Ratio of canvas-top to open-top trucks.

[kato13]

I recently bought a ton of GHQ 1:285 Scale M1078 2.5 ton trucks


(not my image)

As part of my decades long goal to have a visual representation of the 5th Mech at Kalisz, I am going to convert a portion of the canvas top ones into flatbed open top. In an active field army like the 5th what do you think the ratios of canvas top to open top would be.

Looking at Pics from Iraq it seems to be about 50/50 (With many of the canvas top ones being in convoys) but I think in Poland (with more days of inclement weather) the canvas percentage might be higher.

Thoughts?

[Raellus]

I figure that after 3+ years of heavy use in an active war zone and 2 years without significant replacement parts, a lot of canvas tops would be lost or worn to tatters. Some would probably have been replaced with makeshift or locally made tops so some tops would probably be plain OD or khaki or homemade cammo.

Somewhere between 50/50 - 75/25 (no top to top) seems about right to me. I'm interested to see what others think.

P.S. You'll have to post pics once your diorama is done.

[James Langham]

Originally Posted by kato13

I recently bought a ton of GHQ 1:285 Scale M1078 2.5 ton trucks


(not my image)

As part of my decades long goal to have a visual representation of the 5th Mech at Kalisz, I am going to convert a portion of the canvas top ones into flatbed open top. In an active field army like the 5th what do you think the ratios of canvas top to open top would be.

Looking at Pics from Iraq it seems to be about 50/50 (With many of the canvas top ones being in convoys) but I think in Poland (with more days of inclement weather) the canvas percentage might be higher.

Thoughts?

Depends on role:

stores - 80%+
troop carriers - 25% max

figures for Northern Europe/UK - far less in dry climates (although they provide sun protection).

I can see a canvas roof with the sides rolled up being a good compromise.

[Legbreaker]

I'm with Rae on this. Depending on what the vehicle has been through, chances are there's not going to be a lot of standard issue canvas left around. What is left is likely to have been patched up and/or modified to some extent.
Where the canvas has been destroyed/lost/whatever, it's possible alternative covers may have been constructed out of local materials. This could be anything from plastic sheeting, animal skins, or even perhaps salvaged roofing iron.
T2K in my opinion is a real playground for diorama construction - almost anything is possible.

[pmulcahy11b]

During my time at 2/7th Infantry at 24th ID, any canvas-topped vehicles in the battalion were required to have their canvas removed (except for the cab) as an anti-ambush measure. That was back in the late 1980s.

[bobcat]

pull the canvas, mount a sheet of plywood to the top. keeps some of the weather off but you can still shoot when attacked.

[Legbreaker]

I can certainly see that happening with Battalion level vehicles. Those further up the food chain may be a different matter and, if history tells us anything, are likely to be better maintained as well.

[HorseSoldier]

I'd agree with painting a portion so that tops don't match the camo. Some OD green, a few here and there with stuff like the generic blue tarps that seem pretty common at least here in the US trucking industry, that sort of thing.

Troop carriers should be open topped or sides rolled up like others have said.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by bobcat

pull the canvas, mount a sheet of plywood to the top. keeps some of the weather off but you can still shoot when attacked.

I believe the South Africans' standard measure for trucks is to put the canvas only on the top of the bows in combat and on patrols -- the same sort of thing.

[Legbreaker]

Over here in Australia, the trucks can be configured to have the seating running down the centreline of the vehicle so the troops sit back to back facing out. Ruins the cargo carrying capacity, but allows soldiers to leap off quickly (the sides are left down as well).
Only the top is left in place - to do otherwise would run the risk of heat stroke.
Note that it's not common to use trucks in hostile areas though. It's either M113s, ASLAVs, Bushmasters (although they don't fit T2K timeline) or mark I foot. Helicopter transportation is about as rare here in Australia as it is in T2K.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Helicopter transportation is about as rare here in Australia as it is in T2K.

"I actually saw a helicopter once!". LOL.

[headquarters]

Depending on role - the weather in Poland can be bad as you say - seems that during winter/fall canvas would be needed to cover passengers and cargo.