The Legend of (the M113) Zelda (Completed it mate)

[gregg136]

Hey, looking at the rapidly growing built models clogging up my bookcase shelves, I thought to myself " I haven't got a proper APC, yes I have the Namer (big) and the Nagmachon (So many metal bars!) but not the legend that is the M113. 
 

So Jadlam it was, and with express next day delivery selected I was hoping to have it in my hands before the weekend, alas it's somewhere between Bristol and the North East and the Royal Mail tracking is useless. 

So here's the box art from their website.

Hopefully it turns up tomorrow or at least before the weekend (first child free one since lockdown), I'm curious to see what it's like as Scalemates doesn't have much on and the instructions are for a different version, the figures will be a first for me. Will be right out of the box, no eduard etch sets for me (that's money I can use on the Merkava 4) and I should have enough of the AK paint left otherwise it's a trip to the Folks/Brother for a bit of light robbery. 
 

Hopefully an update soon. 

[modelling minion]

Welcome to the GB, and with a great choice too as Israel has made great use of the M113 for a very long time.

Its a subject that I am interested in building myself so I'm keen to see how your build goes on, when it pops out of the Royal Mail sausage machine.

[gregg136]

4 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Welcome to the GB, and with a great choice too as Israel has made great use of the M113 for a very long time.

Its a subject that I am interested in building myself so I'm keen to see how your build goes on, when it pops out of the Royal Mail sausage machine.

Thanks, I’ve seen quite a few conversion sets available so I doubt this will be the last I do. Never done an academy armour kit so looking forward to see how it goes. 

[gregg136]

And it's good news!

It's arrived. First thoughts are it's a lot more plastic than I was expecting 9 Sprues, 11 if you include the two with the individual track links, a little photo etch plate and 5 figures which are a nice touch. 

Option wise there's two, a "Command communications" option ( I believe it's the Nagmash Pikud) or one with the additional Toga/Vayzata armour. 

 

I'm slightly torn on the choices, I like the increased options for customising the Command one with the jerry cans and personal equipment on the front. But the armour (below) isn't as bad as I thought it would be and looks quite sharp even with the filled holes. I'll decide soon, it's not like I won't end up with a few of these over time. 

 

 

Build pictures will start later today. 

[gregg136]

So what was meant to be a quick look through the kit escalated somewhat, after an hour the engine assembly is done and is in place. Immediate thoughts are this is a b****y good kit, it's a happy balance between the ease of the Tamiya and the detail of more expensive kits. No issues at all so far. 

 

 

 

 

Off for a pasty and coffee now. 

Thanks for looking. 

 

 

[modelling minion]

I didn't realise you got two options in the kit, I have to say that I think I prefer the look of the command version, more of the look of the classic M113. Off to a good start too with the engine and interior, they look very nice indeed.

[gregg136]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

I didn't realise you got two options in the kit, I have to say that I think I prefer the look of the command version, more of the look of the classic M113. Off to a good start too with the engine and interior, they look very nice indeed.

That's the option I've gone for, there's quite a bit of external stores that can go on and it seemed a shame not to use it or hide it behind the armour. However the decision not to buy anything extra hit a snag, as you can see there's an awful amount of space in the back and it seems a shame to have it bare so I'll be ordering the AK IDF accessory kit and pick a few things/maps from that to include. 

I'm ending today with quite a fair amount done. 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a bit of tidying up to do with some spots missing paint and the orange plastic showing through and I'll give it some weathering at some point to hide the sloppiness. On the plus side if I screw up I can seal it all up and no-one can see. 

 

Still absolutely no problems putting it together.

 

Cheers for looking. 

[stevej60]

Nice to see number one son enter the GB with a very interesting choice so thats all three of us now is this a Britmodeller GB first? Great quick start too wonder who you take after😄

[modelling minion]

2 hours ago, gregg136 said:

I'm ending today with quite a fair amount done.

I would say that is quite the understatement! You have done a large amount of work that would have taken me ages, and done a good job of it too, really nice work on the interior.

1 hour ago, stevej60 said:

Nice to see number one son enter the GB with a very interesting choice so thats all three of us now is this a Britmodeller GB first? Great quick start too wonder who you take after😄

The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree has it, and thats no bad thing! Definitely a privilege to have the whole family take part in the GB.

[arfa1983]

Looking good! You know I never really thought about where the engine was in a M113! Now I know. 

[gregg136]

3 hours ago, arfa1983 said:

Looking good! You know I never really thought about where the engine was in a M113! Now I know. 

 

Driver isn't a role for the claustrophobic either. 

[gregg136]

Evening, just an hour or two today, not feeling too great (long covid is a right laugh) but managed to get the interior finished off and it all sealed up. 

Started by putting just a small amount of wear and tear in it, this was mainly a dry brushing of Tamiya dark iron to bring the floor up and put some scuff marks along the edges of the storage areas and a few other placed. Finished up with a light brushing with a tamiya sand weathering stick (the cheap hard plastic brushes in kids art sets are great for this, just run it over the top of the stick and apply) 

 

 

Once that was done it was just a case of putting the roof on (once all the internal hand holds and levers and the hatches are applied along with the front of the hull like so:

 

 

As you can see there's a slight fit issue where the front hull joins the roof in the corner by the engine component, those building this may want to make sure it's a very clean mating surface and that it's all level. 

Cosy!

 

Last shot is with the hatches open, they're all moveable apart from the drivers as the hinges didn't sit right so that had to be sealed up. 

 

Next few days should see the rest of the hull parts added and the wheels painted/tidied up. The tracks are just the rubber band ones for now but I'll see how I feel about them once I've painted them up. I wish I filled in those ejector marks now, but in all honesty once it's done and on the shelf with the rest it'll be all closed up. 

[modelling minion]

That is very nice work Luke, you have pretty much got the assembly done and to a high standard too. The interior looks very good indeed.

1 hour ago, gregg136 said:

(long covid is a right laugh)

Very sorry to hear that you are a fellow sufferer of this, not much fun is it. One of the worst things for me is when you have a good spell and think things are going well and then the bugger hits you for 6 out of nowhere and you feel like again.

[81-er]

That's looking really good

 

James

[gregg136]

Another few hours today and this is the result:

 

 

 

 

 

The kit is fantastic, the fit is excellent bar a slight issue joining the front of the hull with the roof but that was probably more me than it. The only word of caution is in the instructions it asks you to add a part for the exhaust that looks like an elbow joint. Don't.

 

As usual, all brush painted with AK's 'IDF Sand grey 1970's - 1980's' and the other colours are their S.C.C Olive drab, the interior is their IJN J3 - Hai Iro although for the next one I will get a pot of their AFV interior green (also because I have a HB AAVP to do) and the other colours are AK's Burnt Umber and a weird green mix I threw together just to add some variety to the stores. Weathering is a mix of Tamiya Dark Iron dry brushed or dry brushed then run over with a large flat paintbrush and the Tamiya Weathering stick (sand) although I've just about run out so that's a trip to the LMS. 

 

Thanks for looking. 

Shalom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wings unlevel]

That looks fantastic, and fast!

[stevej60]

That,s turned out superb.Great job.

[modelling minion]

Good grief, this isn't a blitzbuild you know!!

What a fantastic result in such a short time, you can see your enthusiasm for the subject, with very nice weathering.

Thanks for having taken part in the GB and very well done on producing such a great model in such a short space of time.

[gregg136]

Cheers everyone. It’s now on the bookcase. The countdown to the inevitable accident has started 😂

[Stef N.]

Great job Gregg. Quick and impressive work.👍

[81-er]

That's superb, Greg, and built extremely fast!

 

James