Hey guys,

Can anyone read from which outfit this M113 is?



Related, how do you read this, so I don't have to ask this question again in the future.

Does anyone know if there are more pictures of this particular M113?

I've been looking at Echelon and Bison, but I could hardly find any decals for M113's, can someone point me here in the right direction?

Also, I'm looking for some crew to populate the M113 I'm building, but couldn't find many figures for it. Resin or plastic, doesn't really matter, all suggestions are great!

And one last question on this subject. I'm build Academy's M113. The .50 cal has something strange on the end of the barrel, which I couldn't find on any photo of M113's in OIF. What is this, and how can I make it a normal .50 cal. I absolutely know nothing of modern machine guns, so forgive my ignorance here.

Oh, I do have one more questions, were would the CIP be attached to the side brackets. In the middle, more to the front, back? Again, I'm clueless here, but I'm a fast learner!

Thanks!

Dave

its most like a flash suppressor on the end of the barrel.

3 rd ID 10th Eng Bn Bn cdrs track

Hey William,

Thanks for replying. I guess that's one question almost solved. Were they commonly used? Was it normal to see those equiped on M113's?

Thanks!

Dave

Thanks Don! My guess was not so bad, I thought they were Engineers, and guessed 3ID. Just the HQ 66 made my doubting, since I linked this to 66th armor, which is subordinate to 4ID.

Yes, the conical-shaped device on the Academy M2 .50 cal is a flash suppressor. They were/are common and are probably on about 50% of .50 cals.

The CIPs would be centered on the sides and both the front and rear could (not always) have them as well.

The Academy side storage bins are too tall though. They need to be cut down by two bars and the bottoms should also be open bars, not solid.

For figures, there are quite a few options. Basically any armored figures with IBAs (Interceptor Body Armor), not the older PAGST armor, will do. Check Alpine, Verlinden, Warriors, etc. for armored crewmen in resin. In plastic, there are no armored crewmen wearing IBA. You could get the older Dragon Tank Crew figures and swap out their torsos for ones from either Dragon's Modern USMC or Trumpeter's modern figures with IBAs as well.

The marking on the right is the company and vehicle number within the company.

Paul

That isn't a flash suppressor (in the photo, that is). If there was one attached, it would be called a flash hider. That's the way .50 cal. barrels are manufactured.
The front of the barrel, approximately 2.5 inches measured from the muzzle, is machined to be thicker in order to mount a flash hider:




This is what an M2HB flash hider looks like:



Flash hiders on a Ma Deuce are as useful as lefthanded screwdriver.

Modern isn't what comes to mind when describing an M2 (in use since 1921). Very effective, yes.

Didn't the Academy kit come with a M19 BFA on one of the M2's?

Yes, one of the options in the Academy kits is a BFA as well.

Flash Supressor, Flash Hider: same - same. It is not on the M113 pictured above, but on the Academy kit part.

Echelon has released 3 OIF M113-related decals sets :

D356089 is for 20th Engineer Battalion M113A3s
D356056 is for 1/12 Cav. Medevac M113A3s
D356007 is for 2/7 Cav. Medevac M113A3s

They have also released some generic OIF markings that can be used with M113A3s.

More info here : http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~kriegsketten/DecalsD.htm

HTH

Frenchy

Dave, the M113 in your photo is an M113A2 and not an M113A3. Some of the identifying features are the original plywood trim vane, the lack of the stowed intake barrier above the trim vane, and the most telling feature (the other two could potentially be explained away), is the absence of the additional armor pieces across the top on the front hull where the headlights are mounted and above the trim vane.

Compare the photo with the photo of an M113A3 below and you can see the difference in the trim vane and the areas where the headlights are mounted.


The markings above and below the national insignia star indicate that the vehicle is a "draw" vehicle from the prepositioned fleet located at Doha, Kuwait. Pre-po draw vehicles are labled into unit sets so the fleet managers know which vehicles belong to which set.

Thanks for all the answers guys! This was really very helpful!!

Dave

Remember, the vehicle in your picture will not have external fuel tanks. It will have only the internal fuel tank.