OK, guys, I am not really concerned with making the M113 into OIF or anything like that, but what I am looking for is the BEST 1/35 kit on the market! I am most interested in one that has a VERY DETAILED interior. All recommendations are welcomed! Thanks in advance! TREY[:::]

Academy is the way to go. You can have a look at their OIF M113 kit sprues HERE

It's not perfect, but IMHO it's the best game in town...

Frenchy

Thanks so much for the link for the pics!! I was going to make a trip to Hobby Lobby today and maybe I will get lucky and they have this kit in the store. Unfortunately for some reason there website is down and I can't get the 40% off coupon! TREY

You're welcome ! You can also take a look at Keith Forsyth's in-box review on Armorama

HTH
Frenchy

What about the Tamiya kit #35135? Anynone know? Thanks

It has a decent interior, the same as in their 30 yr old kit though. The roof is made to be removable to show off the interior. It includes an engine as well.

Thats Tamiya's Vietnam ACAV version. Academy's Vietnam version is still much better. As Rob says, Tamiya's is still their 30 year old kit wit s few updated parts.

THANKS to all on the kit recommendations! Now time to hit eBay! Just got back from Hobby Lobby, went outside the box of my modern likes, since thats what I served on, and bought an M41 Walker Bulldog by Tamiya (they didnt have ANY M113's to purchase). I am really surprised, what a GREAT detailed kit!! Thanks again to all the recommendations!

Tamiya's 1973 kit has vinyl band track with no detail at all on the inside face. It also depicts a plain vanilla M113 with the gasoline engine, rather than the far more common diesel M113A1. Tamiya did slightly improve this kit a couple of times, but the Academy version is better. Academy's Vietnam version is an M113A1, and has a tremendous amount of extra goodies, like an optional 106mm recoilless rifle, a flamethrower turret, or an Australian-style machine gun turret.
Tamiya also offer a fairly early type of M577 armored command post vehicle, though you'll need to either depict the weld joint for the raised roof section, or putty it over and eliminate it for a late version. In any case, you'll need aftermarket tracks.
Academy and AFV Club also offer non-US M113 infantry fighting vehicle variants as used by NATO and South Korean armies. AFV Club also offer the M548 unarmored supply vehicle, as well as the M730 Chaparral missile launching variant. Academy also has the M163 Vulcan cannon version.
Italeri/ Revell-Germany also offer an M113 as well as an M163, but they're only so-so. They do feature an alternate wheel type, with a smaller stamped "doughnut" and larger rim bolts, a variant sometimes seen since the 1980's.

THANKS alot Gerald, that was some good info...TREY

The T50 gun turret supplied in Academy's M113 Vietnam kit isn't right. If I remember right, it's too tall. I'm pretty sure someone makes a replacement resin turret.

Yes Academy's turret is too tall. AFAIK, Accurate Armour, Aussie Armour, Firestorm and Mouse House have released replacement turrets (I think Verlinden's T-50 is OOP).

HTH
Frenchy

dear trey i to would recommend acad. trouble in it's case is the engine compartment . anything after an A2 either scratch- build or seal and move on to the rest of the kit. some details are a little heavy but it's better to have than not have(ja!)@ any rate, i do have a beef w/ the suspendsion but it's a me thing.good hunting, best regards, michael.

The M41 still is a nice kit. But compared to the AFV-Club M41 it's 30 years old and shows. That's the problem with most Tamiya stuff these days. It's OLD. Most of the time I can

a) Get something as good as it for less money (Academy M113)
b) Get something better for the same money (Academy ACAV)
c) Get something that's equivalent to Tamiya kit + Aftermarket for the same money (AFV-Club M41)

They still have some stuff that's "Tammys way or the highway" like

+ M106 mortar carrier
+ M577 command post

and some new stuff that is said to be great (WWII stuff, post ColdWar stuff - not my lines) but mostly they are stuck in the 1980s and other companies overtake them.

Seeing that the original post and question is over a year old, I bet he already bought what he was looking for. You should take a look at the post date before answering questions this old.

He was holding off until he got a thorough answer.

I didn't know there was a M548 out there. gonna have to pick up one or two of those.

I found this under "Latest Posts" and didn't check the original date. So to quote our company hymn: "It wasn't me"

That sounds similar to my mantra: "Ask forgiveness rather than permission."

You want to rag on someone Gino, you need to look at mgautreaux. He's been digging up several old threads, some 5 or 6 years old.

Relax, that is who it was directed at, noticed that too lately.

pastafarian, greetings. i to i'm planning a 548 spaag. but since i missed AFV clubs release, i'm just going to get the cargo and get dmls m-54/55 (?)quads (2 really) and do a gun truck variant. the other is for a turk 113a2ta spaag. guns-up ,michael

As the old saying goes:

"Artillery does not distinguish between friend and foe but between high and low value targets"

So let's say our prayer to St. Barbara(1) and be greatful for what we are about to receive.


(1) Who's twice my patron saint - I am from a miners family and worked there AND I spend my basic training with the field artillery (FArt 535)

dear gino, man do you need an F.O. i mean, look at the resurgence of old stuff i caused! beware of counter-battery! scouts out/guns-up/the king is dead! pantomred4 out! ps tonydz- whatzitoya, that hard-up for conversation!

who's nedd ?

What they don't teach when to use capital letters where you come from? I know you are all excited about finding Armorama, and you think yourself some M113 expert, but it's really hard to make seance out of most your posts.