Hey all,

Apologies in advance for the lengthy post.

In one hand, I have the Tamiya M151A2 Mutt kit, and in the other, I have Academy's M151A1 'Shmira'. I've read through most of the IDF group posts about the Academy model's shortcomings, so I've decided to try a little kitbash. Ok, it's not so much a kitbash as it is a parts swap.

I think my build would probably be easier if I used Academy's M151A2, but I've got the Tamiya kit on hand, sitting there on the shelf & just waiting to be used. After spending an hour online looking at pics, and another hour playing with kits parts, I think I've got a good grasp of what needs to be done, as follows:

1) Remove the Tamiya kit's windshield frame & scratchbuild a mount for the passenger side MG on the dash.

2) Move the IDF-specific parts from the Academy kit to the Tamiya body, and hope that they all fit. These would include the radios, antenna mounts, rollbar, rear MG mount, rear seat, bumper mounted wire-cutter, MGs, jerry cans and ammo boxes. I would use the Tamiya front seats and the Academy steering wheel, because it looks more in-scale to me.

3) Add the screen in front of the radiator.

4) Paint, detail, and have a beer (optional).

5) Use the Academy kit to build a U.S. Army, Vietnam-era jeep.

I'm not sure if I should use the Tamiya wheel/tire units, or substitute the separate wheels with vinyl tires from the Academy kit. (I'll tell you, I do like the look of those Academy tires.)

I think that's everything for the main part of the conversion. Simple enough, right? (Probably not!) However, there is a LOT of info on this subject in this forum, and I might have missed something important. If you guys find any errors or omissions in the above list (or if you have any tips to share) please feel to send them my way.

Thanks.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/97003&page=1

this is a good thread for your build

The Academy Shmira pieces fit the Tamiya MUTT just fine. I did the same conversion a while ago. It comes out looking pretty nice. Also, If you want, you can build the ammo storage in front of the passenger, On the Academy dash board, you will notice a cut out section there. It is for 3 .30 cal ammo cans next to each other. The rack has two vertical bars and a bottom plate with vertical sides to hold the ammo cans.

The above mentioned thread by KO Sprue is only good for seeing the Shmira parts, but he used the Academy M151A1. He did not accurately update/convert it to an A2. As you probably already know, the IDF did not use any M151A1s.

Good luck.

I did take a look at the thread linked by KoSprue (thanks!). While the model is certainly well done, it is the Academy A1 kit nearly OOB, so it's not really what I was looking for...

I did spend a few hours last night working on the model(s). You're right, the Academy kit pieces fit well on the Tamiya body. Instead of modifying the Tamiya dash face, I tweaked the Academy piece a little and it dropped right in place. I also cut the top of the gun mount from the Academy dash and used it, and some styrene strip, to finish things off.

Speaking of the dash, I appreciate your tip on the ammo storage rack. I did notice the cut out on the Academy dashboard, and I couldn't figure out why it was there. I haven't seen a clear pic of the ammo rack anywhere, so I'm guessing that the cans are stored lengthwise, from the front to rear of the jeep, tucked under the dash...

I also noticed that the Tamiya front bumper is innaccurate. The Academy piece is much better looking, but it's a simple shape, so maybe I'll scratchbuild a new one.

Back to work. You know, I really need to post some pics.

That is correct. You have the basic idea. Good luck on it.

Oof...I apologize for the quality of the pics. A buddy has my nice Nikon, so the point-n-shoot Canon Powershot is filling in...poorly. But you get the general idea.

Here are the Tamiya kits parts, with the Academy dash and upper gun mount in the lower right.

Your photos look fine and clear enough for a build progress, and the build is cutting in nicely.
I forgot to mention the above link I posted was an OOB build and to read HeavyArty's information posts in that thread for proper conversion kitmash advice regarding this subject.
I am also building this kit conversion project so I'm paying close attention to this one.

Looks good so far,
One of my future projects, so keep posting, as it is going to make it easier for myself and anyone else interested in this vehicle.
The photos look fine to me.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I spent a few more hours on the kit today, and this is what I've got to show for my work...

First, a view of the front, showing off the scratchbuilt bumper with the tow hooks from the Tamiya kit. It looks a little big (too high vertically) compared to the Academy piece, but I can live with it, especially since I'm probably going to wrap it with rope or chain. I chopped the frame rails to tuck the bumper closer to the body, because every pic I've seen shows the bumpers nice and close to the grille. The Tamiya kit piece stuck waaay out there. Also, I really didn't like Tamiya's molded over headlamps, so I drilled them out and will be replacing them with some clear headlights later in the build. I found a set in my parts box that I think will do the trick.




Here you can see some of the Academy 'Shmira' parts on the driver's side. A tip for all of you who want to do this conversion: do yourself a favor and fill all the mounting holes for the axe and shovel in the Tamiya body side pieces BEFORE you glue everything together. This will leave you much more latitude in positioning the 'Shmira' parts where you want and/or need them. I used the Academy axe on the driver side, and the Tamiya shovel on the passenger side, even though most of the pics I've seen showed either one or both of these items missing from the real trucks.

In this shot you can also see the scratchbuilt jerry can mount for the front driver side. I didn't really like the jerry cans supplied in the kit, which were molded open in the back and would show on the finished model. I had a few extra cans from Academy's M60 Blazer kit and those looked much better, but they weren't molded with mounts or straps. I figured I'd just whip up a set of mounts and add them to the body - that was one "15 minute job" that took me over an hour to complete.



Speaking of the jerry cans, here you can see both the front and rear mounts, both with and without the cans in place. At first, the mounts seemed a little heavy-handed to me. But after checking pics of the real thing, I think they're close to scale, so I'm happy. Of course, strap and buckle detail will be added to the cans later. You can also see the c-channel look of the front bumper. This is much more accurate than the original Tamiya piece, which was basically just a solid rectangle of plastic molded to the end of the frame.



The rear bumpers are Tamiya pieces, while the spare wheel (and forthcoming tire) is from the Academy kit. You also get another look at the rear jerry can mount. Sharp eyed modelers will notice that I shaved off the molded-in pins on the Tamiya piece (used to mount the US-style gas can) to get the scratchbuilt mount to fit where I wanted it.

I have yet to add the passenger side ammo storage rack, suggested by HeavyArty, but it's on the to-do list. I think I'm going to need some more styrene...

You can also see the antenna from the Academy kit in place on the driver side rear panel. If I were to do this build again, I'd use a little creative license with placing the antenna mounts and the like. I've looked at a lot of pics, and no two IDF vehicles are alike, and if they are, they don't stay that way for long. I also remembered to glue in the steering column, using the Academy piece.



Up next...beer. Food. Sleep. And then, once more unto the breach.

It is coming along nicely and is looking really good. Keep up the good work.

Thanks again for the kind words.

I took a short break from this project for a day or so, but spent a little time today fidgeting with some details, which then lead me, of course, to more questions...

The first is regarding the location of the rear MG mount. The instructions show it mounted amidships, offest towards the driver's seat, in what looks like a forward firing position. I've read elsewhere (or perhaps some posts here) that the MG should be mounted towards the rear of the jeep, near the radios on the driver's side, facing out in a rear firing position. I thought I heard that the mounts were often located at one of the rear corners, but I could be completely wrong. I haven't come across any photos that clearly show the mount location one way or the other. Anybody have any input on this?

Next up is the screen over the radiator, and the wire cutter. The screen appears to be on a good number of the vehicles I've seen, so I'll probably include it, but the wire cutter is hit-or-miss. I like the look of it, but I'm not sure how many vehicles actually were so equipped. So do I use it, or lose it?

I'd be open to any and all info, tips & suggestions (including having another beer).

TIA.

Ok, a quick update, with some pics.

I finally built the under-dash ammo rack, and while I was at it, I figured another jerry can mount on the passenger side would be a good thing, you know, because sometimes I just can't leave well enough alone.



I'm not sure how correct the ammo storage rack is, but I think it looks pretty good (thanks to HeavyArty for the info). I was considering putting figures in the jeep at some point (the Warriors Shmira set with the winter uniforms, perhaps) and I don't know if the ammo rack will interfere with that plan, but I guess I'll find out eventually.

I also did a little work to the jerry can mounts, adding sides and making them look a little more like the ones I've seen in pictures. Also, I fabbed up a new spare tire mount in order to move the tire up and over just a smidge. The kit mount had the tire sitting right on the rear bumper, and it was bugging me. Plus, moving the tire over a bit helped cover up the back of the rear seat.



Here it is loaded up with the cans...and I think it's about time for the first coat of paint.



More to follow...

Great looking start! you mentioned not having any clear photos of the rear MG mount, and also the ammo stowage for the passenger MG. Sorry im a bit late, but i had these pictures. I got these off the internet, and saved them...dont know what webpage, but somebody here may reconize them. Also, you may want to find a copy of Verlinden Publications Lock On for the M151, as it has some pictures of a group of israeli M151s (last couple of pages)




Also, not to detract from your own build, but here is a picture of my own WIP so you can see where I mounted the MG and the ammo stowage.



note also the rear seat, which seems to be quite a bit higher than what the kit suggests, and its appears to be on some kind of box.
hope this helps a bit!
Andy

Thanks for the pics, Andy! They're much better than what I was able to find online, and the shot of the ammo storage is great, with a nice view of the forward MG mount and a bunch of other little details. (Oy, where does the passenger put his LEGS in these things?) I'll have to redo the ammo storage, but I haven't gone that far with the paint, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to tear mine out and start over.

I noticed in the shot of the ammo storage that the bumper-mounted wire cutter looks like it folds down. Hmmmm...that could be a nifty little detail to add.

The rear seat really is mounted way up there. I never noticed that before, but then again, I don't think many of the shots I've seen were that clear. Thankfully, I haven't installed the kit seat yet, so a little tweaking seems to be in order before it goes in. Also, I've seen wheels painted black, and wheels painted body color, so there's another decision to make...

Your build looks really nice. I especially like the addition of the door straps and the nifty front jerry can. Is the can a kit or resin piece, or did you make that wrap yourself?

Thanks again for sharing the photos. I appreciate the help.

Yoni, its the resin set from Legends. One great bargin for what you get in the box, and ive seen it as low as $15 on some websites. It has a small PE set, and a bag full of resin where there is no way you will fit all the stowage into your Shimira. Also has radios, jerry cans, cover/stowage on hood, ammo boxes, 20mm ammo cans, and other goodies. also has a sheet of foil, chain, and rope.

There is also the CMK set, which has some nice items, but is a bit more expensive. I combined the two (so I now have lots of leftovers to do another,or add to a OREV conversion). CMK set is cool because they have a flak vest, battle harness, helmets (with liners), guns, and seats among other stowage.

keep us posted on the progress!
Andy

Yoni,
I am working on a Pair of IDF M151A2's right now as well. References are not very easy to find.

Check it out: http://www.mheaust.com.au/IDF/Walkaround/MUTT/M151a2.htm

(Thank you Claude Benshaul) These are the pics that Andy was talking about.

I got the Legends Set (LF 1043) from Squadron Shop for $12.46 plus shipping.... easily worth that for the stowage.

Two hurdles I am looking to get over are the color mix for the Israeli grey-green color and where to find one of the small jerrycans you have on your drivers side fender. I like them without the straps and racks.... more realistic if they are separate parts as you have done.


Steve

Andy: Thanks for the tip on the resin sets. I've seen the Legend set at Squadron, and it's inexpensive (like Steve said, $12.46), so I might have to pick one up. I've toyed with the idea of using the old "tissue, string and glue" method of making some bedrolls and such, and perhaps using epoxy putty to mold some heavy bags. Maybe I'll get the Legends set and use some of my own homemade details, as well...just to be different.

I will, of course, post more pics when I actually get some more work done on the model.

Steve: I hear you on the reference material. There's stuff out there, but I don't feel like buying a book every time I model a different subject, or when I want to do the research RIGHT NOW. Besides...isn't the Internet supposed to be the "information highway"?

Regarding the small jerry cans, I dug them out of my Academy M60A1 Blazer kit. I was going to use the pieces that came in the Academy Shmira kit, and just fill in the hollow backs, but then I got to thinking...why not build them as separate parts? The Blazer kit had a few cans - 2 large and 2 small - molded without straps or holders. I figured I'd sacrifice them for the Shmira kit, so I took a large one for the back and the two small ones for the front sides. I initially just had one on the driver side, but then I got carried away and added one to the passenger side, too. I haven't seen any pics with M151s with cans on both sides, but I like the look.

Ahhhh, the great paint debate. I'm sure everyone out there has their own opinion on how to arrive at the proper Israeli sandy-brownish-gray (or is that sandy-grayish-brown?) for post '80 IDF vehicles. Honestly, Testor's has an Israeli Sand/Gray in their Model Master line, #2138, and it seems pretty darn close to me. You just have to thin it out and load it in your airbrush and you're ready.

Personally, I cheat a little with the paint every now and then, since I'm a lazy SOB and I hate cleaning my airbrush. Rustoleum - yes, Rustoleum - makes a color in their Specialty Camouflage line called Khaki (#1917). I've seen it at Ace Hardware and Home Depot and Lowe's, so you should be able to find it somewhere near you. The color is a few shades lighter than the MM Israeli Sand/Gray and is almost an exact match to Model Master Armor Sand (#1704, FS30277). Anyway, I sometimes spray the Rustoleum right from the can (oh, the horror!) for my basecoat, and then go from there. Usually I mix up a very thinned down MM IS/G and spray over the Rustoleum base with a few coats of that. I've also used MM Armor Sand with a little brown mixed in to get a little variation in the color.

I suppose one could just use the Rustoleum for the final color coat, and weather right over it. I bet once you get a few washes on top, you really wouldn't notice any difference between it and the "correct" Model Master color.

HTH.

-YL

Yoni,
Check this out....

A nice Israeli Mutt on a foreign language site. My computer doesn't recognize the font but the pics are great.

http://www.all-meister.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=guests&page=2&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=10

Steve

Steve: That looks like the Academy kit with the Legend Shmira detail set.

Nice build, even if it is an A1.

BTW, the website is in Korean. I tried translating it through Google and the results were...weird.

Thanks for the link!

I've had some time off work with the holidays and all, so I've been playing catch up with a variety of my half-built kits. It's certainly been a long time since I've posted anything on my long-suffering Shmira project, so I thought it was due for a brief update.

Initially, I chose to use the Academy wheels and tires, because I thought they were better detailed than the Tamiya items. I spayed the wheels black, mainly because I've seen them that way in a lot of photos, and I thought it would be a nice contrast to the sand/tan on the body. After I got her up on all fours, I wasn't really thrilled with the look.



I think the Academy tires look a wee bit undersized (height of the sidewall), especially compared with the Tamiya pieces. I'm also not happy with the black wheels. I know that they won't look as flat and one-dimensional after drybrushing, washes and weathering, but I'm really leaning towards painting the wheels body color. (As an aside, if you look closely, you can see the aluminum tailpipe I made up to replace the solid plastic kit piece.)

I decided to prep the Tamiya wheel/tire units, just in case. On second glance, the basic pieces weren't horrible, although they lacked the open holes of the Academy kit. So I took the trusty pin vise in hand and did a little drilling...



I'll probably paint and assemble both sets of wheels and tires and decide which ones to use at a later date.

I've also decided to live without any aftermarket pieces on this build. I was going to buy the Legends detail set, but after I scratchbuilt the front grille cover with some styrene strips and brass screen, I got the bug to use either the kit pieces, or whatever I could make or modify myself.

Which means I'm going to need to convert the Tamiya U.S. Army driver figure into an Israeli soldier. I wonder where I put my epoxy putty...

-YL

Yoni,
Your build is looking great. I had not noticed the difference between the Academy and Taymia wheels...ill shall have to look closer!

As for the black, I noticed that on many photos the black was only on the front wheels, or all 4, and was pretty chipped up at times. On mine, I painted the wheels the overall color and then used a small brush to paint the black on all the areas that were not chipped. You could also try using a dark grey, such as Floquil Grimey Black or Weathered Black (a model railroad color). I used pure black on mine, and after all the weathering and dusting it blended in a lot, so you may want to keep the contrast for now and trust that the dust will do its job (just like on the real thing).

Heck, you could keep the black now and just drybrush/ blend in some dark grey to lighten it up a bit if you wish.

Looking good, and im looking forward to seeing it painted up!
Andy

Thanks Andy!

I still haven't decided on the wheels or color...I'll post my "final decision" when things are a little more together.

Happy New Year.

-YL