A few months back I did an OOB build of an Italeri M109 just for the heck of it and not know how rare and expensive these kits had become (it had been it my stash for about 20 years).



Anyway it was a fun build and the accuracy wasn't too bad considering the age of the kit (I added an ACAV Cupola for something different and replaced the tracks with AFV club indy links). I've now got the 109 on a base and about to go to town weathering.

Anyway, a few months back I edited an article for a magazine about the M108s in Aussie service in Vietnam 1967-68 and, for a change, they seemed like an easy build because the Aussies didn't have them in service long enough to start modding them,





Alas, I found the M108 kits were virtually non-existent and the M109s were on eBay for US$100 buy it now ... I didn't like my chances!

A member here sent me an M108 gun and mantlet from a swap meet and there's an excellent M108 build log on this site, but getting an M109 donor hull was looking very problematic.

I kept an eye on eBay and there was an M108 which didn't seem to be getting much attention ... I bid, won it and it arrived at my door here in Australia for the princely sum of $US44 ... good score!

I learnt a few tricks building the 109 and the tracks had to go, and I also splashed out on a CMK engine, which has a lovely louvre deck with details on both sides.





I'm not going to race in to the project (to many hulks sooo close to completion) but that engine will need to go in (don't like my chances of finding an M108 and I was thinking of opening up the vehicle (the hatches are flat, so it shouldn't be too hard).

This could be a good dio:



Anyway, the first order of the project will be getting rid of the M109 bits on the roof, carving out some hatches and pondering what to do with a basic interior ... could be a fun build!

Subscribed! I have the M108 also. Should be fun to watch as you build this one.

Mike

p.s. You mentioned that they were getting expensive, but I would NEVER have fathomed someone asking this much:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Italeri-1-35-M-108-105mm-Howitzer-238-/120785095225?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1f5a4a39

WOW! I can't believe they are going for that these days. I bought one from eBay a few years ago for a campaign I never entered and still have it. I think I paid less than 20 bucks for it.

I like the M108 better than the M109 so I guess for once I am lucky and fortunate at the same time, huh?

Goodluck with the build!


~ Jeff

Should be a nice build. Sounds like you are off to a good start. Good luck.

The ridiculous price of the old Italeri M107/M108/M109/M110 series started about a year ago when one guy had a bunch of them and started listing them at that price. Some crazy people actually paid it and then everyone else followed suit with the ridiculously inflated price. They are still selling, so I doubt the price will come down any time soon. We'll see what happens when Kinetic comes out with their new M109A2 kit (and hopefully other versions) though. I bet you won't be able to give one of the old Italeri M109A2 kits away.

You got that right! Some of the "buy it now prices are just silly and the bottom will fall out of the market with the new Kinetic kit or when Italeri re-releases their old kits, as they always seem to.

That said, the M108 was a relatively rare vehicle and I doubt if we'll see it again - I'm pretty happy with the price I picked mine up for.

found this walkaround book for you to check out if ya like.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/US-Vietnam-M108-M109-Howitzer-Squadron-Signal-Walk-Around-Reference-Book-/370545091448?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5646356378

its on e bay of course.


reb

It is said that the Devil makes work for idle hands, and last night I had some spare time to tinker ... removed all details from the roof (not sure if the cleaning rods will be fitted, so I nuked them too). and filled in the holes.

And to really spice up my life, I opened up the turret's side and top doors!

Also took out the engine louvres ahead of fitting the nifty CMK engine ...



These kits actually go together really well, but I can't bear to see a Vietnam vehicle "buttoned up" ... likewise, while you can go to town on interiors, I find most of it is wasted detail.

Obviously the next move is to square the basic turret away with putty and surfacer, and then nut out an interior, or at least some blobs to fill the space visible from the open hatches.

Looks like it is coming along well. I have the CMK engine set too, but haven't used it yet. Keep up the good work.

Got some more done today and the basic building block are together.

Rather than hang the engine from the hull top, I decided to install it in to the hull itself, which made positioning of the firewals much easier.



Next to go in is the multi piece floor, which should be much of a big deal, and I'll obviously need some 105 arty ammo sets to "bomb" the vehicle up and fill in some space.

I stripped the turret of all roof detail and filled the holes with plasticard as well as opening some moulded shut:hatches:



I smeared some putty over the seams, sand and I'll give the whole turret a coat of surfacer before I start to add details:





I'm not going to go to town on the interior, as I finds most details people meticulously put in is often never seen ... I'll just aim for "glimpses of clutter", and there will also be some figures inside.

I've obviously got a bit of work ahead before I seal up the hull, but can anyone tell me what the interior and engine colours were in US Army M108s?

I have some interior pics of the ones the Aussies were using which suggests they were sea foam green, but that could be colour shift in old photo slides.

There be a bit of tinkering in this project, but all of the major structural work is done and I think it will come together relatively quickly once the hull is sealed.


I then puttied the

Coming along well. For the interior color, all US M108/M109 series vehicles were/are semi-gloss white.

Here is a modern M109A6 Paladin interior, looking up into the turret from the rear door.

Off to a good start Gino

Rob, it's not mine. Mick from "Down Under" is doing it. It is coming along well though.

Hey Gino, yeah just noticed I wrote the wrong name. Apologies to both of you. And yep, this is looking good so far. i like the motor and open hatch. It adds some character to the model that will set it apart from others.

Love that interior shot Gino

Nice build so far of a nice vehicle of my favorite modeling period!
I will keep an eye out for updates. Really curious were this is going.

Keep us posted please

Best regards
Mark

Got the turret stripped, all holes filled and all hatches opened:





Adding the details to the turret shouldn't be a big deal as I have heaps of tools and fittings in the spares box and the cleaning rod will be dead easy. Likewise, the hatches shouldn't be much of a stretch as they are flat plate.

The basic "building block" is ready to go ... obviously I can't seal up the hull until I clutter it up with some interior - I have the firewalls in, which is a good start. People often "go to town" on interiors, but I find that most of the finer details are wasted and you only need to fit "glimpses" of detail.

About the biggest challenge on the hull exterior will be the two piece rear door, which won't be a challenge at all ...

Just some quick questions on interior details:

1: Does anyone have a pic of an M108/109 engine bay?

2: Is it possible the interiors of at least some of the Aussie 108s were sea foam green? I have one pic of a loader in action, and the background has a distinct green tinge, but that could be colour shift in the slide, however, when you look at this pic, it does seem that the inside of the rear hull door is sea foam:



A few of these vehicles have non US Army two tone cam patterns ... is it possible some were diverted from export for service in Vietnam?

Thanks in advance!

Looks like it is coming along nicely.

Sorry, can't help on the Aussie-specific colors though. The below US version is definitely semi-gloss white inside.

M108



I'm sure no one will notice how you paint it since you can't find difinitive photo evidence either way.

The Aussies did minimal mods in the few months they had the M108s, so white it is! As previously stated, I think the "greenish" tinge of the interior picture was due to colour shift in an old slide.

dbeen looking at e bay prices, and to be honest, i can get the m109 cheaper from lucky model[ about 40 bucks usd including shipping ]than from e bay, around 100 bucks average plus shipping.

any comments on this bizzare happening?

reb

Italeri just re-issued the M109A6 and is about to re-issue the M109G.

The guy at eBay was price gouging since it was a kit that was out of production at the time. His prices should drop soon too if he is smart.

If you look on eBay at the new, blue-banner box, you will see similar prices to Lucky Model.