The history
The M151 was not a Willys jeep at all. Ford designed it as the Military Utility Tactical Truck, or MUTT, and it first appeared in 1959 with a lightweight semi-monocoque body and independent coil-spring suspension: a big step on from its Second World War predecessors.
The M151A2 was the last major version, with a reworked rear suspension. On 25 October 1983 US forces landed on Grenada in Operation Urgent Fury, and paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division went with M151s like this one: windscreen off, gear lashed to the hood and every corner packed with kit.
The build
When I spotted this kit on hobimodels.com, I immediately added it to the collection. By then, I had already decided that I wanted to build every version of the Jeep I could find.
As soon as the build started, the small differences between the M151A1 and A2 became apparent. It was interesting to see how subtle changes could give the vehicle a noticeably different character.
The kit itself was exactly what I expected from Tamiya: straightforward, reliable and enjoyable to build.
Assembly and stowage
Finished
The jeep family
Four generations of the US Army’s light utility vehicle, all built in 1/35.
- Willys MB, 1941 to 1945
- Willys M38A1, the 1950s
- M151A1, Vietnam
- M151A2, Grenada 1983 (this dossier)
- Planned: Willys MB ambulance jeep, Normandy 1944
- Planned: Wasp flamethrower jeep, Popski’s Private Army
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