Here is my latest AmTrac project, one that has been lurking the stash for several years now. It represents a vehicle that served with the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch until the late 1990s, which sort of explains her Frankenstein evolved version of an LVTP7. For those rivet counters with an eye for LVTP7/AAVP7A1 vehicles you’ll notice some very unique fittings to this vehicle. It was an LVTP7 hull but had EAAK, RAM/RS suspension, UGWS, bowplane and several other odds and ends. It is with many thanks to MikeyBugs95 for designing and making the early driver and troop commander hatches available on Shapeways.
I am only dressing the interior enough based on what can be seen through the vision blocks. I decided to cut out the vision blocks on the turret to match the driver and troop commander stations better. I need remove the aft antenna mounts and replace the single hatch supports with a pair per side. I hope to get some serious work in as school is winding down but before work kicks in.




And to prove this isn’t a hoaky April Fool’s build, here she is before being stripped and placed at Edson Range (Camp Pendleton) as an embark/debark hull trainer for recruits.

Most of the interior that needs be completed has been painted and installed, although I probably have done more than needed as the hatches will be closed. I still have couple more items to add before I can move to the upper hull/top deck modifications.

Looking pretty good. I'll be following this one. Interested to see how the hatches turn out. If you had mentioned it I also would've included the hinge mechanism.

That is an interesting one. Looks like it will be a nice build as well.

I have the Hobby Boss RAM/RS EAAK version on deck to build for my Cousin who is a currently running one in the Marines.

The kits are awesome, but have you noticed the large circle sink marks on the left and right sides in the rear interior?
I was wondering if they will be seen once all parts are installed or do I have contend with them?

Maybe you were lucky and your version did not have them.

Honestly I was just excited to get the hatches as my skills aren’t good enough to churn out two identical hatches with plastic/putty/resin. I didn’t include the hinges because the measurements were aggravating me as they are offset on both hatches. If up for a challenge, I am willing to mail you the hatches and scale profiles so you can measure and make magic happen. I don’t think I can provide the details/measurements in a manner that would be anywhere near as having the actual hatches in hand. I wouldn’t even need the hatches back; I’d just buy the new products from your store.

I’m hoping I can do the build justice. The interior will only be partially complete paint/weather/finish wise but am keeping notes for my future builds of these Hobby Boss AmTracs.
I hit an aggravation point with the P7 and decided to tinker a little on my LVT4. It gives a good comparison between AmTrac generations. It is a conversion to the early un-armored cab version of the LVT4. I pulled it from the stash for the Amphibious Vehicle Campaign.

Very cool. He’ll be able to provide tac marks and other vehicle unique markings to really personize the kit.
This kit, and the four others in the stash which I just pulled out to check all have those marks. Although two of my hulls have couple of those marks raised instead of recessed. If the cargo hatches will be open or the ramp dropped, then those marks will definitely be visible. Especially on starboard where there is nothing to block their view as is the case on port where the fuel cell overhangs enough to block view of the marks. For all my future builds I will be filling those marks in because they will only get exaggerated with weathering and washing. Aside from a RAM/RS C7 the remaining P7s in my stash are what we referred to as “straight legs,” the older pre-RAM suspension. They will be “my” tractors I had in Somalia, at AVTB and Iraq ’03. I still need couple RAMs to build for “my” other AVTB and Iraq ’04 tractors.
I included couple links to my Photobucket libraries that may be useful to your build. I set the build aside and began work on my LVT4 when I realized Hobby Boss screwed the pooch with the interior placard decals. They repeat numbers in the instructions for different decals and I wasn’t in the mood to dig through my TMs at that moment to get the decals in the correct position. If needed I can post an image of the page from the TM that shows locations of the various interior placards that are on the Hobby Boss decal sheet. Unfortunately, the Hobby Boss kits also neglected to install the radios which should be located behind the troop commander along with the thermal sight storage located below the radios and where the old AN/VVS-2 was stowed. The Eduard PE interior does include the radio rack to remedy Hobby Boss’ mistake.

http://s10.photobucket.com/user/deattilio/library/Amtracs/Interior%20various
http://s10.photobucket.com/user/deattilio/library/Amtracs/AAS

Good info, and even better interior pictures. I was looking for some interior pictures on the web and could not find anything as good as those.
Thank you.

Got more work done on the interior, with the decals finally put in place followed by some weathering and washing. Fire extinguishers, seats, control panel and a flashlight are all that remains before I can “put the lid” on her. Also added resin bolt heads to the plenum top deck, removed the fore and aft antenna mounts and cleared the area for new antenna mounts. The headlight mounts also got installed.

Compiling a tidy list of what needs to be corrected for the next P7 as well as taking different steps toward assembly.

great work so far, watching this one with alot of interest

Minimal progress made this weekend. The starboard cargo hatch supports are mounted with the P7’s single hatch support mount locating hole filled in. The torsion spring for the cargo hatch was also replaced. All kits depict this component as round whereas on the vehicle it is not. I used hexagon rod and twisted it to replicate the slight twist when the hatch is either fully open or fully closed. Hopefully paint and weathering will bring this detail out – they are always rusted with most the paint chipped away on the real component. New holes were drilled for the relocated antenna mounts on the aft top deck, just forward of the mooring cleats. Covers were made and installed over the previous locations of the antennas; resin bolts were added to these to give them a little more character.

If not drowning in homework next weekend I plan to get the port cargo hatch supports and cargo hatch torsion spring installed. Then I will begin applying all the resin EAAK bosses to the upper hull.

Have not had time to tinker but have not forgotten about my project. Spent last couple weekends entertaining visiting family and last week out of state for work. Blah blah blah and all that jazz....
This weekend I decided to reward myself for efforts at school and my new job with a rare opportunity. I took a ride in the CAF's B-17 Texas Raiders - in the bombardier's position. I enjoy plastic, putty and paint but this was freak'n awesome!!!!





I'll load more pictures from my phone later.
http://s10.photobucket.com/user/deattilio/library/Airshows/Tulsa%20B-17%20ride

Very cool. A few years ago (about 12 now) the family paid for a ticket for my wife's grandfather (a WWII B-17 ball turret gunner in WWII and guest of the Nazi govt for 9 mos after being shot down) a flight on the Collings Foundation B-17 "909" for his 78th birthday. The best part was that on the day of the flight, my wife surprised me with a ticket as well so I got to go up with him. It was an amazing experience to be on a B-17 with a former crewman. It is one of the best memories I had w/her grandfather, who has unfortunately passed since then.