I finally got around to buying a digital camera (though I've sold them for a while ) and now I'm adding some of my pics online. I haven't added the .50 cal or the tracks yet (I'm waiting for some AM ones to come to me). Other than that, what does anyone think? Questions, comments, and criticisms are welcome.

You can find the main page for it here: http://groups.msn.com/armorama/m113fitter.msnw

Looks fantastic. You did a great job.

Very nice indeed, you do seem to have a bit of silvering on the decals though. What did you use for the conversion? Was it the Verlinden set or what? Jim

Is this the Academy Fitter? So far so good. Those stiff vinyl tracks definitely have to be replaced by AM links.

I'm building the Zelda myself. Did you have to fill a lot of holes on the ramp? Does it come with an engine? Thanks!

Looks great. I plan to build the same kit but in Canaian Service. there is some internal detail missing in the kit that has to do with the HIAB and its controls. I haven't got the detail yet, but hope to visit Borden shortly to take some photos.

Looking great. Grass. Now, I can't wait for the Tamiya new M113 after seeing yours.

Never seen one of those before. You certainly seem to have done an excellent job on the kit. It'll look great with a quality 50 and some good looking tracks.

The international standard color for oxygen tanks is green and aceteline is yellow. Also, if this is the Academy kit, look at the box art and consider adding the hydraulic fittings to the crane. Ditto on the silvering. You might be able to salvage this by carefully slicing some of the carrier film them saturating the decal with setting solution. When softened, try to scrape some away then gently but firmly press down on the decal to try to get it to conform better.

Thanks for the comments and input folks!!! I followed my usual recipe for applying declas, which hasn't failed me yet, but for some reason the decals on this it didn't cooperate.

Jim - The kit is the Academy M113 Fitter kit #1388. I didn't use a conversion kit.

John - There were a few holes that needed filling on the ramp. The kit also does include an engine.

Al - When you are referring to the hydraulic fittings, are talking about the wires running from the M113 to the crane?

Yep. I cut and bent small sections of aluminum tubing and used some sort of insualted wire or scale auto engine hose to replicate these features on mine. If you look closely at the box art, there are a few guides on the crane you can add with copper or brass wire as well so it won't look so bare.

Great job Grasshop12!!! The only point in my view is on the decals that are too visible (I mean in terms of silvering). For the rest is just lovely...

Nice Fitter here
Bus as mentioned before the missing hydroliks cables, they are verry prominent on the fitter and I should close the backdoor because the interiour is wrong in my opinion.

Here is a URL to my Fitter that I build a time ago almost straight out the box, but here you can see the hydrolics lines how they are connected.
http://home.wanadoo.nl/ronkok/m113_idf_fitter1/M113idf.htm

I built one of these kits a while back. It was a lot fun straight out of the box. Great job. It only gets better

very nice, never seen one of those before, nice work

Bender

Thanks for the comments, I think I am going to add all of those hydraulic fittings to finish tweaking it up a bit.

My only suggestion would be adding the ramp pulley and fuel filter just inside the lower left side of the rear ramp.
drop me a PM with your email address and I'll scan a good pic of the area. It's not a hard little detail to cobble together and really adds a lot to a bare corner of the kit.

I also have the old Verlinden magazine article with the crane plumbing well illustrated there.

Also double check with the Perth folks (PMMS) they had some interior pics that were very helpful in doing mine.

Very nice work, ,I always love to see someone finiah an M113, especially since I always bog down in fiddly little details.. AMS?? who me?? :-)

Mike