Armor/AFV: Vietnam
All things Vietnam
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V-100/M706 turret ring diameter?
afvaficionado
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Posted: Monday, August 08, 2016 - 08:20 AM UTC
Hi Greg
It's looking good.
Re the Anti Depression rail between turret & rear Hatch, that's another item that's different on the kiwi M113's - a stand alone item bolted to the upper deck.
Re the armoured fuel cap, that's one of a couple more items I intend to ask Woz to make, along with the Radiator cap & exhaust - (both gasser & early diesel) as my M113's came with the later flap exhaust, though that might be a while, he's been working on something else for me, that's quite complex.
Mal
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Posted: Monday, August 08, 2016 - 12:24 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Greg
It's looking good.
Re the Anti Depression rail between turret & rear Hatch, that's another item that's different on the kiwi M113's - a stand alone item bolted to the upper deck.
Re the armoured fuel cap, that's one of a couple more items I intend to ask Woz to make, along with the Radiator cap & exhaust - (both gasser & early diesel) as my M113's came with the later flap exhaust, though that might be a while, he's been working on something else for me, that's quite complex.
Mal



Hey Mal,

Looks like we borrowed the idea of the standalone rail on the AS4 from you guys, then. I look forward to seeing what Warren comes up with.

Made some progress on the tie downs, just need to sort out the lay out of the pioneer tool tie downs & brackets behind the cargo hatch.



I'm installing your mud guards over the next couple of days, should be okay.
afvaficionado
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 - 03:33 AM UTC
Hi Greg
Figured out a technique to help locating the tab holes for the mudguards. Get some Blu Tac, or plasticine & apply a thin coat to the area where the mud guards go. Place mudguards, so that the tabs mark the Blutac. Remove mudguard, drill holes for the tabs in the marks. Remove Blutac, fit mudguard. Repeat for other side.
Should give you a single set of holes for the locating tabs for each mudguard, with out producing the swiss cheese effect I managed on my first tries - bog comes in real handy.
Your footman loops - are they bought ones?

Mal
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 - 10:27 AM UTC
Hi Greg
Finally found the link to the interior pics of the T50 turret, showing the plinth hole is much wider than the turret hole - 3rd pic down post #40 - http://www.kiwimodeller.com/~kmodel/index.php/forum/6-armour-modelling/20737-nz-army-scorpion?start=30 -

Mal
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 - 02:55 PM UTC
Hi Mal,

Thanks for the tip - hopefully the fitment of the mudguards goes smoothly.

The tie downs are punched discs joined by 0.5mm rod. Drilling holes underneath the discs before fitting, then flooding with cement, lets the discs 'sag' into the holes.

Greg
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 - 03:51 PM UTC
Nice pics! Thanks for the link.
2805662
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 - 06:02 PM UTC
A bit closer to finishing the hull roof. The pioneer tool stowage was one of the trickier bits to establish. The fire extinguisher handle and AMU blanking plates seemed to sort themselves out.

afvaficionado
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Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2016 - 05:51 AM UTC
Hi Greg
Re Footman loops - Interesting, what did you use to punch the discs?
My M113's upper hull are cast metal - zamac - a zinc alloy, which is a lot harder to work with than plastic. Grinding off the existing footman loops was fun, drilling the holes for the shortened 26/6 staples that I use for the bridge component - even more so. Haven't come up with a decent way to do the ends, hence the interest.
Did you get my PM?

Mal
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Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2016 - 01:49 PM UTC
Hey Mal,

Just replied to your PM.

Regarding the tie down discs (your 'footman loops' - unfamiliar with this term), I used the old Waldron Punch & Die set (http://www.hyperscale.com/2011/reviews/tools/waldronpunchanddiereviewbg_1.htm). I can only imagine how difficult it is to work with a metal hull. No thanks!

Today's 15 minutes saw the engine deck cut away, and the driver's periscope guards installed...


afvaficionado
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Posted: Thursday, August 11, 2016 - 03:30 AM UTC
Hi Greg
Footman loops are the generic name for those brackets - https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=footman+loops&biw=1536&bih=717&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwj8m4HQs7rOAhXCrJQKHThgA28QsAQIJw -

Looks like I'll need to get a set of those punches.
Re the metal hull, it's not too bad, the worst part was cutting down the 'rubber' mud skirts - hacksaw territory, though the 2nd one was easier, just scored & then fatigued it (bent back & forth)with pliers.

Thanks

Mal
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Posted: Friday, August 12, 2016 - 11:00 AM UTC
Sounds like the learning curve with any new material, I guess.

About halfway through the engine decks. Had to come up with a way of building the grilles - settled on using V-groove styrene with 2mm spacing. Seems to be working.

Meanwhile, started colour testing. Seems that Model Master Acryl has some good matches. Just need to tweak the green.

2805662
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Posted: Friday, August 12, 2016 - 05:50 PM UTC
The engine deck in kit is on the left - milled from a solid block of 2mm styrene. Not bad, considering. But the holes are cut vertically, not angled....so, my effort is on the left. Still a ways to go, but a definite improvement.



Cheers
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Posted: Sunday, August 14, 2016 - 06:23 PM UTC
More on the engine deck. Found some fly mesh for the grills - may be a little coarse, but was trying to find 0.6 x 1.5mm. This was the best I could do. Need to add the weld blobs that affix the mesh to the grills themselves.



What can't be seen is the 1mm square chunk I removed from the glacis so that it sits a little less proudly in the rebate.

Mal, was your metal car this much work?
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Posted: Tuesday, August 16, 2016 - 03:20 AM UTC
Hi Greg
In some ways more so, in that a lot of the metal detail needed to be removed (ground off)& replaced by more accurate/appropriate detail. The Ultimate Warrior M113A2 that I'm modifying, is effectively a copy of the 1/35 Tamiya M113 gasser, upscaled to 1/18th & cast in metal. I'm using stainless steel mesh on mine, but still have to attach them & not sure they're scale either.

Mal
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Posted: Thursday, August 18, 2016 - 02:37 PM UTC
Hey Mal,

Sounds a bit too emotional an experience for my liking. I'm sure the results will be tippity top, though.

Looks like I may be able to get some custom photo etch done for the mesh...fingers crossed.

Back from o/s tomorrow, hopefully to resume my 15 minutes per day, perhaps routine.
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Posted: Sunday, August 21, 2016 - 04:52 AM UTC
Most of the work over the weekend was related to getting the hull in a better state. The glacis has been glued on, with work commencing on getting the transition between the lower hull & it correct.

Also test fitted some tools from the Tamiya 1/16 M4 Sherman.



In addition to tools, the Tamiya Sherman donated one of its fuel filler caps:



Comments welcome, as always.
afvaficionado
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Posted: Sunday, August 21, 2016 - 08:34 AM UTC
Hi Greg
looking good. Re the fuel cap - Sherman ones are flattened domes - http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/engine_deck/engine_decks.html - M113 ones are more conical, plus one of the ? (support arms) is supersized 20 th pic down - http://asnz.nz/forums/topic/14837-work-on-the-m113/ -

Mal
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Posted: Sunday, August 21, 2016 - 02:50 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Greg
looking good. Re the fuel cap - Sherman ones are flattened domes - http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/engine_deck/engine_decks.html - M113 ones are more conical, plus one of the ? (support arms) is supersized 20 th pic down - http://asnz.nz/forums/topic/14837-work-on-the-m113/ -

Mal



Thanks, Mal.

At least the M4 cap can serve as a good basis for the M113 one.

Thanks for the link - I'm not sure a M113 offers enough protection for an air soft game!

Greg
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Posted: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 - 09:28 AM UTC
Wow Greg, this is coming along nice. It looks like M113 from every angle. I think I saw you had your wheels 3D printed but what about the tracks? Will they be 3D printed as wel or complete scratch build?
2805662
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Posted: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 - 02:45 PM UTC
Thanks, Mike.

The kit from Christian is basic - but the shapes are bang on, thankfully.

I'm currently having some Diehl 513 track CAD'd up for 3D printing. Need to discuss having the track pads 'chunked' as well as new. Luckily most of the top run is covered by the ballistic shrouds.

The next carrier needs some old school T130E1 done, & the AS4 (if I proceed with it) will need T150.

2805662
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Posted: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 - 05:37 PM UTC
Well, some minor movement on the colour matching:



An 80/20 mix of FS34084/FS34102 seemed to answer the mail. Need to chalk or fade the dark tan (FS30219), but it's looking a lot better.
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Posted: Saturday, August 27, 2016 - 03:40 PM UTC
Found some pics of the start of the project.

The 'kit' is machined from 3mm styrene sheet:



Interlocking surfaces give a good degree of rigidity.



But clamping is still required:

2805662
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Posted: Monday, August 29, 2016 - 07:11 PM UTC
Received some updated parts from Christian today. Managed to scale some aspects from the real vehicle: the kit has been updated accordingly.

The biggest change has been the shift in the combat door on the ramp (you can see the different relative positions - old school one on top):



And fit checked (the 3D printed mud guards are also visible):



Squared off the corners of the roof of the hull. The surface underpinning the lifting points extend to the very edges.



And - the idlers have arrived!


afvaficionado
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - 03:17 AM UTC
Hi Greg
It's looking good. Where did you get the metal lifting eyes? Had to make mine from brass wire. The idlers look good - Shapeways?

Mal
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - 03:17 PM UTC
Thanks Mal,

The lifting eyes are from here: http://www.afv-model.com/4711shop/product_info.php?products_id=269.

The idler I obtained from Christian. It'll do the job nicely.

Greg