Us Marines in China 1930s. What to use?

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi All

Just picking your brains on what would make good imitators of US marines in China?

I think the WW1 US troops don't quite fit the bill. Haven't been able to find any pictures but if they match up with the US cavalry than will probably have gas mask bags, etc. If anybody has pics I'd be interested though.





Maybe SCW Regular summer with head swaps?



Anyway some other interesting pics I found while looking around:-






Some other armoured vehicles, front vehicle looks like a White armoured car.

Thaks for any thoughts, cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[Steve J]

Just wondering if any of the East Africa or Middle East WWI ranges would fit the bill? BTW the tank look bizarre, so any idea what it is?

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi All

Finally found some pics of the Pendraken American WW1 figures on the interweb-netty:-





These, to a myopic and unfussy old man, look like they may fit the bill. The machine gun may need some work but they look close enough. Not sure about converting the Chauchat  to BAR though 

The WW1 American cavalry will be the mounted marines quite easily (attached pic)

from here http://chinamarine.org/Peking/MountedDetachment.aspx

Can anyone tell me if the artillery crew look similar so that they can man 75mm pack howitzers (attached pic), do the howitzers come with spoked wheel options?

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[bigjackmac]

I've thought about the same thing, or at least defense of the Philiipines, Guam, Wake Island, or some fake interwar stuff.  I'd really like to have BARs and Tommy Guns, though, and I don't think the Chauchat (or the Brit WWI Lewis gunner) would work.  Maybe I could work with the Lewis gun, for interwar, but not for early WWII.

I've got a little US WWI stuff (painted but not finished with the basing), I can get you pics of their officers and the Chauchat if you'd like.    That first picture from FogSoldiers shows all three poses from the regular US infantry pack.  That officer with the tin hat and .45 is one of my all-time favorite Pendraken poses (except the fact he's left-handed !  )

V/R,
Jack

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello bigjackmac

I suppose a degree of flexibility is needed  .

A picture of the Chauchat would be good to see if carving off the semi-circular magazine would help to make it look like a BAR at all. 

The Thompson might be a bit harder, maybe the Indochina range Bo Dai Phuong could be used with a head swap?  . Fortunately I'm not using separate stands or stats for LMG/SMG in my games.

I have seen references to Lewis guns but that might be more in reference to China. It was definitely favoured more by the navy. I've been thinking to use the VBCW Lewis gunner as a CPO without leggings:-







Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[bigjackmac]

Grumpy,

As promised, pics of the US range (please ignore the unfinished bases):



US Infantry pack (minus the excellent Officer figure) and US LMG (Chauchat)  pack.


Reverse.


The two poses of the US officer pack.


Reverse.

So, the officers aren't particularly useful for what you're trying to do, and you could cut the (what do you call that? Magazine?) "thing" off the Chauchat to make it look more like a BAR, but not really like a BAR (look at the Ardennes Paras - the BAR looks great and is instantly recognizable).  And no Tommy Guns!  For what it's worth, I think you're insane to do headswaps in 10mm    But good luck.

V/R,
Jack

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello BJM

Thanks for the pics, the Chauchat gunner looks interesting. I reckon that with the magazine cutaway, a touch of putty here and there, handle grip squashed a bit to make the magazine and folded stand near the barrel end, it could make a passable BAR. The officers I think are the British ones but it's great to have a picture showing both poses. Actually they look very close to winter kit in pictures I have of China types.

Well good luck with looking for other replacement types, I thought of ACW slouch hat types for Philippine scouts, or maybe dismounted cavalry.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi All

I contacted the author of the article of the original article about the tanks and his reply is:-

Good question.  One retired Marine tank commander friend of mine surmised it might be one of the experimental tanks made by J. Walter Christie.  The problem is that the tank historians at Quantico don't think it's American, and that's supported by the label on the back written by my grandfather: "Tank used by Chinese forces."  But then who made it?  I wonder if we'll ever know.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan