Ranger, is that the 'gun-port' version? (the XM734 I mean).

Tread.

I belive it is the version with viewing ports and gun ports placed in the flat sides of a basic 113. The picture of the kit box was too dark to tell conclusively. I have a picture of one in a book on Vietnam War armor. It was tested in Vietnam, but, as many of us know the troops preferred to ride on top of the M113s due to proliferation of mines and other such things. That kind of made the firing ports useless.

Regarding a conversion kit - - In the mid 90's a company called I-Corps made a resin conversion kit which I had seen advertised in a couple of issues of Fine Scale Modeler. At the time it was going for around $70-$80 U.S. In each of the two FSM issues it was advertised it was called by a different name. Once it was a M-113 "Armored Vehicle Assault Bridge" and the next it was called something like a M-113 "Armored Assault Bridge" or somesuch. Off an on (mostly off) I have been looking for a copy of this kit, or even enough technical drawings to attempt a scratch build myself. So far no joy in mudville!

With regards the streched M113, this is now in production and is called the MTVL or Mobile Tactical Vehicle Light. Canada has a bunch in srvice already. the lead vehicles are the MTVE or engineer variant. There is also a new cargo carrier in the brood.

Two of the XM-variants that lead up to the Bradley are displayed at the Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, GA. They are there because they were evaluated by the Infantry Board, which is(?)/was the test and evaluation branch of the Infantry School. I shot number of photos of each while I was there in July, and will have Jim post them as soon as I can get them ready for him.