Hi all,
My modeling-interest was already limited to Vietnam-war dioramas and lately it seems I’m focusing on the Brown Water Navy and other Vietnam craft. While surfing the net I cam across a picture of a HSSC (Heavy Seal Support Craft). It seems to be an early version since it’s based on a LCM-6 (or 3???) and if I’m not mistaken the later versions are LCM-8 based (correct me if I’m wrong, I’m no expert). Some time ago I bought Trumpeters LCM-3 and I was wondering if I could turn this one into the early HSSC. I did a little comparison between the picture and a LCM-3 model and to me it seems to be correct. So my question is: what do you guys think; is it based on a LCM-3 or 6? (I couldn’t find a decent side view of a LCM-6 so I wasn’t able to compare those two)



Hope this all makes sense

Thanks in advance for reacting

Kind regards
Mark

Hi Mark,

I picked up you post on the big A see my reply there. Sorry I can't find the original post I spoke of, it will be there but with the new reorganisation I can't locate it at the moment.

Anyway Skipper and the rest of the crew will pick up on this one.

Cheers

Al

Hi Mark!
That's a good question, mate, and with you're picture comparison, I may have to agree with you...unfortunately, I'm at the office right now and all of my reference is at home, so to give you a rock solid answer at this time, is not a go...I'm going to shoot a round over the Skippers Bow to see if he can help...
~Gunny

It was hard to find but here it is:
Tread's Two-Step ' Tango' Boat BWN build-up

It is one of Gordons Alexander's (TreadHead) projects....
He has been missing from the forum, but my guess is that he has been busy

Skipper

Hi guys,
I know this thread of the ATC by Threadhead (I’ve been following it with great interest) and that is actually why I started this thread. I thought the US didn’t use the LCM-3 during the Vietnam war (at least not on a large scale) but the bottom craft looks like a LCM-3 (to me at least ) I know the LCM-6 is about 6 foot longer than the LCM-3 but if the craft in the picture (the HSSC) is build on a LCM-3 I don’t need to cut (to be honest; I don’t have the nerve to do it) my Trumpeter kit and convert it into a LCM-6.



Hope this makes any sense at all

Kind regards
Mark

Hi, Mark.

While I'm no expert on floating things either (!), I have been looking into the LCMs a lot lately. Your photo sure looks like a Mark III hull to me. So far on Internet searches, I see a number that claim HSSCs were based on the Mark VI, but those photos show clearly longer boats than yours. Personally I think you've stumbled onto a good lead. You're located in the Netherlands, yes? I could give them a call at the Navy Seal Museum in Florida for you and ask the Director if he knows of any that were based on the Mark III. I've spoken with him before; he might know that right off the bat. I have an opportunity to do that this afternoon. I'll let you know what he says.

Interesting find!

John A.

Hi John,
I sent you a pm but I'm not sure it did reach you.
Thanks very much for your help!! I'm curious about what the Director knows about this craft.

Thanks again

Mark

Euhmmm... I think I made a little mistake; I searched for the site the picture came from and found it....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/985489/posts I'm not sure I understand the text completely but it's not a HSSC but some kind of minesweeper. it says its 57 ft long, that should be a LCM-6 but when I look at the picture I do believe it's a LCM-3 (maybe the text is wrong )

Sorry for the confusion but I'd still like to know whether you all think it's based on a -6 or -3.

Mark

The Pic above the caption is a River Minesweeper.....