Academy US Army M163 Vulcan Air Defense System

[Julien]

US Army M163 Vulcan Defense System

1:35 Academy via Pocketbond

 

 

The M163 VADS (Vulcan Air Defence System) is a self propelled Anti Aircraft gun system designed for and used by the US Army.   The base vehicle is a modified M113, the M741 carrier and mounts an M61 20mm Vulcan Cannon. The GE M61 is a 6 barrelled electrically driven weapon which normally fires at 6000 rounds per minute, this is reduced to 3000 for the M163.  In the field the M163 was designed to work along side the M48 Chaparral Missile system. The system was intended to be replaced by the M247 Sgt York but this never happened.  On operations the system has never really been needed in its intended role, though like many AA guns in history it has been pressed into use as a ground support weapon. Indeed in Operation "Just Cause" in Panama in 1989 one was used to sink a Vosper Patrol Boat.  As well as the US Army the system is still in current use with Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Portugal, South Korea, Thailand, and Tunisia.

 

 

 

The Kit

This is a reboxing of Academy's  kit which originated in 1995. The kit has been updated with a small sheet of PE and individual link tracks of you don't want to use the rubber band type which are also included. Construction starts with the main hull of the APC. The rear areas each side of the main door are built up, and the main suspension arms are added to each side. The rear door is also built up and added. Next up the road wheels, drive sprockets, and return rollers are mode up and added to the hull.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up the tracks are added. The modeller can either use the rubber tracks or to 60 parts per side individual links.  Following this the front of the APC and the engine hatch are built up. PE grills are provided if the modeller wants to use them. 

 

 

Next up the Vulcan cannon and its turret are made up. For the cannon 3 sets of two barrels are brought together around a central hub, this is then added to a base and the feed mechanism is added. All of this is then built into a surrounding framework. This is then added to the turret base and the side shroud is added. The ranging radar is then added as well.  Going back to hull the front parts and the roof are then added, along with various tools & equipment, including bags.  The turret and side armour is then added to the hull. Lastly track covers are added if the version being modelled carried them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Markings

Decals are in house and look to be sharp & in register. From the box you can build 3 vehicles;

 

24th Infantry Division, 1st Brigade, 6th Air Defence Artillery, Fort Irwin, Nov 1988

3rd Armoured Division, 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defence Artillery, Germany, Nov 1987

Unknown unit,  Fort Irwin, March 1988

 

 

 

Conclusion

It is good to see this kit re-issued, and with a few tweaks to bring it up a notch. Recommended. 

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of
UK Distributors for