Hobbyboss IDF APC Nagmashot. 1:35

[Shar2]

IDF APC Nagmashot
[Hobbyboss 1:35

History
The Nagmashot or Nagmasho't is the first modern heavy Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). It was converted from retired Sho't Kal (upgraded Centurion) main battle tank hulls, in response to the shortcomings of conventional APCs in combat. The name is a combination of the Hebrew term for an APC ("Nagma"), and the Hebrew word for "Whip" ("Sho't", which was the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) name for their upgraded Centurion tank, from which the Nagmasho't was converted).

The concept that led to the creation of the Nagmasho't emerged from the fires of the 1982 Lebanon War, in which IDF M113 APCs unexpectedly encountered heavy RPG and ATGM fire, and suffered very heavy losses as a result. While the long-term solution to this dilemma was a comprehensive upgrade to the M113 (which soon resulted in what the US Army would designate the M113A3), the IDF also wanted an even more heavily-armoured vehicle for assaulting heavily-defended strong points, and one which could also be developed quickly as an interim until the new M113 variant arrived.

It was soon realized that such a vehicle could be quickly developed by simply converting the hulls of retired main battle tanks already in the IDF inventory, in a manner not unlike the "Kangaroo" APCs of World War 2 (which were converted from such tanks as the M4 Sherman). The resulting design would be the first Kangaroo-type APC developed since the 1940s. Also the IDF had a number of intact hulls of Sho't tanks without turrets in the armour graveyards. The development of the Nagmasho't was surprisingly brief, and the first operational examples were in service by 1984.

Replacing the familiar Centurion turret is a pyramidal casemate with a rectangular roof. There are two circular hatches at the front of the casemate roof which are hinged in the rear, and two rectangular hatches at the aft which are hinged in front, allowing four soldiers to stand in the hatches to observe all four quarters around them. The sides of the casemate have a distinctive flanging, probably for structural reinforcement, or to allow additional add-on armour to be fitted. Weapon skate mounts are fitted in front of each hatch, allowing personnel in the vehicle cover all four quarters around them with fire as well, if required.
The skate mounts accept a variety of weapons, but were usually fitted with MAG 7.62-mm general purpose machine guns, Mk.19 40-mm automatic grenade launchers and M2HB 12.7-mm heavy machine guns are sometimes fitted as well. At least 4 000 7.62mm rounds were stowed inside the vehicle.

Up to 8 passengers were carried, who ride in the passenger compartment under the casemate. The driver's position is unchanged from the Centurion series, with the obvious exception of not having a turret basket to interfere with entry to the main compartment. The vehicle commander usually rides in front, where provisions are made for carrying radio equipment, but there is no specially designated position for the vehicle commander. Entry into and exit from the passenger compartment in operational conditions was only possible through the roof hatches; not only was this a slow, and awkward process, but also quite dangerous in combat, as personnel on top of the vehicle were highly visible and exposed. However, the Centurion's belly hatch was retained, allowing the crew and passengers to exit safely from underneath the vehicle (or, should it roll-over, from "on top").

The armour of the Nagmasho't is essentially the same as that of the Sho't Kal hull, with the obvious exception of the casemate. The exact thickness of the casemate's armour has never been published, for security reasons, but it is presumably strong enough to defeat any small arms fire, shrapnel, and shell splinters. Spall liners are standard equipment on the Nagmasho't, and the track skirts provide additional side protection. The Nagmasho't may also be fitted with explosive reactive armour and additional belly armour for increased protection against mines, but both of these have rarely been seen in service. Also, as the Centurion series boast a V-shaped hull, the Nagmasho't has some residual protection from large-capacity landmines and IEDs as well. An automatic fire suppression system was fitted, but it is not likely that the Nagmasho't had an NBC protection system.

Originally operated by the infantry branch of the IDF, the remaining Nagmasho't fleet was later diverted to the engineering branch, as the vehicle's lack of a rear door was considered a liability to mechanized infantry operations (soldiers entering or leaving the vehicle had to clamber on top of it, where they were skylined and vulnerable to sweeping fire and shrapnel). In the early 1990s most Nagmasho'ts were converted into the more heavily-protected Nagmachon and Nakpadon heavy APCs. At the same time Nagmashot's used by combat engineers were converted into PUMA minefield breaching vehicles. However few original examples of the Nagmasho't reportedly remain in service.

Israel was the only operator of the Nagmasho't. This vehicle not been offered for export, and as it was succeeded in development by more powerful heavy APCs, and designed around armoured warfare philosophies largely unique to the IDF, it is doubtful that many potential buyers would want it anyway. Many may have been converted to later Nagmachon type vehicles.

The Model
As with the previously released Nagmachon, this kit comes in a similarly large box. The boxart shows a Nagmashot driving in the desert. Inside there are ten sprues and two separate parts, all in a beige coloured styrene, four of a brown coloured styrene, one sprue of clear, two etched brass sheets, twenty four styrene “tyres” and a small decal sheet. As we have come to expect from Hobbyboss, the parts are all very well moulded, with some very nice detail, no signs of flash or other imperfections, but there are quite a few moulding pips that will need to be cleaned off. The instructions are nice and clear with only a few operations per step. Although the tracks are still a bit of a pain to assemble.

The build begins with the assembly of all the road wheels and the fitting of the separate tyres. Of course, these can be left off until after painting, which will alleviate the masking that would be required otherwise. The sprockets and idlers are also assembled at this point. The suspension blocks are each made up from six parts. The rear bulkhead is fitted out with two short lengths of track, a storage box, two grab handles, two steps and two towing eyes.

Before any parts are added to the lower hull, there are a number of moulded sections that need to be removed and holes drilled out. Once these are done the bump stops are added to the hull sides, along with the suspension assemblies and two piece idler axles. The rear bulkhead is attached, followed by the skirt supports, three rear mounted, three piece towing hooks the two piece sprocket gear covers, the road wheels, idler wheels, return rollers and drive sprockets. The engine deck also requires some holes being drilled out before fitting to the hull. The exhausts, each made up from three parts are attached to each side rear of the deck. The foredeck is also attached, and fitted with the drivers hatch panels, which each have three piece vision blocks fitted. The tracks are made up from individual links, each connected to the sprue with four sprue gates. Fortunately these are very thin and shouldn’t take too long to clean up the 106 links per side that are required. Since the links require to be glued together it may be best to make up lengths of track before fitting, using only individual links to fit around the idler wheels and sprockets. If you want to, you can get away with only doing the sections of track that aren’t covered by the side skirts. With the tracks fitted the rear light clusters are attached and a pair of Jerry cans assembled and placed in the storage cage on the engine deck.

Each of the two fenders are made up of the main length and a separate front mudguard section. Each fender also requires several holes to be opened up before they can be fitted with the wide selection of storage boxes, front light clusters and guards, more Jerry cans, racks and brackets for the forward mounted self defence systems boxes and two piece rear mudguard flaps. The casement, for want of a better word, is assembled from a single piece main section which replaces the turret of the donor tank. To this the inner panels are fitted and ERA boxes to the front edges, followed by the roof and the four hatches with their associated handles and vision blocks. The rear bulkhead oft eh casement is fitted with a two more hatches and a pair of aerial mounts, whilst on each corner of the casement there is sited a machine gun mount. The kit provides an M2 50 Cal machine gun and what look like three GPMG’s. Each machine gun comes in multiple parts with separate ammunition trays and boxes. The casement is fitted with yet more ERA boxes and the prominent strakes down each side. Further detail, such as hatch springs, aerial mounts and then attached to the casement roof before the structure is attached to the hull and the machine guns mounted. Lastly the side skirts are fitted to eh respective mounting beams and a pair of armoured panels fitted over the rear fenders.

Decals
The decal sheet is quite large, but contains only a few decals, as the prominent Israeli flag takes up most of the sheet, the rest are the number plates for two different vehicles.

Conclusion
Whilst this is another weird Israeli vehicle from Hobbyboss, it’s good to see them being released. They are so different looking, that once built will certainly be a conversation piece amongst you collection. Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of

[Panzer Vor!!!]

Great review Dave just might put it on to buy list

[Antoine]

Thanks Dave.

Seems that HB is taking the Centurion from the other side.

No surprise if we get the whole serie one day, complete with Olifant.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Old tanks never die.....They just turn up in Israel as APCs!