ModofWar

Willys M38A1

Willys’ post-war jeep for the US Army, built from AFV Club’s 1/35 kit with the hood up and plenty of mud.

Willys MD / M38A1 at Westend, Espoo, 1957
Willys MD / M38A1 photographed in Espoo, Finland, in 1957. MD was Willys' model code for the military M38A1; the later civilian relative was the CJ-5. Photo: Erkki Voutilainen, CC BY 4.0.
1/35 Willys M38A1 scale model with the bonnet raised and the engine visible
The model, 1/35

The history

The M38A1 was Willys’ post-war jeep for the US Army, adopted in 1952 and known at Willys as the model MD. Its rounded bodywork and bigger body set it apart from the wartime MB, and the civilian CJ-5 that followed was built on the same design.

It served through the 1950s and into the 1960s, until Ford’s M151 took its place.

The build

By this point, I had started looking for different Jeeps to add to the collection, and the AFV Club M38A1 immediately caught my attention.

Compared with the earlier kits, it offered several new details, but the most interesting feature was the fully detailed engine. I added a few extra pipes and small details of my own to make the engine bay even more convincing.

It required a little more work than the previous Jeeps, but the result was well worth it. With the hood displayed open, the M38A1 became one of the more distinctive pieces in the collection.

Engine bay of the M38A1 during the build
Engine bay
M38A1 painted, before weathering
Before weathering
Finished M38A1 with hood raised
Hood up
Finished M38A1 from the rear quarter
Rear quarter
Rear of the M38A1 with jerrycan and spare wheel
From behind

The jeep family

Four generations of the US Army’s light utility vehicle, all built in 1/35.

The M38A1, M151A1 and M151A2 models side by side
M38A1, M151A1 and M151A2

Paint and colour reference

Area Historical colour Model paint Reference
— Olive Drab (1) Tamiya XF 81 Dark Green 2 (RAF) Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H52 / Mr. Color C12. ≈ Approximate conversion; not a certified identical match.
— Olive Drab (2) Tamiya XF 62 Olive Drab Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H78 / Mr. Color C38. Conversion-chart match.
— Gold Tamiya X 12 Gold Leaf Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H9 / Mr. Color C9. Metallic.
— Steel Tamiya XF 56 Metallic Grey Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H18 / Mr. Color C28. Metallic.
— Wood Brown Tamiya XF 64 Red Brown Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H37 / Mr. Color C43. ≈ Approximate; hue may differ.
— Silver Tamiya X 11 Chrome Silver Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H8 / Mr. Color C8. Metallic.
— Khaki Green Tamiya XF 67 NATO Green Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H80 / Mr. Color C54. Approximate conversion.
— Red Tamiya X 7 Red Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H3 / Mr. Color C3. Gloss.
— Burnt Iron Tamiya XF 84 Dark Iron Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H76 / Mr. Color C61. Approximate metallic conversion.
— Flat Black Tamiya XF 1 Flat Black Kit instruction Used on this build
GSI Creos H12 / Mr. Color C33. Flat.
— Semi-Gloss Black Tamiya X 18 Semi-Gloss Black Kit instruction Used on this build
Mr. Color C92. Semi-gloss.
— FS 34052 — USMC Green Tamiya XF 58 Olive Green Kit instruction Used on this build
≈ Approximate only; no documented Tamiya FS34052 exact match.

Source: AFV Club AF35S17 instructions (colour list); Tamiya equivalents from GSI Creos conversion charts

Sources

  1. TM 9-8014 (April 1955), M38A1 tabulated data — via M38A1.com Archive
  2. Jeep — 1950s history (M38A1) Website

Specifications of the real machine

Specification Details
Model Willys M38A1 (Willys model MD)
Country United States
Manufacturer Willys-Overland
First service 1952
Crew 1 driver; 4 occupants including driver
Length 3.52 m (138 5/8 in)
Width 1.55 m (60 7/8 in)
Height 1.87 m (73 3/4 in)
Wheelbase 2.06 m (81 in)
Weight 1,209 kg (2,665 lb) empty
Engine Willys F-head 4-cylinder petrol, 134.2 cu in, 72 hp at 4,000 rpm
Cruising speed 89 km/h (55 mph)
Range 450 km (280 mi), loaded
Fuel capacity 64 l (17 US gal)
About this model

Built from the AFV Club U.S. 1/4 Ton M38A1 kit (AF35S17), with a detailed engine bay, a few added pipes and the hood displayed open.

Build sheet

Kit
AFV Club U.S. 1/4 Ton M38A1 Army & Marine
Kit number
AF35S17
Scale
1/35
Paints
Tamiya acrylics — the 12 colours of the kit colour list (see the paint table)

More dossiers

Discussion

Built this kit, spotted a historical detail, or have a question? Leave a comment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *