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IDF "KESHET"


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Lining up my next build, utilising this old beast that I found on ebay just before Christmas.

 

39377491082_b1e380f658.jpgM106 - 1 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

A classic (that is old) Tamiya kit, some modification and scratch building will hopefully turn it into a Israeli "Keshet" M106A2 carrying a 120mm mortar. Work will begin soon on completion of my "240 Robert" build in the non military vehicles section, so probably by Easter!

 

Thanks for looking.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some updates.....................

 

39948030181_b204ed34aa.jpgM106 - 3 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

39948030351_f6806f9a71.jpgM106 - 4 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Some interior work done. Despite the seller saying it was a complete kit, the part that replicates the mortar bomb stowage is missing. Now I know they are for 81mm and not  the 120 I'm aiming for, but they would have been nice. So having studied the web a little, what few pictures there are of the vehicle in service show some variation in the internal (and external for that matter) layout. This is a good thing, this particular vehicle had some armoured stowage for ammunition..........it might be worth pointing out here that if you're an expert on the 120mm mortar or the Keshet or just a fan of the system, you might want to look away now.

 

The mortar itself. Supplied by Tamiya is the 81mm mortar, this obviously is not 120. Kit part is green, proposed replacement is the white tube.

 

26115504238_89425be490.jpgM106 - 5 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Some pretty simple maths led me to the kit part being x in diameter which is scale 81mm then my scale 120mm tube needs to be x plus half of that, half of 81 being 40, 81 plus 40 equals 120. I know there is a spare 1mm adrift but I've just invented armoured stowage so let's not dwell on that. All of that complicated maths leads me to needing a tube about 6mm in diameter.

 

As luck would have it, I have a long length of white plastic tube holding some fine brass wire straight and would you believe it, near enough to 6mm!

 

39987754381_bae44bd33c.jpgM106 - 6 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

White tube grafted onto bottom "thingy" from Tamiya part to allow it to sit into the mounting. It's 60mm long in this photo, various photos show that 120mm tube  sticks out of the vehicle a fair old way when it's in the firing position. A quick experiment below to show it sat in place.

 

39089790985_8dc33b0ea6.jpgM106 - 7 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Not to bad. Still a lot to do.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

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An update!

 

Some photos showing the interior, I like my AFV's busy, to show them on deployment or on exercise, crammed full of kit as they are in real life. Still a lot to do!

 

26297403708_793133cd01.jpgM106 - 8 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

40137542512_f3b50dd78f.jpgM106 - 9 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

26297404548_19ecae08ee.jpgM106 - 10 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking!

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The interior green is Humbrol, possibly 090, I'm at work so I will have to check, I picked it up as the interior colour for Vietnam era US AFV's, it's had a drop of white added and thinned and then brush painted.

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The interior colour is Humbrol 023, still from a small tin with a touch of Matt white & thinned. A couple of coats brushed on over a Matt white undercoat with a little pre shading as appropriate. 

And then dirt. I like 'em dirty!

Cheers.

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Quick update:

Interior is pretty much done, so the roof is on and beginning the work to add some Israeli additional stowage. I've decided to have this one with the rear ramp up & closed which is a little different for me, I normally like it all open so you can see how much I've spent on aftermarket bits (!).

Got a crewman on the go, he's going to be striking a nonchalant pose (I hope) in the mortar hatch just looking out & watching the world go by.

 

26367835618_66fdd50719.jpgM106 - 11 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

38429577100_fbe229dc4d.jpgM106 - 12 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking.

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