Thanks Linx. I really do like how it looks in that camo.
And yes, you should come play with us, we have a pretty good time.
Since Linx brought it up, and now that the trip to see my Marine graduate is done, I should post some pics on the V's debut.
The Central Texas Airshow is held in Temple each year, the first weekend of May. It is a big event for our club, the Lone Star MVPA. We usually go set up early on the Friday and stay until Sunday afternoon.
The last few years the show has included a Vietnam scenario, where a convoy gets attacked by the VC, then all the appropriate aircraft are brought in for support of the ground action. The vehicles are mostly LSMVPA, the ground re-enactors are G Company, associated with the museum on Camp Mabry (they also do WWII).
This part of the show has proved to be
really popular with the public, and has been specifically asked, by the audience, to be repeated .
We try to be close to period correct, but you get by with what you have. It is really more about a good show than strict historical accuracy. That is why they have a PBJ (Marine B-25) portraying the A-26 which didn't show. So I don't feel at all bad about having a 383 camo V out there. The M113 the museum usually brings is 383 also.
In a lot of the Vietnam period photos I have seen, before the units started welding mounts on, the V100's had a field expedient mount for either a .30 mg or an M60 on the back. This was quite simply a tripod strapped to the deck by the rear hatch. I put one on mine for this show.
My crew for the re-enactment were my younger son in the turret, and Barrman's son in the radio hatch. They were using a couple of AK's with blanks (courtesy of Pawnshop) to make noise, since my gas .50 isn't set up yet. Those blanks are LOUD!
Over the weekend, my boy guarded 'his' V like a Rottweiler. He never strayed far from it, made sure it was secured when he did, and he even slept in it at night. At one point all four kids with us were not in evidence, but a quick check found them in the V playing a card game.
The gun truck in the pictures is Quonsethut's.
Pic 1 - Trailering the V up to Temple. Thanks Sarge!!
Pic 5 is all SS- one of my M1009s, with Sermis' bobbed deuce behind it; my M185, then Pawnshop's M109, the V, and the gun truck. Sarge had already run off with his M820.
Pic 7 - that sweet M715 is Barrman's.
Pic 8 - You can just see the AC-47 at the top of the picture. I like the gun truck in the mirror.
Pic 9 - my 'guard' daring you to come close with your funnel cake! That picture has the air of a period photo to me. The trashcan kinda spoils some of the effect though....
Link to the LSMVPA website-
Temple Air Show
Cheers
PS- I know Pawnshop must have some good photos from the crowd perspective, he takes some great shots.
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