My mind was doing some spinning about potential diorama subjects and the Coast Guard popped to mind. How would you classify the Coast Guard: military, civil patrol, ?
Ever see any kits oriented toward the CG?

There's the Trumpeter Dauphin

I think of them as military and civil. Subjects seem few and far between, there are some ships available and the Dolphin, but that's about all I know of. I'd really like a nice HH-60 JayHawk in 1/35th, but I'm not holding my breath.
I'd also love to see one of the Great Lakes icebreakers ( such as the USCGC Mobile Bay) on the market, but who knows if this will happen either.
The USCG did see action in Vietnam, but I don't know in what capacity. And a interdiction dio could be pretty cool as well, but it would require some serious figure modification.

Nate
Wisc. USA

I like chopper - to bad its 1/48.
PorkChop - I was worried about the lack of figures in 1/35

JAG has a few 1/700 cutters!

The USCG is considered 'one of the countries 5 armed services'.

http://www.uscg.mil/

This site has a listing of USCG Models.

http://home.earthlink.net/~billkaja/kitlist.htm

Yes, the Coast Guard did see service in Vietnam. A friend of mine served there with the Coast Guard but he was reluctant to say much about his area of operation or experience.

I don't know if its true, but I think I once read somewhere that the coast guard manned some landing crafts during WOII.
Maybe another person can give a more conclusive answer.

Tr this link, there are some pictures of coast guard models:
http://www.modelwarships.com/index1.html

I agree withe captain porkchop about the coast guard being both military and civil

Prior to 9-11, the USCG fell under the Dept. of Transportation in peacetime and Dept. of the Navy in war. Now they come under the Dept. of Homeland Security.

As far as 1/35 helicopters, MRC makes the USCG HTL-4 (Bell 47 M*A*S*H helicopter with hotdog shaped pontoons). I have the kit, it's nicely done.

Here is the link to the Coast Guard at Normandy I posted earlier. It is in the now defunted Current Events archive.

Coast Guard at Normandy

I've never seen USCG figures, and as far as I know it would take some serious conversion to make some, though the WWII would be eaiser as they pretty much wore standard navy dress.
BTW, those guys saw a lot of action on destroyers and other eascorts in the N. Atlantic during WWII.

Nate
Wisc. USA

I just got out of the Coast Guard, so if you need some reference on any modern pieces you do, let me know.

Thanks all - I'll keep coming back and if needed ask more. Right now the diorama is a concept in my head and we'll see if it hits production.

Thanks for the information, links, and offer of help.