I'm adding A3 external fuel tanks to a basic Tamiya M113. Do I just grind down the molded on fuel cap? I've never seen the top of an M113A3.

Thanks,
Paul

Shame on you, my motor pool should be the first place one looks for modern US equipment!
Click here for the M113A3 photo album. You will also notice that the steering levers were replaced by a steering yoke.

BTW, you will notice the M1064 120mm mortar carrier in that same album.

Visual differences (off the top of my head) are:
1. Fuel tanks/fuel filler cap (although the M1064 120mm mortar carrier is based off the M113A2 and has external fuel cells as does the M981 FIST-V)
2. Trim vane (but only the new type of trim vane is currently available so if an older M113A2 needs a replacement, it will get the new type)
3. Smoke grenade launchers are now standard on A3s, but some A2 chassised vehicles have them like M901 and M981, but not the M1064. Probably due to the fact that the mortar carrier can produce smoke with its mortar rounds.

The above differences are present on all A3s, but can be present on variations of the A2.

Having just looked at the back of 2 different M113A3s, an M113A2, an M1064 and an M901, the only three true to life visual differences between an A3 and A2 are:

1. Ramp door hinges and the door holding mechanism (this is the oval door on the ramp, the hinges are different and the latch that holds the door open is different).
2. The mounting spots on the side of the hull for applique armor. These are recessed threaded holes that have a small threaded plug in there.
3. There are several tie downs on the side of the hull between the threaded plugs.

Now to muddy the waters even more, one of the M113A3s has a totally new and different tow pintle mechanism. One A3 has one just like the A2 chassises, the other is a new type.

I just looked and everything but the new tow pintle is basically there. Photo #30 shows the back of an M113A3 with the different hinges, the next photo #31, shows the ITV back door which is the same as any other M113A2. I will try to take some side-by-side shots and post them, but Jim's been warning us about file size & how many MBs we have left on the site.

Doh, I should have found those M113 pics. That's just what I need.

The Tamiya kit is a bit old but at less than $10 a kit it's great for conversions. The radiator cap also has be filed down and replaced. The MR Modellbau engine deck looks nice. Thanks for the tips guys.

While we are on the subject, I was on a M106A1 and M577(A?) from '86 to '89 at Ft, Hood, TX and in Germany but of course wasn't building models so I didn't notice any details. I know that one of them was built initially in 1968 and I'm sure had been refitted. Is it safe to assume that both of these had A1/A2 attributes.

Paul
http://flashpages.prodigy.net/ptruhe/armorref/armorref.htm

I reorganized the M113 album and now have a side-by-side comparison of the two in their own separate album here: M113A2 and M113A3 Side-by-Side comparison. Detail shots of the new tow pintle and variations in the crew door were taken.

I imagine anything is possible, but since the M1064 is a rebuilt M106A2 one of the modifications they do is the door latch change. It doesn't look like that difficult a scratchbuild though.