M-113 Preview
- Thread starter Apache26
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Yes, I posted it on SSHQ.
It's one of the venerable 21st Century M-113's. I removed the crappy molded stowage, the smoke grenade launchers, the A3 exhaust port and the A3 external fuel tanks. I moved one of the fuel tank gas caps to the correct early position and molded an exhaust pipe. I removed the tail lights from the fuel tanks to make a set of not entirely correct tail lights (but better than nothing, I reasoned). I also molded the rear mud guards out of Miliput and sanded them down. I didn't trust my Dremel skills enough to cut out the rectangular hole in each.
Since the skirts are metal and a part of the chassis, I chose not to remove them. I know that Vietnam era tracks almost always removed the skirts, but I've seen a few that retained them (at least at the point of the photo). I don't have the tools or expertise to strip the metal.
The OD is the correct dark OD semi-gloss 24087 for Vietnam era vehicles and I painted the interior the correct seafoam green. I don't have huge plans for the interior. I don't have decals to copy for the stowage and engine compartment, and the diecast 21st M-113's have two supporting bars in the interior that I didn't want to remove. I'm only planning on displaying the track in operation, so the interior will only be detailed enough to be look correct once I have troops in it.
The decals were custom made from a set of 1/35 scale decals for 2-8 IN (Mech)/4th Infantry Division in Vietnam. I was in 2-8 IN during OIF I, so I was happy to make the historical connection.
Right now I'm trying to cast a cupola. I sculped and sanded one out of Miliput. I have two M-113's I'm customizing, so I wanted to use the Miliput cupola as my prototype. Unfortunately, this is my first try at casting, so it's a learning experience. I tried to get one of Pickelhaube's cupolas, but he's too busy. Once the cupolas are done, I'll post more photos and I can start weathering.
Thanks for looking!
It's one of the venerable 21st Century M-113's. I removed the crappy molded stowage, the smoke grenade launchers, the A3 exhaust port and the A3 external fuel tanks. I moved one of the fuel tank gas caps to the correct early position and molded an exhaust pipe. I removed the tail lights from the fuel tanks to make a set of not entirely correct tail lights (but better than nothing, I reasoned). I also molded the rear mud guards out of Miliput and sanded them down. I didn't trust my Dremel skills enough to cut out the rectangular hole in each.
Since the skirts are metal and a part of the chassis, I chose not to remove them. I know that Vietnam era tracks almost always removed the skirts, but I've seen a few that retained them (at least at the point of the photo). I don't have the tools or expertise to strip the metal.
The OD is the correct dark OD semi-gloss 24087 for Vietnam era vehicles and I painted the interior the correct seafoam green. I don't have huge plans for the interior. I don't have decals to copy for the stowage and engine compartment, and the diecast 21st M-113's have two supporting bars in the interior that I didn't want to remove. I'm only planning on displaying the track in operation, so the interior will only be detailed enough to be look correct once I have troops in it.
The decals were custom made from a set of 1/35 scale decals for 2-8 IN (Mech)/4th Infantry Division in Vietnam. I was in 2-8 IN during OIF I, so I was happy to make the historical connection.
Right now I'm trying to cast a cupola. I sculped and sanded one out of Miliput. I have two M-113's I'm customizing, so I wanted to use the Miliput cupola as my prototype. Unfortunately, this is my first try at casting, so it's a learning experience. I tried to get one of Pickelhaube's cupolas, but he's too busy. Once the cupolas are done, I'll post more photos and I can start weathering.
Thanks for looking!
Looking good!
I have two M113's that I really would like to customize if I ever get time. One is a pretty rough shell (From Derek..) and the other I got new.. got to find them though..
I have two M113's that I really would like to customize if I ever get time. One is a pretty rough shell (From Derek..) and the other I got new.. got to find them though..
It'd be easier to list what isn't wrong with it..
First it was FULL of dirt. Like it literally was buried in OK for 5-7 years. Leaves, twigs, lots of shit inside and caked all over it.
Second, the gun was broken, not a big deal, but all the stowage was mostly gone, also not a big deal, but a lot of the hinges were broken and some of the pieces missing. It came loose in a box with everything rattling around.. I need to find it and see what I can do. Should at least make for a good battle-worn custom I'm hoping.
Busted hinges is a drag. The front doors on the Huey were like that, but a helo flying without doors isn't terribly out there. Anyhoo, I'm always looking for a 113 if you find it and feel unequal to the challenge.
Back on topic it, it looks good so far. Can't wait to see it loaded down and weathered.
He's not the only one. It seems that customizers have an endless amount of time to make the most obscure variations of WWII Nazi equipment, but never any time to produce a decent M-16 or AK-47.
It sucks being primarily focused on a time period that many collectors demand more of, but that few manufacturers feel is a profitable venture. If 21st hadn't been so damned inconsistent they may have stayed in the game. I'm glad JSI did the Huey Hog. While I'm not holding my breath, maybe it'll promote the production of something other than another M-4 Sherman or Tiger tank.
I'm also working on a pair of M-48's in order to have a full Vietnam mech/armor team. I'm going to start work this weekend on aircraft as well.
We love Cold War and above here!
We still like WWII stuff I suppose, but we're primarily Modern-Era focused I think. Vietnam/Cold War-era stuff is still applicable.. as a lot of that stuff is still floating around out there today.
We still like WWII stuff I suppose, but we're primarily Modern-Era focused I think. Vietnam/Cold War-era stuff is still applicable.. as a lot of that stuff is still floating around out there today.
Sounds great! SSHQ seems pretty focused on WWII.
I decided to get on here after doing research on customized M-113's. I saw the modern one that was posted here and very impressed.
I'm very surprised, however, that I have only seen ONE M-48 custom. The 21st M-48's are still damned cheap, but no one seems to be keen on working on them.
I decided to get on here after doing research on customized M-113's. I saw the modern one that was posted here and very impressed.
I'm very surprised, however, that I have only seen ONE M-48 custom. The 21st M-48's are still damned cheap, but no one seems to be keen on working on them.
I've been trying to get him to do his Sagami mounts again now that Huey's are available somewhat reasonably. There's no time like now to do them and perhaps 24-shot XM3s and the exposed 7-shot XM-158s.
Hell, a full-on XM-21 kit may be feasible at the moment.
As for Pattons, I have a pair, but the only mods I've done to my open one was to dirty it up and did a cover for the spotlight.
Can you show me how you did the cover for your searchlight? I customized a way to completely enclose the barrel shield cover to the turret, but I didn't think it would be feasible to use the same method for the Xenon searchlight.
I'll pull her out and snap a pic.
Have you (or do you even plan to) pulled the enclosed .50? I know it was common to remove that one, but haven't found a way to do so without destroying the barrel (never know when I'll want to reverse it).
Have you (or do you even plan to) pulled the enclosed .50? I know it was common to remove that one, but haven't found a way to do so without destroying the barrel (never know when I'll want to reverse it).
Yeah I have a tub of M-48's but (as of yet) haven't done anything to them yet. Not sure why.. wish I would have gotten more of the Vietnam-era figures, but I got into the game pretty late.
I've seen shots of a dozer blade for the 48s and 60s that would be pretty damn cool to do.
What I did was got one of those brown paper towels you see in public bathrooms, cut a piece that was a bit larger than the light and then soaked it in a glue and water bath, carefully squeezed out the excess and then wrapped it around the light to dry. Then I took a long strip of folded-over blue painters tape and ran it around where the edge would be glued it on. Then it was just trimming the excess towel and painting it up.
That's ingenious. I'll have to copy your method. I thought about leaving the cover off, but in almost all the photos I see, the cover is on during the day.
On the real vehicles, the searchlight cover and the gun shield cover are made of rubberized nylon with elastic at the edges which allow the crews to slip them on and off. This method would work for customizing an M-2 Bradley, for instance, which utilizes the same sort of cover on the back of the TOW launcher. On the M-48, there is also such a cover where the TC's cupola and the .50 cal mount meet.
Regarding the TC cupola, I decided to keep one gun in the cupola with an empty pedestal mount and vice versa on the other. I've read that when the crews removed the M-2's from the cupola, they closed the hole by welding a plate over it (so dust didn't pour in). I clipped of the M-2 barrel with a pair of heavy duty scissors and considered it a loss. Popular convention has it that ALL cupola mounted M-2's were removed in Vietnam, but that wasn't the case. It was up to the crew. I'm basing my M-48's off of the 1-69 Armor which often supported 4th ID. I've seen the M-2 mounted in both ways in photos, as well as being pedestal mounted near the loader's hatch.
On the real vehicles, the searchlight cover and the gun shield cover are made of rubberized nylon with elastic at the edges which allow the crews to slip them on and off. This method would work for customizing an M-2 Bradley, for instance, which utilizes the same sort of cover on the back of the TOW launcher. On the M-48, there is also such a cover where the TC's cupola and the .50 cal mount meet.
Regarding the TC cupola, I decided to keep one gun in the cupola with an empty pedestal mount and vice versa on the other. I've read that when the crews removed the M-2's from the cupola, they closed the hole by welding a plate over it (so dust didn't pour in). I clipped of the M-2 barrel with a pair of heavy duty scissors and considered it a loss. Popular convention has it that ALL cupola mounted M-2's were removed in Vietnam, but that wasn't the case. It was up to the crew. I'm basing my M-48's off of the 1-69 Armor which often supported 4th ID. I've seen the M-2 mounted in both ways in photos, as well as being pedestal mounted near the loader's hatch.
I have a special love for the M-113. During a blizzard here in 1993, all the roads were totally impassible and the power was out. The governor had called out the National Guard, so they took their M-113's and followed roads through several feet of snow in the mountains around where we lived. When the APC pulled up at my house to check on the family, it was surreal and reassuring. We had a wood stove, so the house was warm and we were OK, but I'll never forget watching that thing back out of the driveway. Too bad cameras weren't as ubiquitous then. I'd have made a video.
I love the M-113. It gets too much of a bad rap in these up-armored days. But there's a reason the Army hasn't been able to replace it in 50 years and is still struggling to do so. I don't think we'll ever come up with another vehicle as functional and versatile and in many ways, I wish mech units were still in them instead of Bradleys.
I have a similar story to yours. In early 2003 I was technically AWOL from Ft. Benning. I was a lieutenant and taking a course. President's Day weekend was a 4-day holiday, so I flew up to Virginia to see a friend. I hadn't taken a pass because I didn't technically have a chain of command and I didn't know to whom I needed to submit the leave slip. That weekend there was a terrible blizzard in VA and I got stuck. The airport was closed and I was a day late getting back to Benning. I re-scheduled my flight, called the CQ and figured I was in deep shit. When the airport opened there was a problem - none of the roads were open. An Nat'l Guard M-113 had to pull up to my friend's somewhat rural house and take me to town where I could catch a cab to the airport.
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I'd like to do something along the lines of this if I ever get the time:
Growing up in the 1980's.. the M113 was very well represented toy-wise with Micro Machines, etc. I love the look and functionality.
Shame that the 1:18 versions are so hard to find. Wonder if JSI has the mold?
Growing up in the 1980's.. the M113 was very well represented toy-wise with Micro Machines, etc. I love the look and functionality.
Shame that the 1:18 versions are so hard to find. Wonder if JSI has the mold?
I've been using the google machine for a bit now, but for the life of my I can't find JSI's website.
I remember they had one a few years back with displays of all the models "coming out", which had the Huey and the Sahara M-48 I believe.. but now.. nothing.
Anyone remember what the website was? I thought it was www.js-intl.com but that's something else.
I remember they had one a few years back with displays of all the models "coming out", which had the Huey and the Sahara M-48 I believe.. but now.. nothing.
Anyone remember what the website was? I thought it was www.js-intl.com but that's something else.
Damn. Figured as much.. guess with Merit doing the heavy lifting stateside they don't really need to promote their products.
I did like their WWII diorama they did though.
I did like their WWII diorama they did though.
Judging by the number of Tomcat re-runs that weren't supposed to have happened, it looks like JSI is just waiting on the US economy to improve before making anything new. BBI did a couple more runs of the supposedly limited Hornet, same for their Falcon. This stuff will never be at Walmart (Hasbro barely manages that these days), but it will probably see the light of day at some point.
Speaking of bizarre synchronicity, look and behold what BBI posted on Facebook half an hour ago in response to my request on the 5th for which 1/18 vehicles they plan on making:
2.5 Ton Cargo Truck
F-18
FW-190
FW-190A
German Kettenkrad
German Schwimmwagon
Kubelwagen
Willy Jeep
Zero
A-10 Warthog
Jagdpanzer 38(t)
Focke-Achgelis Fa 223
F-35 Lightning II
Su-27
Mil-24 Hind D
Leopard 2
Merkava Mk. 4
Aircraft
1/18 F/A-18 C/D HORNET
1/18 F-18 BLUE ANGLE
1/18 A-10C
1/18 F-4 C/D PHANTOM VIETNAM VERSION
1/18 F-100 SUPER SABER
1/18 HIND-D ATTACK HELICOPTER
1/18 F-15 C/D EAGLE
1/18 MIG 29
1/18 SU-27
1/18 TORNADO GR4
1/18 JAS 39 GRIPEN
1/18 F-5E TIGER II
1/18 A4 SKYHAWK
1/18 SR-71 BLACKBIRD
1/18 HARRIER GR7
1/18 STAR WARS X-WING
1/18 F-16 THUNDERBIRD
1/18 DAUNTLESS
1/18 ME-163
1/18 F-8F BEARCAT
Tank
1/18 M-60 A3
1/18 T-34 85
1/18 M3A1 STUART
1/18 T-55
1/18 MERKAVA
I'm pretty sure this is just a fan wishlist, especially since I asked them point blank about the Su-27 already in the same thread and they said "No," but that's a pretty bizarre thing for them to just post out of the blue.
2.5 Ton Cargo Truck
F-18
FW-190
FW-190A
German Kettenkrad
German Schwimmwagon
Kubelwagen
Willy Jeep
Zero
A-10 Warthog
Jagdpanzer 38(t)
Focke-Achgelis Fa 223
F-35 Lightning II
Su-27
Mil-24 Hind D
Leopard 2
Merkava Mk. 4
Aircraft
1/18 F/A-18 C/D HORNET
1/18 F-18 BLUE ANGLE
1/18 A-10C
1/18 F-4 C/D PHANTOM VIETNAM VERSION
1/18 F-100 SUPER SABER
1/18 HIND-D ATTACK HELICOPTER
1/18 F-15 C/D EAGLE
1/18 MIG 29
1/18 SU-27
1/18 TORNADO GR4
1/18 JAS 39 GRIPEN
1/18 F-5E TIGER II
1/18 A4 SKYHAWK
1/18 SR-71 BLACKBIRD
1/18 HARRIER GR7
1/18 STAR WARS X-WING
1/18 F-16 THUNDERBIRD
1/18 DAUNTLESS
1/18 ME-163
1/18 F-8F BEARCAT
Tank
1/18 M-60 A3
1/18 T-34 85
1/18 M3A1 STUART
1/18 T-55
1/18 MERKAVA
I'm pretty sure this is just a fan wishlist, especially since I asked them point blank about the Su-27 already in the same thread and they said "No," but that's a pretty bizarre thing for them to just post out of the blue.
Has anyone else seen the eBay listing for the custom SR-71 in Vegas? It may even be 1/6 scale. I don't remember.
Not entirely true.
One letter one number.
A-10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apachee 26 , I know you have wanted a M-113 kit for a while.
No promises but I will look in my spare parts bin and see if I have a turret in there.
