ARVN M41 Walker Bulldog

The M41 Walker Bulldog, officially known as 76-mm Gun Tank M41, was produced by the Cadillac Motor Car Company division of General Motors from 1951 to 1954. Originally built as a light tank replacement for the WWII-era M24 Chaffee, it was initially called the “Little Bulldog”, but the name was changed to honor Gen. Walton Walker who was killed in a road accident in Korea in 1950.

There were 5,467 M41s built, and while the United States never used it in combat, it was bloodied in several engagements in both Western and Eastern hemispheres. In the Bay of Pigs “invasion” of Fidel Castro's Cuba on April 17, 1961, the CIA provided a brigade of anti-Castro exiles with 5 M41 tanks and while they did have early success against Communist T-34/85 tanks, they eventually ran out of ammunition, and all were either destroyed or captured.

The Republic of Vietnam was the largest user of the M41 Bulldog. Provided to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) in 1964, they were first used in combat in October 1965. Notably used by ARVN forces in the Tet Offensive of early 1968, they also saw combat in many other theatre actions. In February to March 1971, M41s led a cross-border incursion into neighboring Laos called Operation Lam Son 719. The ARVN Bulldogs destroyed NVA (North Vietnam Army) T54 and PT-76 tanks in tank vs tank duels, but the operation was not a success with ARVN forces entering Laos with 62 tanks and 160 M113 APCs and returning to Vietnam with only 25 M41s and 64 M113s.

Other nations that used the Bulldog include Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa and West Germany, where the M41 was the Bundeswehr's first post-war tank in 1955.

Specifications:

Weight 23.49 Tonnes (51,200 pounds or about 23,220 kg)

Length 19'1” (5.81m)

Width 10'6” (3.19m)

Height 8'11” (2.72m)

Top speed- 45 mph

Range- 110 miles (180 km)

Engine- Continental air-cooled, opposed six-cylinder, gasoline powered, with 500 HP

Main gun-M32A1 76 mm canon

Auxiliary armament-.30 cal coaxial MG and .50 M2 Commander's MG

The Kit

It's Tamiya's venerable 1/35 M41. This kit appeared first, in this form in 1975, with an earlier version released in 1964! I started construction about one year ago and have worked on it sporadically since. It was painted with Humbrol and Model Master enamels, through the old Paasche H. Quite a few products were used for weathering effects including AK and Vallejo muds of various sorts and Vallejo Earth Oxide pigments. Vallejo acrylics were used for the rust effect on the three mufflers, while Flory washes and pastel chalks were also employed. I used diluted oil paint on the fuel fillers. In a few spots, Cyber Top watercolor pencils also came in handy. Uschi's Trinity Splatter stencils helped weather the paintwork.

Resin stowage came from Value Gear and Squadron Dioramix. The resin M2 is an Eduard product. The dried leaves scattered about are from AK as well, in three different types. The crew came from a vendor in China, via Ebay and they are painted with Vallejo acrylics too. I did scratch out some "shades" for the tank commander as well. I also used some Evergreen sheet to make bottoms for the sponson boxes and to fill the holes in the hull's bottom.

I did a fair amount of scratch building on this project, including the three supports for the driver's opened hatch cover, damage to the headlight guards and the cleaning rod staffs (brass tubing) seen attached to the turret's rear. I removed the pioneer tools and bracket from the front right fender, (often done by the ARVN tankers) replacing them with “field improvised” parts from brass angle and a strip of sheared sheet-metal. The gun mantlet cover is made of tissue soaked in diluted PVA glue with the cover hold-down made from plastic rod, strips cut from an aluminum can and detailed with Grandt Line bolt heads. The characteristic reinforcing stampings seen on the sponson's sides were replicated with stretched sprue. I made the three rolled tarps on the turret from the glue-soaked tissue as well.

Tamiya completely disregarded the auxiliary muffler, so I was obliged to make one from an ancient model car muffler, aluminum tubing and electrical wire. The ropes are various sizes of thread soaked in diluted PVA and the two radio aerials are just stretched sprue. Another omission by Tamiya were the two lifting rings seen just beneath the headlights and those were done with copper wire. Balsa provided the wood for the “road barrier” pressed into use between the headlights. I also did have to use Evergreen to replace a lost hinge for the cupola's hatch cover. The driver's vision blocks were filled with Microscale Krystal Klear tinted with dark acrylic paint.

So, there you have it! Much too much info I'm sure, but maybe there's some interest in the details. It was a fun project with the biggest headache being that resin M2. I believe it was taken too green from the mold and that thin barrel always wants to curve upwards. It was nicely detailed but not a great fit in the kit's pintle mount.

This M41 represents an ARVN tank operating in Saigon's (Ho Chi Minh City today) Cholon sector, circa 1968. The location atmosphere photos hopefully evoke that time and place.

Thanks for hanging in this far, and thanks for stopping by to have a look! I appreciate your interest in the Bulldog, and please feel free to leave your comments, good or bad!

Reference links of interest:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M41_Walker_Bulldog

The final three photos were made by a dear friend and professional photographer, Richard Krall, of Dallas, Texas. It was his first experience with photographing scale models and he was not that pleased. In fact, he wants to redo all the ones he took while last here. I'm including them as a tribute to him and his help!

27 additional images. Click to enlarge.