M151A2 MUTT 1/48 Die Cast Model, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army, by Hobby Master HG1902

In 1951 Ford Motor Company was awarded a contract to develop a replacement for the M38 Jeep Light Utility Vehicle. The vehicle had to be a ¼ ton 4x4 Military Utility Tactical Truck (M151 MUTT) and after extensive testing began production in 1959 until 1982. The M151, M151A1, and M151A2 are a general purpose personnel or cargo carrier. Eventually manufacturing contracts were awarded to Kaiser and AM General Corp and well over 100,000 MUTTs of many variants produced. Later development provided a modified version of the M151A2 that could be transported by a CH- 53 helicopter. This variant was an FAV (Fast Assault Vehicle) used by the 82nd Airborne Division, USMC and Special Forces. It had improved suspension as well as optional roll bars, various gun mounts, storage boxes, radios and lighting. It could carry anything from a Browning M2HB .50 cal machine gun to a TOW missile launcher. The 82nd AD formed in 1917 and has seen action in just about every U.S. involvement except the Korean Conflict.