Author Topic: HMMWV with Quad .50 Finished!  (Read 27030 times)

Offline Frank3k

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HMMWV with Quad .50 Finished!
« on: January 02, 2012, 09:05:40 AM »
In this thread Jeffry Fontaine presented a Sketchup model that he produced by combining a cargo Humvee and a quad .50 mount from a WWII M16 half track.

I have an almost finished M998 cargo Humvee; all I needed was the M55 quad .50 trailer kit from DML, which meant that I wouldn't have to break up my M16 kit:


Jeff was kind enough to send me his M55 quad .50 kit (unbuilt) along with a big box of modeling goodness. This is what I've done so far. Most of the parts are just tacked on, and the M151 is on just for reference:





I'll have to remove the side armor; when pointing horizontally, the lower .50 is just under the edge of the shield.
The M151 RWS will have to be modified as well; I'll probably strip it of everything except the optics, electronics and the axle. I'll mount a MK 19 grenade launcher in place of the RWS's .50 cal.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2012, 04:20:50 AM by Frank3k »

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2012, 10:19:37 AM »
Looks great so far.  The problems with the tight fight in plastic were no different from what I was experiencing with creating my SketchUp model :^)

Mounting the electro-optical equipment between the guns inside the mout where the gunner previously sat sounds like a great idea.  That way it the sensors would rotate/traverse in combination with the guns and not present a higher profile.  I am waiting eagerly for the next installment on this neat little project. 
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Offline Maverick

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2012, 03:44:08 PM »
Certainly an interesting project.  I agree with Jeff regarding mounting the optics within the gunner's station.  A nice little convoy escort vehicle for those 'recon by fire' moments.

Regards,

John
Regards,

John

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2012, 03:47:44 AM »
Looking good. :D
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2012, 07:03:10 AM »
I've finished most of the structure. The guns and Mk 19 are still only blu-tacked in place, but this is close to what it'll look like when finished:




It's a very tight fit; I had to shave off a fair amount of plastic from two hydraulic fluid (?)  tanks on the base.

I'll leave off the quad's  lower armored skirt - there's no gunner to protect. I'll add an electronics box to fit in the empty spot in the middle.
As Jeff suggested via email, the former RWS optics and electronics assembly will get a thermal IR camera.
I also have to make the LCD display and joystick for the gunner (next to the driver)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2012, 08:32:39 AM »
I had completely forgotten about the Mk19 being in that AFV Club M151 RWS kit.  Certainly a practical solution that adds some 'variety' to the mix.
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2012, 08:06:08 AM »
The man does armor too?!!!

Yes, Frank, I am feeling a bit inadequate, but I applaud your incredible work! I can't wait to see this baby with paint and weathering!

Brian da Basher

Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2012, 11:00:22 AM »
Why does work get in the way of fun? I sure hope that Nigerian princess comes through with that $20mil check so I can retire! Until then, I moved the Protector to the top of the cross bar:



I added an electronics box for a counterweight and a second optical device.





The system looked a little cramped and out of balance in the older position, especially with the new optics. I may keep it here; it doesn't increase the profile by that much and it gives the optics a slightly higher viewpoint.

Hopefully, I'll get a chance to finish the work and do some more painting tomorrow.

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2012, 11:05:22 AM »
Looking good!  Have you considered adding some additional bracing to your sensor/grenade launcher combination?  Maybe a bit of cross bracing to tie in the rear of the weapons cradle with the cross bar?  Now if you had a flexible ammunition chute to connect the ammunition box to the Mk19 you could mount that down below and out of the way which would also be an excellent way to balance the entire assembly. 

What did you use to construct the additional sensor? 
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2012, 11:44:04 AM »
Looking good!  Have you considered adding some additional bracing to your sensor/grenade launcher combination?

Yup. I have some angle brackets/triangles from an unused part of the kit,  that or something similar.

I was thinking that the 40mm grenades would be too big/heavy for a long ammo belt, but they come 50 to a belt, so that shouldn't be an issue.

The new optics is made from a cylinder that comes with the AFV protector kit. It must be part of the Stryker. One end is closed off except for a small hole in the middle and I used a sprue pip from the kit (there are many) as the sensor's cooling and electronics connection. The front end is a "U Vernier flat" from a Mecha detailing kit from Wave. They're handy! I have a complete design in my head for the optics (because I'm a telescope nerd) but obviously won't get implemented.

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2012, 12:30:05 PM »
Looking good!  Have you considered adding some additional bracing to your sensor/grenade launcher combination?

Yup. I have some angle brackets/triangles from an unused part of the kit,  that or something similar.

I was thinking that the 40mm grenades would be too big/heavy for a long ammo belt, but they come 50 to a belt, so that shouldn't be an issue.

The new optics is made from a cylinder that comes with the AFV protector kit. It must be part of the Stryker. One end is closed off except for a small hole in the middle and I used a sprue pip from the kit (there are many) as the sensor's cooling and electronics connection. The front end is a "U Vernier flat" from a Mecha detailing kit from Wave. They're handy! I have a complete design in my head for the optics (because I'm a telescope nerd) but obviously won't get implemented.


Nice to have spare parts on hand that work for more than one purpose.  The part used to make the objective lens on that new sensor looks believable. 

You make a good point on the weight of the ammunition.  In most systems that are pulling heavy cartridges for any distance from off the mount there is an ammunition boost device that helps with moving the rounds from the magazine to the weapon.  The booster is pretty much an electric motor with a gear drive attached to it that fits the circumference of the cartridge and assists in getting it on its way from the ammunition box to the weapon.
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2012, 06:14:06 AM »
Here's the latest - Humvee is painted in a NATO-ish pattern (with NATO colors) Quad is in Olive drab and mounted.



A lot of the bits are just on (like the .50 cals) and some are missing (humvee antennas and interior electronics). I don't know where to put the spare tire - I'll probably build a mount for the rear cargo hatch and hang it there.


Still need to finish the detail painting and the arts mentioned above, but it's getting closer to completion. I'll also add some decals; I've been reading Iain M. Banks "Culture" series, so I'm in a Culture mood - I'll call this "Guntruck Diplomacy" and add a few "stay clear when guns are firing" right in front of the guns.

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2012, 07:12:36 AM »
That is freakin outstanding. :-* Super buildup.

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2012, 07:53:34 AM »
Certainly looks the part.

Regards,

John
Regards,

John

Offline Rafael

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2012, 08:11:19 AM »
Frank, this is awesomeness in the flesh!
I can picture that lady sitting atop a hill (under camo netting) guarding against the pass of some unsuspecting insurgents.
The grenade launcher only adds to the menacing looks of this vehicle
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2012, 02:03:00 AM »
Great work Frank.  I really like the way you put that all together. 
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2012, 02:54:28 AM »
Thanks for all the comments, guys!

I spent most of yesterday working on the interior, but I did get some stuff done - the quads are mounted (waiting for their ammo boxes) and I added the spares from the kit. I also added a couple of large ammo boxes (technically from a resin minigun kit, but here they're  big boxes of 40mm grenades),  fuel and water cans and a scratchbuilt box for spare .50 cal barrels:


The antenna, water and fuel cans and the handles on the spare barrel box are all Stryker bits from the leftover sprues that come with the M151 kit.

The interior has instruments from Archer fine Transfers. The scratchbuilt LCD monitor is just a printout of a desert scene pasted onto a standard Protector display. The support arm and many other bits in the cockpit interior (like the radio's handset and the windshield wiper motors) are also Stryker spare bits from the M151 kit.
The radio is sitting on a box that acts as the Protector's computer. The display/keypad to the right is a resin copy from a DML MRLS kit. If it looks like there are a couple of AT-ATs on the display it's because I used the decal from an old AMT Snowspeeder kit.



I still need some more bits in the interior, then make decals and finish this.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2012, 02:58:20 AM by Frank3k »

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #17 on: January 18, 2012, 03:48:58 AM »
Looking damn fine!!!
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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2012, 03:53:38 AM »
Looks very cool  :) 
At the risk of sounding as ignorant as I am about these things, how much additional weight would a set up like this add? Would the suspension need to be beefed up? Dual rear tires? Or is it not as heavy as it looks?
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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #19 on: January 18, 2012, 05:06:31 AM »
 Seems like if it'd work in the back of a half-track, it'd work in the back of a Hummer.

 I hadn't really looked at this closely before-but going over the last couple of pages has been a treat. updating the old quad 50 with modern optics & electronics is
 pretty sharp thinking. ( not that that's a surprise. ) Just the thing for a zombie apocolypse!

Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #20 on: January 18, 2012, 05:45:52 AM »
Thanks guys!
 Jeff, the original M998 can carry about 2500lbs of cargo. The M55 weighed around 2200lbs so a base M998 could carry it.

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #21 on: January 18, 2012, 06:52:41 AM »
Clearly the vehicle has the new light-alloy and carbon composite version of the quad-mount, so weight isn't
as much of an issue.  ;)

Vera cool Frank, vera cool indeed.  :icon_fsm:
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #22 on: January 18, 2012, 12:16:34 PM »
Clearly the vehicle has the new light-alloy and carbon composite version of the quad-mount, so weight isn't
as much of an issue.  ;)

The M1097 is basically the M998 that has been beefed up and can carry 4400 lbs of cargo. There are minor and not obvious external differences (unless you're a HMMWV JMN) I think the most obvious one is the larger/heftier bumpers. In fact, M998 that go in for major repairs or overhauls come out as M1097s.

So the combination of a new lighter alloy and carbon composite quad mount and an upgraded M998 means that it can carry TWO of the quad mounts (if it could fit them).


Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #23 on: January 18, 2012, 01:19:23 PM »
Street sweeper for the highway to hell ;^)
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Re: HMMWV with Quad .50 (and more)
« Reply #24 on: January 18, 2012, 09:55:33 PM »
Wow!!  :-*
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