1938 Armored Car

Years ago I purchased vast numbers of slush cast vehicles.  I got them on ebay, at train shows, model shows, GI Joe shows, Kit Collector Shows, Gun Shows, and Toy Soldier shows and other places.

Many of these were made as early as the 1930s.  My plan was to use them for my WWI and 1938 US Army forces, but I was going to repaint them and give them realistic wheels.  Even though some of them, like this armored car, were likely fictional vehicles.  I did not want to buy models in perfect condition because I think it is selfish to take 80 year old models in new condition and pull of the wheels and repaint them a different color.  I think those should be left to those who collect these little gems.  So I always looked for the ones with most of the paint knocked off, wheels missing, dents and other problems.

I have four of these and at least one of them had the cannon almost torn off!  I managed to glue it back on.  They were originally in silver paint and look pretty good that way.

This model has new resin tires and has been heavily repaired.  It had a big dent in the side and most of the paint was worn off.

I mostly paint them in olive drab by Testors spray paint and then touch up with their little jars of paint.

Those old time models were all different sizes, and I look for ones that work well with 1/72nd scale plastic figures.  This is a Strelets Early War WWII US Army figure.

I selected 1938 as the year to collect models because the M1 rifle was in service and so was the Thompson but they were not that common yet.  So I can use a mixture of WWI and WWII troops as long as they have the the M1917 flat hat helmet.

1938 the Army was using a mixture of World War One equipment, World War Two equipment, and Interwar vehicles that did not serve in either war.  It is also when the Orson Wells War of the Worlds radio broadcast was made in October, so these troops can fight Martians in a historic wargame.