problem is more projects than time. Thanks again.
Jimr

[jagolden01]

Boosed,

Nice build, thanks for posting.
Smooth work on the transitions of the engine hood.

I see a Japanese warplane int he background, is that next?

[member_3]

Mighty fine looking truck there, Don! The 1:1 Pileated Woodpecker is even more impressive. How did you attach the model to the tree to get the picture?

[Don Boose]

Birder -- You do find yourself in some great birding territory, but not to compare with your current home, of which, I am quite envious -- although we, too, have great blue herons and white egrets that fly down the Conodoguinet (the stream that runs 300 yards west of our house in the bottom land beyond the ash tree in the pileated photo)

Jim -- Always glad to have you check in to my threads, Old Boy. Do you contemplate building a model of that nice Italian 3/4-tonner?

jagolden01 -- I have been planning for some time to try the 1/33 GreMir Ki-44 Shoki as my first 1/33 model since the Troll Contest Hampden and have also had several 1/48 WWII Japanese aircraft in my "to do" pile (Marek Ki-61s and Ki-44s, Kampfflieger Ki-51 and Curtiss-Wright CW-21 in Japanese markings). I started one of the 1/48 Marek Ki-44s to get ready for the GreMir Shoki. The pieces that I have cut out so far are lurking in the box visible in the background. Eventually, I'd like to build a series of WWII IJAAF aircraft -- including some 1/48 versions of the GreMir stable.

OldTroll -- Is funny, Navy Colonel. Have a great Navy Day, Ron, and do not throw trash into the scuppers or over the fantail.

Don

[birder]

Don, estimation based on the size of the Seibly would put your vehicle somewhere about the size of an english sparrow, larger than a chickadee but smaller than a bluebird.