Need some halftrack experts... and radio experts... and some pictures...

[Garandomatic]

Been working on a halftrack to go with an armored grouping I have for a while now. I have the model 90% assembled, and am to the point where weathering and stowage will be the remaining steps to take to complete the model I am making for a man that drove a halftrack in A Battery of the 342nd Armored Field Artillery. It has had its two .30 cal. MGs removed, and has the .50 locked forward. In addition, it is missing its smaller antenna, though the post still stands for it, and has a rather large antenna from another radio, I'd presume. The picture I am working with can be seen in this thread:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/240058-which-model-of-halftrack-is-this-342nd-armored-field-artillery/?hl=342nd

 

It dawned on me to look for battalion radio halftracks, and I see one that has had the driver's side stowage removed and a radio put in its place... I'd hate to have to do that at this stage, but I could if I must... Does anyone know what a possible radio might be, based on the antenna? And, if that can be determined, does anyone know of a standard layout for halftracks equipped with that radio?

[Garandomatic]

I have a higher resolution shot of the track, and this is the antenna arrangement from it. I think I see a field phone hanging over the side of the vehicle.

[Garandomatic]

And the whole vehicle. I really think this radio is mounted centrally, looks like it is right behind the .50, based on the twin sets of vertical antenna-like objects sticking up in the back... If anyone has an idea as to what the heck any of that stuff is, I would certainly appreciate it. Could they be uprights for the canvas top on this vehicle?

[Garandomatic]

However, in that close up of the back, I think the antenna is in front of what I believe is a man's helmet, and seems he is sitting in the seat between the storage locker and the fuel tank in the back of the vehicle...

 

If there is anybody out there that can help me on this, the possible radio type would be super helpful, as well as what this antenna would be called... It would be even better if somebody said build the stinking thing with the radios the kit came with and just stick a bigger antenna beside that dude's seat because these guys didn't like the reception on the standard antenna!

 

Any chance it's a backpack-mounted radio like the SCR-300 with that antenna?

[72psb]

Gmatic,

check out the G503 web site, Might find a photo/info over there.

[Garandomatic]

Will do, I saw some photos while searching from their site, so that's my next stop after I exhaust my Steven Zaloga books.

[Garandomatic]

Good news is the four small (about 12"??) upright pieces appear to be for the canvas top, which makes sense for a Battery HQ/Radio vehicle. I have seen antennas stuck any place you can imagine on these in Zaloga's "Armored Attack 1944" but none exactly like this... a few close... i wonder if they just didn't stick it behind that jump seat between the fuel and the storage bin... Those appear to have brackets and whatnot, maybe they just used it as a donor location to not interfere with the skate rail for the MGs, even though the .50 is all they used at this point...

[WW2JAKE]

maybe this can help?
http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=233807

 

[Johan Willaert]

Could they be uprights for the canvas top on this vehicle?

Yes, those tubes sticking out at the back left and right would be the lower parts of the rear top bows...

[hbtcoveralls]

And the tube with the "platform" is an antenna mount but it is missing the mast base.

[Garandomatic]

Thanks fellas! Those are some decent interior shots, for sure. I think something custom is afoot with the one I am trying to replicate... The factory radio antenna shown in the picture missing the actual antenna was modified today to match, I cut the antenna assembly off of it and drilled out a hole for it, so it will look appropriate in the track. Unless I find anything specific, I think I am just going to stick the antenna piece I cut off on a little plastic bracket and glue it in behind the jump seat between the storage bin and fuel tank. I suppose it wouldn't be totally implausible to just put in a different antenna and keep the radio set up pictured above, which is exactly what the model came with. Not easy trying to be perfect when you're working with a 2"x3" picture that doesn't show what the box on the right side of the bed is or much else in the way of specifics!

 

Now, if I could just come up with about 6 rolls of field telephone wire and a few field phones...