I just got the Italeri M-923 Big Foot in, and Id like to see whats available for a/m items and reference. The only thing I could find was the Eduards p/e .. anything else to dress this one up?

Have you tried looking at Pawel "Vodnik" Krupowicz's website? I don't normally refer models as reference, but his treatment is a darned good one to follow.

I believe you can google "Vodnik.net" to get there...

Tim,

IIRC, there are AM wheels/tires in resin. I just hit up Greatmodels.com and did a search for M923....The Tank Workshop, Ordanance, and MR offer them...with and without the auto inflation system. Be prepared tho, if it's anything like Italeri's other "mainstay" 5-ton, the details will be soft and there will be a fair amount of cleanup (nothing that someone with your talent can't fix!)

Mike

You can also find good reference pictures in several recent books on Iraq vehicles from Concord and Tankograd.

Real Model, Hobby Fan, and several other companies all offer different resin wheels, as Mike noted. As for PE, I only know of the Eduard set.

Wow! after seeing Vodniks...I just completely lost interest in this kit! Not knocking him, he did an outstanding job on that model! But, after seeing the lack of detail on the kit, and the work involved to make it a nice one, geeze.. oh well.. maybe I'll wait for Dragon and Trumpeter to compete on this one

Don't give up on the kit that easily. It can be made into a great model with a little work. It won't fall out of the box and be great, but can be made great.

I was working on one before I left for Iraq. I got it about 90% done. It still needs weathering and to have its load added. It will be the prime mover for the M198 Howitzer in the pics on the PhotoBucket page with it. It is still on the bench at home awaiting my return.

The only items that really need resin replacements are the tires/wheels. Italeri's are really bad; not even close to the real thing. I used CAM Design wheels. The rest I updated/corrected with sheet plastic, lead foil, fine solder, and bits and pieces from left over parts.

Here is a pic of it so far.


You can see in-progress pics here.

You should give it a shot. It can turn out looking great. Follow Pavel's how-to and you can't go wrong. I didn't do everything he did, just picked what I thought was needed. You will be pleased with it if you do.

Good luck.

Thanks! But as Gino said, a nice model can be built from this kit without all these modifications. Actually I still have Italeri M925 kit in my stash (like M923A1, but with smaller wheels and with winch) and I plan to repeat only some of my M923A1 model changes. For example my M925 will be built with the cab canvas top installed and with closed doors, so I will only make some basic improvements to kit interior. The cargo bad will be mostly filled by shelter, so no tie downs there. I also don't want to add as many parts to the suspension, as they are barely visible on the finished model.

Pawel

CAM Design wheels are the most accurate for the "bigfoot" pattern. These are ex-Tac Scale Dynamics wheels.

CMK does a resin cab interior and a engine set. Engine listed for M939 trucks.

There is a OOP set from a garage company that did all the details for the brake drums and wiring. Sorry, I do not remember their name offhand, but they show up on eBay from time to time.

Part of the problem is nomenclature for looking up aftermarket.

I think it is a great kit with just the Eduard PE and new wheels...all the rest is only to make it competition level. Really.

ok, thanks for all your replies... sounds like a keeper then. I'll have to check out that interior, since its one things I like doing.

Tim, get that thing off your "sell" list brudda. I'd love to see your work on this one.

Mike

its done..deleted it last night..