Does anyone have some diagrams or decent pictures showing the underside of the M113 hull?

I am looking to update the Tamiya kit and wanted to add a few extra details that I know exist.

The only picture I have shows the presence of the escape hatch (or rather the vacant hole without the hatch) and two or three further smaller holes, possibly to allow any water to drain out.

Note this is picture is of a very early (pre A1) Libyan M113, although likely the same arrangement exists for later variants.



Taken from my blog: http://esotericarmour.blogspot.com

The underside is the same on modern ones as the one in your pic. The large hole is not an escape hatch though. It is an engine access hatch that allows the oil and fuel lines to be disconnected before pulling pack. The small hole at the front is a drain hole. There is also a drain hole near the back.

Oh the memories! Pulling packs, changing out track in the 100 degree heat, living in that frigging thing for months on end. Man I miss that [auto-censored]!

Thank you for the clarification on the engine access hatch, given the size and position it makes more sense.

Any photos or diagrams would still be appreciated though.

Hello Guy

The M113 is also my Favorite Tank.

And here I have some pictures of the underside.

What exactly are you looking for the pictures?

let me know and contact me or look at my blog: http://cold-war-modelling.blogspot.com/

I have more Pictures!?







Greetings from Germnay Dominik Steinbauer

there is also a smaller drain bung just behind the big belly plate as wll as 2 bungs in the 2 final drives.

Hi Mandrake,

I knew I had this lying around somewhere.



There are two final drive reclosure plugs, one in each final drive housing. Front centre is a hull drain plug which also gives access to the steering control differential sump drain plug. The large slightly off centre belly plate gives access to the differential QD's and the transmission filter and sump drain plug as well as the drain taps for the heat exchanger and coolant pipes plus the air box drain cup. Directly behind that is another hull drain plug which also gives access to the transfer gear case sump drain plug. The right rear is just a hull drain plug. All hull drain plugs are the same. The final drive reclosure plugs can have either a 3/4" square socket inset (most common) or a 15/16" bolt head (less common).
The hull drain plugs and belly plates use 3/4" bolts with the hull drain plugs being captive. The front plate and the belly plate are the same dimensions but not interchangeable as the belly plate bolts are recessed.

Cheers, John

John,

That is exactly what I was after. Thank you very much, I can now go ahead and update the kit according.

Don't know if this might reach you, but I was looking for info about the M113 and wondered if it had an escape hatch so this forum popped up on Google. I would love to ask some questions to someone fully knowledgeable about the carrier. I am a fiction writer and doing a novel set in the future. randyattwood@hotmail.com