Motto's Chev

[motto (RIP)]

There were three 'Shermans' used in the production. They were all in fact Grants that had been extensively modified with the upper hull removed and replaced with sheet metal over a tubular steel framework. The turrets were constructed of fibreglass and all three were re-powered with Cummins engines.
One of the tanks had been built up for use in a movie some years ago and was purchased as an intact unit. Two of them were purchased as hulls and built up for use in this series.
David

[motto (RIP)]

LVT-4. A lot of very impressive work was done by the people involved in various aspects of the production and this LVT-4 is a part of that. It is in fact a complete fake. I'm sure I had helped unload some drums out of the back when it was in the action vehicle compound and hadn't realise that it wasn't a vehicle at all. I was unaware that there was a counterfeit among them at the time.
The frame underneath was the structural support as I don't believe the running gear would stand the weight.All the suspension components were cast in resin.

[motto (RIP)]

Here are a couple of close ups of the running gear. Original components were aquired and moulds made off them for production of the many parts that had to be made, some of them in large numbers.
One of the effects of this is the circular 'welds' in the first picture are all identical as they all came out of the same mould!
The 'solid' rubber tyres on the road wheels were foam rubber and could be indented with a finger tip.
David

[motto (RIP)]

An amusing detail about the fake LVT that was related to me had to do with the engine installation of the vehicle that was used as a pattern.
This vehicle had had the original powerplant, a Continenal 7 cylinder radial, replaced with an in-line diesel the radiator of which protruded some distance into the cargo compartment. A cowl and grill had been constructed or adapted to finish off the very non-original installation.
All of this had been faithfully copied for the fake.
David

[motto (RIP)]

Hmm, steel tracks on the tank but the spare track on the side of the hull is rubber!
Take a closer look. It's fake anyway.
The props people were very good at making what they didn't have.
David

[jim sewell]

Hi Dave
Keep them coming , very interesting.
Regards
Jim S.

[motto (RIP)]

Thanks Jim, there are not that many more of these to go and I would have got through them a lot quicker if I knew how to reduce them.
This picture shows a line up of the five regularly used GMCs and was taken at Victoria Park, the old Collingwood football ground that stood in for the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG is where the Marines were actually accommodated after their return from Guadalcanal but it has been greatly changed since then.
One of the scenes shot this day was of the trucks loaded with marines arriving at the grounds. During the first 'take' I was driving the middle truck and we drove in under the stands. My front seat passenger accidently bumped the mal adjusted High/Low range lever into neutral and I rolled to a stop right in front of the camera and ruined the run. To make matters worse the engine was fumey and while non plussed as to what had happened I shut it down because of the hoard of people surrounding us and closing in ready to push the truck. I suddenly realised what the problem was and went to restart the truck but it didn't want to play any more. The battery was on it's last when the engine hesitantly came back to life. Having two hundred plus people watching and waiting for your every move is not a pleasant experience.
David