The Oshkosh HEMTT-LHS prototype. |
In an effort to get my wargaming mojo back, which seems to have gone walkabout of late, I decided that I need to work on something. Me being me, rather than restart one of my current projects, I chose instead to work on something different.
As those who come and read here regularly know I'm currently obsessed with writing several novels set in the near future. In the second and third novels my hero leads a mission off-world an I took my inspiration from the current US military HEMMTs. And there are lots of variants.
In my novel the team uses an Oshkosh M2184, a Heavy Utility High-Mobility Tactical Truck (HUHMTT) which carries palletized loads in standard ISO shipping containers with a palletized loading system.
Now I want a model.
The metal M977 actually looks OK next to my models but the castings are rough. The resin version is nice but a bit too dainty. |
So I bought a QRF M977 which is a 15mm model. My Heavy Gear combat armour suit conversions are nominally 12mm but because it's SF, where scale is relative to time and space (BTW that's a joke) I thought being a bit larger wouldn't matter.
However, I was less than impressed with the quality of the casting and put it to one side to consider my options. Then I went bought a resin Kami de Korokoro M997 from Hobby Japan which is nicely cast but true 1/144th scale and just looks a bit too small next to my combat armour suits.
The M977 metal and resin chassis next to some Takara VOTOMS vehicles. |
However, I have a bunch of Takara vehicles that came with the VOTOMS I bought a long time ago and I'm looking at making something up using parts from them. So my plan is to play around with bits of plastic that I have to hand and see what I can come up with. As the advertising people say, Watch This Space!
Finally, I hope that all my American readers had a good Thanksgiving day, got some bargains in the black Friday sales and generally had a good time.