Being unemployed at the moment I am finding all kinds of time to build! So this is my Academy IDF M113 Zelda. I am using the old Verlinden Toga Armor panels that I have found some issues with, more on that later. I am planning on putting this in a small diorama so I am building it open to include figures. So this is what I have so far.





I am placing the commanders Galil rifle in the hanging straps next to his hatch. He will be standing up in the hatch so his rifle is not needed at this time.



I replaced the canvas seats with wooden planks that I made from styrene. I even carved the "grain" into these, even though you can't see it in the pic.


The Verlinden instructions are very difficult to figure out. I basically had to guess on the location of the mounting rails. I then held the rails, before folding, to the side and marked their locating holes on the hull. I then drilled through the hull and added styrene rod.


And here is the mounting rails on the side. I had a real problem with the forward end of the bottom two rails. One, they were too long. Two, they had a fold mak on them to return the rail to the side of the vehilce. Well, this didn't work as the turned in end cmae back to the vehicle at a very strange angle. So I broke them off and fashioned my own turn backs. The bottom turn back is the cut down one from the original part, the other is obviously styrene. I then lined the bottom rail with styrene so that stores could be placed behind the armor.


From my research I have not been able to find a Zelda with the heavy non-skid, so, I won't be putting any on. I plan on having the top covered with some sand bags and some troops standing up in the hatches.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

in this picture the side plate is too "out". It's needs to be a bit more flat (but still with the curve)



also, don't put any non-skid on this, the have none (as far as i remember). sand bags should be on the side, close to the roof's ends.

Thanks for the info, I will work that into the build! I appreciate it.

As far as the "side plate", are you referring to the interior fuel tank, on the left side at the back of the compartment?

Good luck with the Verlinden armor. I got a set (real cheap) quite a while ago. I fould them to ne horribly miss sized. All I used form the set were the brackets and the hinges on Academy's plastic version. (I drilled out all the countersunk holes on the plastice for a better effect. )

I thought the one made by Eduard was supposed to be the best, if a demon to assemble.

Thanks guys, I may get me an Eduard set, depending on how all this goes. This Verlinden set is pretty difficult to do. It took about one hour to figure out how/where the mounting brackets were supposed to go on the front of the vehicle. I think I got it right.

Anyway, I am trudging along.

yep that's what i meant.

ill try and get some pics, but im not promising anything. BTW, i think i wasnt clear about the sandbags, ill make a sketch and link it here.

metooshelah, thanks for the info. Any thing you got would be a great help. I have painted the interior some. I will try an get some photos up here soon.