A few days back,Jeffry Fontaine and I were on MSN IM. He gave me the idea of an M18 Hellcat TD armed with a 105mm howitzer. The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.
Quote from: General Zod on October 17, 2010, 05:33:50 PM
The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.
Guess I haven't asked why it was unsuccessful...... recoil problem? Or something else?
Quote from: dy031101 on October 17, 2010, 05:39:59 PM
Quote from: General Zod on October 17, 2010, 05:33:50 PM
The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.
Guess I haven't asked why it was unsuccessful...... recoil problem? Or something else?
The war ended.The M36 90mm TD turret was mounted onto the M18.When the muzzle brake was mounted,the M18 could handle the recoil.
Since the turret rings of both M18 and M4 are of the same size, I wonder if the Hellcat can handle the Firefly turret (with 76mm M1 gun for use by the US Army or Allies that take American weapons; Firefly turret because of its modification for accommodate weapons with greater recoil distance, and I am under the impression that the T23 turret is heavier)......
I think the biggest "real world" issue with some of these conversion ideas is weight. The 75 mm gun turret from the Sherman could fit but it might make the M18 awfully top heavy. It could possibly create other engine, drive train and suspension problems, depending on how much flexibility the real components had.
HOWEVER, I would never suggest that you avoid model conversions because of trifling real world engineering concerns. Perhaps your model could represent a vehicle based on the design of the Hellcat but with heavier armor and more robust mechanical components that would place it in the medium tank range. Fake it out a bit with tracks, road wheels, drive sprockets and such from a later, heavier US tank (anything that'll fit from the M26 to the M48), a heavier turret of your choice and possibly a bow machine gun to justify the fifth crew member.
Heavy Halftrack >:D :icon_fsm:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2Fm8-18.jpg&hash=f568738317b74ad74665e092e0aecb1295ebdff7) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/m8-18.jpg.html)
High Hellcat 8)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2Fm18-XH.jpg&hash=42b84698d5d42a18015c5613b79e50d67592cfda) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/m18-XH.jpg.html)
I dare someone to build that halftrack! :wacko:
What if some cooperation after WWII: 2 reccon possibilities.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2FM18_Sdkfz234.jpg&hash=727b75d075859f8569928d299a8194324ae7072b) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/M18_Sdkfz234.jpg.html)
IMHO: first one is quite plausible. 8)
Quote from: ysi_maniac on December 16, 2017, 12:50:30 AM
IMHO: first one is quite plausible. 8)
It is and an attractive looking vehicle :thumbsup:
A Hellcat recce vehicle with a Greyhound turret would be plausible. Better off-road that the Greyhound and about as much space. Since you'd have to put a plate over the original turret ring to reduce it to Greyhound size anyway, you might as well use the M39 style hull with it's raised roof. That way the "M39-.50cal" and the "M39-37mm" would mirror the M20 Utility Car and M8 Greyhound respectively.
What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat... :unsure:
Quote from: Weaver on December 16, 2017, 05:45:14 AM
What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat... :unsure:
Which Japanese ? company did the small diorama sets - Nitto ? Didn't they ? Swear I saw one back in the days ?
Quote from: NARSES2 on December 17, 2017, 01:18:32 AM
Quote from: Weaver on December 16, 2017, 05:45:14 AM
What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat... :unsure:
Which Japanese ? company did the small diorama sets - Nitto ? Didn't they ? Swear I saw one back in the days ?
Not that I am aware of, Chris. There are resin 1/72 or 1/76 M18s but no injection moulded ones that I am aware of. I once scratch built one, way back in the 1980s, so it isn't hard to do it. I used Airfix Leopard 1 roadwheels with a plasticard hull and turret. :thumbsup:
Chris, you may be thinking of Nitto's M36 kit.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthumbs.worthpoint.com%2FhIuzqL3g0Zi6tGrJ9n1_JmejOAY%3D%2F400x0%2Fimages%2Fimages1%2F1%2F0411%2F23%2F1_ddea5c0bb5578dd0b8911421a6a845fe.jpg&hash=b0da9652be20a38c8d01963dc78749f6ea9387fc)
I assume this is made of poliestyrene, but already built: https://hlj.com/product/HBM38863
Wargame config, odd scale (1/56), but a nice model anyway: http://www.italeri.com/scheda.asp?idProdotto=2585
Quote from: NARSES2 on December 18, 2017, 02:32:13 AM
Quote from: joncarrfarrelly on December 17, 2017, 01:45:04 PM
Chris, you may be thinking of Nitto's M36 kit.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthumbs.worthpoint.com%2FhIuzqL3g0Zi6tGrJ9n1_JmejOAY%3D%2F400x0%2Fimages%2Fimages1%2F1%2F0411%2F23%2F1_ddea5c0bb5578dd0b8911421a6a845fe.jpg&hash=b0da9652be20a38c8d01963dc78749f6ea9387fc)
That's the one Jon :thumbsup:. Thank you. Strangely it's the bike I remember most.
Quote from: ysi_maniac on December 17, 2017, 05:37:14 PM
Wargame config, odd scale (1/56), but a nice model anyway: http://www.italeri.com/scheda.asp?idProdotto=2585
One of the tables at the recent London Model Show had a lot of armour kits in 1/56. Interesting scale. Some really interesting stuff :thumbsup:
Scaleorama: M18 1/56 + M1 1/72
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2FM18_M1_scma.jpg&hash=e80b945f2e89cab0dd0caebdc21359442975fbc7) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/M18_M1_scma.jpg.html)
Interesting. Give it an extra road wheel and it would be even more so :thumbsup:
Combining the hull of a M42 Duster AA tank with the turret of an M18, the Type 64 Light Tank:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwotlabs.net%2Farticles%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F07%2FType-64.jpg&hash=b6ce6118b2d658e1778c3bb13e1b87db1dfa3103)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwiki.gcdn.co%2Fimages%2Fthumb%2Fe%2Fe3%2FType64photo3.jpg%2F267px-Type64photo3.jpg&hash=7f02cbda90165626820aaca8f9e4247e7e6438ee)
Used by the ROC Army on Taiwan.
Interesting vehicle Rick'. Doesn't look quite right, almost as though they've not ensured the two parts were to the same scale ;)
Interchanging turrets between M10 and M18
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2FM10_M18.jpg&hash=f8077d406e157bbadc0ad1b7bcf2d72cd6791603) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/M10_M18.jpg.html)
M18 with M4A3E8 turret.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2FM18_M4A3E8.jpg&hash=ce26dfda2de2d5f5d072e6efe0dafb73415e2f1c) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/M18_M4A3E8.jpg.html)
Recce version of M18 with upgunned (50mm approx) M8 turret.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1080.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj340%2Fysi_maniac%2FdrawTanks%2Fm18_recon.jpg&hash=cc11dca3f52e9314f700597266d857cee67f249a) (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/ysi_maniac/media/drawTanks/m18_recon.jpg.html)
That's nice :thumbsup:
We now have an M18 in 1/72nd: https://armourfast.com/product/m18-hellcat/
How about an M18 hull fitted with the FL-10 or FL-11 French oscillating turrets as used on the AMX-13 tank and many other vehicles post-war? The rational would probably be that some nation couldn't afford new vehicles so they up-gunned their M18s by any means they could. These get you all sorts of interesting up-gunning options:
75mm (Panther gun, basically)
75mm + 4 x SS-11 ATGWs
90mm
105mm
As a recce vehicle, the Chaffee turret could probably be fitted too.
M18 Hellcat with 60mm HVMS gun
Two different turrets. I am surprised M18 turret is bigger than M24's
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_HVMS_60mm.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_HVMS_60mm.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
I like the bottom one in particular :thumbsup:
I have to confess that I do not like M18 turret. Then ... different turrets for M18 hull.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_turrets.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_turrets.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
M18 Hellcat converted to CRV (open and closed)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_M139.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M18_M139.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
Armed with a 30mm gun
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M8_M18_30mm_ieEug7J2W2yMpY6T2KoDnH.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/j340/ysi_maniac/M8_M18_30mm_ieEug7J2W2yMpY6T2KoDnH.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)