About the M54 Gun Truck – Improvised Armored Vehicle:
The M54 was a 5-ton all-purpose 6x6 cargo truck. It was the workhorse of both the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It was primarily used to move troops and cargo through the maze of paths and roads throughout South Vietnam. However, as the Viet Cong (VC) proliferated south of the DMZ, convoys presented easy targets for ambushes—especially on the infamous Route 19. As many things did in Vietnam, the M54 went through field modifications to offer convoy protection. The “Gun Truck” has become a mythologized vehicle of the war with personalities that fit its crew.
The M54 Gun Truck and its little brother the M35 were upgraded with steel armor plates—welded on in the field—beefier tires, and of course machine guns—lots of them. There is no standard loadout for a gun truck; they really are scrapped together from whatever its crew could scrounge up or “borrow.” Weapons included Browning M2 .50 Caliber machine guns, 7.62 NATO M60 machine guns, quad fifty antiaircraft guns, and, perhaps the favorite, the XM 134 minigun. The trucks were often painted black and given nicknames and artwork to put fear into the VC. These names included: Cold Sweat, Ace of Spades, Deuce is Wild, Pandemonium, and many more. More importantly, the presence of these trucks offered a sense of security to convoys. In all, between 300 and 400 trucks were converted for convoy protection.
Specifications:
Crew: 1x driver + various crew
Armament: Combination of M2, M60, and XM 134 MGs
Speed: 59 mph
Range: 312 miles
Additional information about this Brickmania® custom building kit:
Loaded with mounted BrickArms and custom printed elements, the M54 Gun Truck kit is a long-awaited addition to the Brickmania Vietnam bricks lineup! This blacked-out and beastly looking build features a sturdy composition, with accurate detailing and lots of versatility. Printed elements include the “Cold Sweat” along each side, as well as front and rear bumper details, and a phenomenal front grill. Play features include one custom minifig driver, a variety of BrickArms, plenty of space for minifigs, opening cab doors, and rolling wheels. Also featured is a high-quality sticker sheet for additional gun truck names.
Model Statistics:
Designed by Nathan Parker
501 LEGO®, BrickArms® and Brickmania® elements
1x custom minifigs
Custom printed elements
High-quality sticker sheet
Full-color printed building instructions
1/35th scale to match other Brickmania kits
Intermediate Skill Level (4-6 years building experience recommended)
All Brickmania® model kits are made of new-condition LEGO® bricks. This model comes disassembled and includes complete printed building instructions. This is a limited-edition kit and production may be discontinued at any time.
This is not a LEGO® Product. LEGO and the LEGO minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this product. The LEGO Group is not liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the use or misuse of this product.
