Recon

[raafif]

Recon – Where are We and where is the Enemy ?

Just had to make something out of this from the junk pile -- an old & wrecked Tamiya M8 howitzer tank, missing the turret & one bogie.  I’ve seen pictures of a few turretless Stuart tanks used for recon in WW2 so that was the inspiration.  Recon is generally pretty obvious – if you don’t come back, the enemy is there.

Built as usual but cut out most of the turret-ring, installed a floor & drivers chairs and bits from the parts-bin, mounted a 50.cal & two crew (the third crewman has gone looking for friendly help from locals).  Added an extra board to the side of the running gear to help keep the dust down.
Italeri Church door accessory & sign-post plus a bit of railway pavement make the base.
Securely mounted the tank against the wall & to the base so that you can’t see the missing bogie

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Nicely done!  Taking "liberties" with the M5 and M8 is one of those things that need more recognition. 

[Frank3k]

That's a good idea and great implementation. It's giving me ideas...

[Story]

Recon – Where are We and where is the Enemy ? Recon is generally pretty obvious – if you see a green blur Doppler-scream past you heading to the rear, Cav just found the enemy front line.

  FTFY

As an aside, did you realize the Platoon in KELLY'S HEROES was Recon? I could totally see something like this being cobbled up by gangs like that.

Securely mounted the tank against the wall & to the base so that you can’t see the missing bogie

excellent work-around

[Story]

100% validation for your build

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj3VM_Ofvhk

On 21 December 1943, the Army Ground Forces requested an armored recce tracked vehicle.
and the Ordnance department ordered two M5A1s to be modified to test an open fighting compartment version of the vehicle.
The eventual production vehicle would be called he T8 and was a turretless version, fitted with a 12.7 mm Browning heavy MG on a ring mount, protected by a bathtub like shield.
The T8 had its machine gun fitted on the right-rear of the fighting compartment, whereas the T8E1 saw its cal.50 nearer the turret ring.
Both were tested at Fort Knox, the T8E1 being judged superior and retained for production. But a few T8 recon vehicles would be produced in limited numbers and would see action in Europe.