AML-90, IDF, 1/35, Takom

Silenoz · June 12, 2018

The AML-90 was a light, long ranged, cheap and heavily armed recon vehicle from the French Company Panhard. It's based on a light 4x4 chassis, and because of its light total weight is was easily air transportable. Since it's first steps on the market in 1959 is has been operated in 54 countries and has a service span of more then 50 years with it's operators in several variants. more then 4000 units have been made. The vehicle started as an AML-60, armed with a 60mm mortar, and that turret was upgraded to mount a low velocity DEFA D921 90mm gun. This gun gave it the possibility to destroy targets up to 1500m, which made it a match for second line and older tanks... Due to its wheeled chassis, the AML-90 recieved the nickname: the noddy car, because after firing the main gun, it tended to nodd

Max speed was about 100km/h and autonomy was 600km. It was operated by a crew of 3...

History in the IDF:

An order of 29 AML-90s placed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1960 marked the first sale of AMLs to a foreign power, ushered in a new era of French arms sales to Tel-Aviv, and helped cement Panhard's success on the export market. The IDF armoured cars had been received by the end of 1963 and were first displayed publicly on the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut, 1966. Israeli units were primarily impressed by their high mobility and ergonomic nature, which was deemed ideal for airborne operations. Nevertheless, the AML-90's envisaged deployment by new Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelons also purchased from France did not materialise, as the helicopters could not handle its 5,500 kg combat weight.

At least 9 AML-90s were in service with the 41st Reconnaissance Company of the Harel Brigade during the Six-Day War under a Major Amnon Eshkol, participating in the capture of Ramallah in June 1967. The AMLs were initially posted at Mevaseret Zion following the fall of East Jerusalem. They were among the first IDF armour to cross into the West Bank during the conflict, probing for Jordanian resistance. Major roads had been blocked by tank barriers although these could be easily bypassed in nimbler armoured cars. The much more cumbersome Super Sherman and Centurion tanks tasked with leading the IDF's spearhead towards Tell el-Ful failed to reach their objective; most were forced to turn back in the face of difficult terrain.[51] Joined by the surviving seven Shermans and eight M3 half-tracks, Major Eshkol's AML-90s later helped defeat a Jordanian counterattack with M48 Pattons.

In the War of Attrition, Israeli AMLs faced Jordanian M48s again on the Damia Bridge during the Battle of Karameh. Originally tasked with screening the IDF Centurions as they crossed the bridge, the lightly armoured AML-90 was at a unique disadvantage when confronted by entrenched Pattons. Moreover, the Jordan River was in flood and vehicle crews were unable to exploit their manoeuvrability in the muddy farmland. Several AMLs were knocked out by tank fire or towed anti-tank guns. They were withdrawn from service not long afterwards.

The Arab–Israeli conflict marked some of the highest armour-to-armour kill ratios achieved with the AML platform to date, including the destruction of at least 13 Egyptian and Jordanian tanks. Especially notable were several T-54 kills credited to an AML-90 platoon in the Sinai Peninsula: as late as the 1980s, military scholars continued to maintain that the 90 mm DEFA cannon lacked the muzzle velocity to penetrate the thick steel hull of a T-54/55. More well-documented cases have since verified this was possible, though only with multiple shots or a direct hit on the turret rim near the driver's hatch. Israeli AML crews also sustained losses of their own during this engagement, and some AML-90s may have been captured intact by the Egyptian defenders.

The kit (took the liberty to copy the pictures from here, was a bit fast at starting, and was a bit far in the build to take pictures of almost empty sprues):

the box-art

and content:

Construction is pretty straightforward, with a big cuddo's to the Takom engineers... Marvelous kit, almost no cleaning up on the parts, attachment points are very small and easy to clean up (with exception for the front fenders), ejection marks are always on non- or barely visible sides.

Where I am at the moment:

So on to the last bits before primer...

robw_uk · June 12, 2018

nice start... interesting looking kit

phildagreek · June 12, 2018

Looks good, will follow with interest.

BobboT · June 14, 2018

Looks good. Will follow this with interest. I am in the process of converting this kit to a South African Eland 90 and have stalled. This will give me the kick I need to finish.

Silenoz · June 14, 2018

37 minutes ago, BobboT said:

Looks good. Will follow this with interest. I am in the process of converting this kit to a South African Eland 90 and have stalled. This will give me the kick I need to finish.

I'm interested in this conversion as I want to do this also for another model... Do you keep a build thread of this one?

Soeren · June 14, 2018

Nice approach. I really like the addition of the review pictures. Nice usage of local resources to improve the content.

BobboT · June 15, 2018

22 hours ago, Silenoz said:

I'm interested in this conversion as I want to do this also for another model... Do you keep a build thread of this one?

Hi Silenoz. No thread yet but I am keeping a record of build and will post shortly. I have had a long delay between starting and getting to the painting stage so have held off posting.

Silenoz · January 3, 2019

and then time went really fast, but at least I've got to paint this one:

The cupola:

the uppermost picture resembles the color the most...

The hull:

So on to detail painting and a first attempt to weathering...

Hamden · January 3, 2019

Nice to see this one back, coming together nicely now!

Roger

Silenoz · January 4, 2019

Thank you for interest, decals (Echelon D356249) have been applied and setting, some are still wet behind their ears:

and the tyres (DEF-model) in their basecolor:

Edited January 4, 2019 by Silenoz

Kingsman · January 4, 2019

Most interesting. This is one of my stash projects for some future time. A little vehicle in small numbers in IDF that punched above its weight. The argument mentioned above about muzzle velocity and penetrating T-series tanks is specious as this gun fired HEAT rather than AP or APDS. One of the great advantages of HEAT is that it is velocity-independent: if it hits it will initiate regardless of impact speed.

I've splashed out on the 3D printed baskets from FCM, resin wheels from MacOne and a suitable alloy 90mm barrel from RB as well as the Echelon decals. I was wondering whether to get hold of a brass F1 MG barrel from the Aber AMX-30 set, but the shroud would need drilling out for it or perhaps replacing with a brass one from an M2 Browning (might be too short - perhaps the muzzle end of the M2 barrel would work too).

Silenoz · January 4, 2019

thx for the reply,

with regards to the destruction of the T-54's, some sources state:

"The Arab–Israeli conflict marked some of the highest armour-to-armour kill ratios achieved with the AML platform to date, including the destruction of at least 13 Egyptian and Jordanian tanks.[53] Especially notable were several T-54 kills credited to an AML-90 platoon in the Sinai Peninsula: as late as the 1980s, military scholars continued to maintain that the 90 mm DEFA cannon lacked the muzzle velocity to penetrate the thick steel hull of a T-54/55.[25]More well-documented cases have since verified this was possible, though only with multiple shots or a direct hit on the turret rim near the driver's hatch.[25][54] Israeli AML crews also sustained losses of their own during this engagement...

So whether it was possible, I think so, with luck, or when maneuvering rapidly to weaker spots of the enemy, I think they had a chance, not only to immobilize the tanks, to be finished off by heavier allies, but also to finish off the opponent themselve.

With regards to the MG question, just been looking for some references, and stumbled upon this (believe me, been looking for pictures and the like, and haven't come with anything clear, and then this, facepalm moment in uttermost silence, followed by a deep sigh... ):

and this article:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/takom-idf-aml90-issues-t136833.html

Quote

This is what you need to do, stage by stage, ( I am not including general detail improvements)

Stage 1: do not fit H10 and remove the two rectangular parts it attaches to on H16
Stage 12: do not fit G31, fill the holes
Stage 13-2: do not fit G30, fill the holes
The wheels you need are those on stage 15-1, not 15-2 which are replacements fitted to the museum vehicle only
Stage 18 is optional as some IDF vehicles in 1967 were fitted with a jerry can holder in place of a spare wheel, the appropriate parts are included on the sprues (G10, G11 and E25).
Use stage 19-1 for a 1967 AML90
Use stage 25-1 for a 1967 AML90
Stage 26-1 and 26-2 are a mix up, you will need the barrel assembly from stage 26-2 on the stage 26-1 turret. Do not fit D46 as that is not a 1967 standard. There were some brackets added to some of the vehicles but they did not have the MG mount welded to them.
The MG barrel is incorrect for a 1967 AML90, the coax was replaced by a Browning 0.3, so you will probably need to reduce the size of the hole in part D28 before fitting a replacement barrel.

So I presume it depends on the timeframe...

But filling the hole and adding a .30 barrel should suffice for a model from '67 on... I won't change it on this model... but lesson learned, check everything...

Edited January 4, 2019 by Silenoz

Kingsman · January 4, 2019

Ah. I didn't know that IDF had substituted the Browning either. Thinking it through, the standard AA52 MG only took the French 7.5mm cartridge so wouldn't have been compatitble. A "D'oh!" moment here too. But makes things easier.

Silenoz · January 11, 2019

my first go at chipping (complete noob to this and weathering...):

I don't want to overdo it... Basket because some abuse, front of the machine, metal plates on mudflaps, exhaust... That's it.

Also tried some scratches:

Note to self... work in the driving direction...

exhaust: https://www.scalemates.com/albums/img/8/1/6/560816-11032-92.jpg

Pin wash with van Dijke brown:

Wheels: bolts painted red and pin wash:

Turret with oil dot method:

Looked ok to me, so on to the hull:

And fail... these dot's cant be removed. I protected all in the same way (tamiyapaint with clear added, drying time, clear, drying time)

Anybody having an idea what happend, how to restore and how to avoid this in the future?

Niall · January 12, 2019

I would recommend being very sparing with rusty parts. Rust needs water to form quickly, so in a hot dry climate like Israel it would form slowly and wind blown sand would rub off any that did form.

Silenoz · January 14, 2019

thx, the rust you see here is all that is applied... a bit on the handles and footsteps from climbing, some spots at the front where the sandplates are mounted, and the basket in the turret with regards to the stowage and rubbing from tie downs..

vaoinas · January 14, 2019

Wow. No idea, how this could happen. I wouldn't go with rust to fix this, but dirt and dust instead. Luckily most of these spots appear to be lower part of the nose, so this would be right place, where dirt would collect.

Edited January 14, 2019 by vaoinas