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AFV Club 1/35 M113A1 - Finished


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Hi guys

 

I'm building this as part of a SIG on another forum.

 

The M113 is my favourite military vehicle of all time so I was happy when AFV Club recently gave us a new tool. It has also been a good few years since I have built one.

The kit is typical AFV Club and overall looks nice but I do have a couple of issues with it. 

The bad

  • There are a few ejector pin marks that will require attention because of where they are. I will high light some of these as the build progresses.
  • The price. At £60 RRP it is too much for what it is I feel but that's new tool prices these days. I managed to snag this one for £50 which softened the blow.
  • Vinyl rubber band tracks. For the price it would have been nice to have at least separate plastic links.


The Academy M113 was the benchmark before this and is a great kit. But it's 25 years old now and like all its predecessors it still didn't have the rear ramp pulley. The AFV Club kit is great to see and they will hopefully release a few different options of the chassis just like Academy did.

The good
 

  • Rear ramp pulley represented.
  • Workable suspension 
  • A plethora of small arms are included in the kit.


Anyway on with the build.
I have no idea which option I will be doing yet but I will be using the picture below for the set up I will be aiming for. The M113 was seen with so many weapons configurations but I think the Minigun on the cupola and the M2 Browning 50 cal on the back just looks mean. (Ignore the topless grunts)

 

 

7620189920_d2c4df92d9_b.jpgM113 apc 1/5th Infantry "Bobcats" 25th Infantry Division "Tropic Lightning" by Jerzy Krzemiński, on Flickr

 

Here is everything I may or may not be working with.

 

39451385911_0102ad4410_h.jpgIMAG4263 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38743148774_727b5261da_h.jpgIMAG4264 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39451384361_decab00c61_h.jpgIMAG4265 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38743145174_f22c0fdc8d_h.jpgIMAG4266 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39451382781_456d35d31f_h.jpgIMAG4267 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38743143154_97089500b8_h.jpgIMAG4268 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38743141594_ff3d42fd71_h.jpgIMAG4269 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38743140724_c66d0514f9_h.jpgIMAG4270 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38763040564_9bd9ca44e1_h.jpgIMAG4274 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

25601563148_ceeccb9020_h.jpgIMAG4276 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

The Fruil replacement drive sprocket on the left Vs the kit option. 

 

39441272172_073f4bc656_h.jpgIMAG4277 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

As you can see from the back of the sprocket the fact these are made for the Tamiya and Academy M113's becomes evident. They will be no use on this build.

 

27694476619_a47acac645_b.jpgIMAG4278 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Luckily the AFV Club drive sprocket fits the Fruil tracks rather well.

 

39441270052_18a3c6cd95_b.jpgIMAG4279 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

27694473869_8ef080a910_h.jpgIMAG4285 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Fruil's anyone??

 

39441263842_a65a23ce57_h.jpgIMAG4287 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

RB Models brass Minigun. At under 2cm in length and 15 parts it is a little fiddly but this is the third one I have built. On their product webpage there is a handy guild to aid construction. My advice is don't worry about being too careful with the CA glue. Once built any excess can be scraped away with a scalpel. I even ran a lighter over it to burn the remaining away.

 

24670876387_4b3031fdf0_h.jpgIMAG4305 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

25668042158_72a0c80cee_h.jpgIMAG4307 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Vs the kit M134

 

24670875027_c443ef91bf_h.jpgIMAG4308 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

25668041168_9512398ec2_h.jpgIMAG4309 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

25668038968_5d4745980a_h.jpgIMAG4313 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

24715800107_f4954f6a72_h.jpgIMAG4330 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38924066425_3316a7923c_h.jpgIMAG4414 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Ejector pin city on the inside of the roof.

 

38924065345_3efdcb3137_h.jpgIMAG4416 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39113355244_054c6fcf58_h.jpgIMAG4417 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

28044478639_b771e63ed1_b.jpgIMAG4418 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39113354464_e04ca06d47_h.jpgIMAG4419 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

38924062245_3dc6a3ab0f_h.jpgIMAG4420 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Next I have been thinking ahead for how I want to load this out. Here is a great shot with the whole floor covered in ammo cans.

 

27226484266_305ea3aa37_b.jpgM113 apc 2/22nd Infantry (mech) "Triple Deuce" by Jerzy Krzemiński, on Flickr

 

Here they have been stacked on the crew benches.

 

28044826789_0e84daeef4_b.jpg2018-01-15_11-44-51 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

As I was lacking ammo cans I asked the guys from my model club and one guy came through. He had a load of .30 Cal and .50 Cal ammo boxes I could use. 

 

39113353634_6f8dba2e4a_h.jpgIMAG4421 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

25950014408_64cd502657_h.jpgIMAG4422 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Painting has started. Laying down some metallic for the under layer. I'll be going hair spray technique on this..

AK Xtreme Metal Matt Aluminium 

 

39883653022_b7a2a6b037_h.jpgIMAG4450 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

AK Steel

 

26043328988_aafba264da_h.jpgIMAG4451 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

More Steel

 

39883652542_ee9a7399f6_h.jpgIMAG4453 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Mr Metal Color Iron and buffed with a cotton bud.

 

26043328178_6ee212a658_h.jpgIMAG4454 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Playing about with chipping options for the inside of the APC. On the left is AK Worn Effects and on the right is the Mr Masking Sol.

 

28195314489_a5f6d52d11_h.jpgIMAG4505 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

The rest of the internals sprayed AK Xtreme metal Matte Aluminium.
 

26102324328_f39242f78c_h.jpgIMAG4499 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

The floor had a coat of chipping fluid followed by Model Air Steel.

 

40269877941_22e9ed6c47_h.jpgIMAG4570 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Lots and lots of Ammo tins cleaned up.
 

40269876981_a94538a21d_h.jpgIMAG4582 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

26474902478_be1e397bde_h.jpgIMAG4625 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300885452_5f06d2d310_h.jpgIMAG4626 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300883962_b362f477c9_h.jpgIMAG4627 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300882302_9bb8778bef_h.jpgIMAG4628 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300880822_78d865ea72_h.jpgIMAG4629 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300878832_06d9e8d2e2_h.jpgIMAG4630 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40300877642_bba11f34e5_h.jpgIMAG4631 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

I have been playing with enamel washes. Mostly Ammo brown wash for German dark yellow.

 

40343699952_2cd751ccb3_h.jpgIMAG4635 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39491916035_b42d10787b_h.jpgIMAG4636 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40343699022_6a99d7ebbc_h.jpgIMAG4637 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

39491914685_965da82536_h.jpgIMAG4638 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Here is how the floor is looking. A dark wash followed by pigments dabbed over. A mix of Mig Vietnam Earth and Ammo Airfield Dust. These were then coated in enamel thinners from dabbing a brush over and letting the capillary action fill the gaps. Once dry the areas where most foot traffic will occur was rubbed back with an old knackered paint brush and a make up type sponge on a stick. The kind of thing you get in the Tamiya weathering palettes. The effect looks worse under my non daylight LED lights and looks quite orangery like rust. I may try to lighten things up a bit more in the future I will see how it goes. Considering most of the floor will be covered in ammo cans it really shouldn't matter.

 

40343697542_53dfdea8c6_h.jpgIMAG4640 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

That's where things are up to right now.

Edited by snapper_city
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Will be watching this one with interest- currently working on the interior Academy's Iraq War variant (notably not the most accurate, but I'm going OOB on this one), and this is giving me inspiration for the weathering.

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Hi guys

Things have been moving on well. The bulkhead and floor are in place now. The drivers area was weathered up along with the lower walls that meet the floor. 


40420143272_f991614d74_h.jpgIMAG4650 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

The drivers office

38653618570_c618565e87_h.jpgIMAG4651 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

40420142432_855475fe41_h.jpgIMAG4652 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

38653616680_0a0f3937e4_h.jpgIMAG4653 by Mark Inman, on Flickr


The rear troop seats installed and how things are currently looking. Next job will be working on the stowage.

40420141342_dbc678dcef_h.jpgIMAG4655 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

25592919027_6bda0b093c_h.jpgIMAG4657 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

25592917787_b8e7492e0a_h.jpgIMAG4662 by Mark Inman, on Flickr


Until next time

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys

 

Things have been a bit slow going lately due to family things going on. I was hoping to have the inside wrapped up at the beginning of the month so I'm quite behind. Anyway I have been painting and weathering up the crates and stowage packs. I have the ammo cans and a few other bits to finish before closing it all up. 

 

40066990635_8c6a91cabf_h.jpgIMAG4800 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

26088198867_dd5f3e0e13_h.jpgIMAG4801 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

40918577022_ecc656a290_h.jpgIMAG4802 by Mark Inman, on Flickr

 

Until next time..

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5 hours ago, GMK said:

Fantastic work!

 

If I may make an observation? The ceiling of the M113 is covered with a foam insulation layer, and isn’t metallic.

 

Interesting. I wonder if this is a standard thing or vehicle by vehicle? The references I saw they looked metallic and signs of paint wear. I'll try dig them out. 

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Really turning out to be a superb piece. A small observation though, if this vehicle is Vietnam era then you might remove the MRE box. They were still eating rations out of cans MCI or C-rations. They came issued in similar boxes, just flip it over so the stencil is not visible.

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3 hours ago, arkbuilder2012 said:

Really turning out to be a superb piece. A small observation though, if this vehicle is Vietnam era then you might remove the MRE box. They were still eating rations out of cans MCI or C-rations. They came issued in similar boxes, just flip it over so the stencil is not visible.

 

I did think they were a little modern for Vietnam. Unfortunately they are stuck down now and the roof is on so not the easiest thing to correct. It will just be one of the artistic licenses going on with the build. 

Another little thing that no one has picked up on yet. All the ammo boxes are WW2 vintage. Not the style we see in Vietnam and today. These were the only ones I could get in numbers though. 

Never mind. It's still looking cool. 

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