Anyone have photo links showing typical flat rack loads? I will be needing them for the HEMTT too. I would like to do something other than the typical ISO container.

Some of these are pretty cool.



Gino this would be cool. Can you create the A4 cab with what you currently have?


A Stryker load.

Gino-- Wow! Awesome workmanship-- as always
Well done!
DJ

What about a M7 Forward Repair System (FRS)? :



More pics here :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vaguardpao/sets/72157630177962128/

Or even a M5 Concrete Mobile Mixer :



H.P.

Thanks guys. Not much work today, had a rowing regatta to attend that my daughter was in. It was a really nice day on the water.

Of note, the below pic is not an Army M1074 or M1075 PLS (no MHC - Materiel Handling Crane). It is a USMC LSVR (Logistic Vehicle System Replacement). It is specifically designed an operated by the USMC and has different requirements/capabilities than an Army M1074/75 PLS. The engine/accessories on the fenders and cab are different, as well as the gunmount up top. With some work, it could also be built in the same way I am doing the M1074 PLS.



M1074A1 looks like below. It has a redesigned engine compartment with relocated radiators and other accessories. The cab is basically the same though.




It also has an updated suspension system like the Mk 23 and some MRAPs.


As far as loads, pretty much anything that can be put on the flatrack can be carried. Accurate Armour has some interesting loads for their Foden DROPS (Brit version of LHS) kit.

Thanks for the insight, Gino.

Gino, great project choice. Its going to be awesome build, so cannot wait to follow

Work continues. I have completed pretty much all the PLS conversion. I need to start on the cab and finish it up.

I was planning on it being an M1074 with the Materiel Handling Crane (MHC) in front if the hook for the flatrack. I have an Italeri crane, but I couldn't work out how to fit it there. The crane mount is different, and apparently so is the crane and outriggers. I have decided to now make it an M1075 (w/o MHC). In place of the crane, like on the M1120, is a work platform.

Here it is. I completed the air cleaner and hydraulic fluid tank as well as the exhaust and spare tire rack and hoist.






I also have completed the lift mechanism for the flatrack. The rear hinge on the lift plate was a pain. Italeri molds it as an open clip that is supposed to snap onto the hing point at the base. The open hinge kept popping off. I ended up cutting the open hinge off and replacing the ends with resin scraps and drilled a hole through each. I then pinned the hinge point to make is secure and still working. I don't know why Italeri engineered it that way, but it sucks.




Here is the fuel tank too. It was made by using a couple end caps out of 0.040 sheet styrene and then wrapping 0.200 styrene sheet around them to form the outside. The step on it is left over diamond plate PE.



I also added the rear steering gear and drive shaft for it.



More work to come.

Gino I'm not seeing your pictures.

Are you having issues with photobucket?

All my images are gone and when I post a picture to this forum, it's not showing up. I'm not sure what's going on.

I'm not seeing your most recent photos either.
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As you may recall the base hinges on the Italeri LHS gave me problems also with my HEMTT.

Photobucket may be having problems or updating/upgrading.

Yup, it looks like Photobucket is having an issue. Hopefully it is resolved soon.

Mike, your issues made me take a long look at how to fix them. I tried the way you did it with a retainer on the backside, but that didn't work for me. One side had the tip break off and that was all she wrote. It wouldn't stay in place at all. I don't know what they were thinking when the designers made it the way they did. Hopefully Trumpeter will design their hinge better.

I was uploading a wedding album to Photobucket at the same time you were having trouble posting but I had no problems at all.

Perhaps your photos were too large a file size or in a RAW format rather than jpeg????

Would really like to see your photos!

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As to that rear LHS hinge, I focused on reducing the diameter of the fixed hinge pin on the base casting rather than doing anything to the other part of the hinge located on the moving part. I could see some very slight flash on the pin and that is was not exactly round but more oval.

I got the assembly moving fairly freely but then of course I lost most of the "snap-together" capability of the parts. That is when I had to build those hinge retainers to keep the whole thing together.

Gino, I just noticed that your earlier construction photos have now disappeared as well.

Did you perhaps try to edit your PLS photo album location or album name on the Photobucket site? In the past I have found that doing ANY editing in these areas of the site causes Photobucket to generate an entirely new URL link to the photo and any earlier links to existing pages are destroyed.

Just an F.Y.I. _ _ _ Mike

Hey! I got one for ya! The MX0000 OS-CSU(L): That's the Officers' Self-Contained Sanitary Unit (Latrine) The "MX0000" designator stands for: M Xperimental "Four Holer"... DOHHH!!!

Seriously, Gino- NIIICE!!!

I believe it's an issue with photobucket itself, because mine is way messed up too.

I think it is an issues with the actual PhotoBucket server I am on. I have checked earlier threads and any pics I have ever loaded from my Photobucket cannot be seen now. Like I said, hope they fix it soon.

Gino would you mind publishing the general URL link to your complete PLS album on Photobucket? That way we could at least view all the photos.

I can see the photos now. Gino, Are you going to extend the back of the cab? the area behind the cab door look wider then the standard M983 cab

Good, Photobucket looks to be working again.




Vince, I didn't notice that before. It does appear longer. I'll have to check my references and see if earlier ones were standard HEMTT cabs. I am not sure I can do it correctly now. It appears to go back into the engine area, not forward in length. It may have to be close enough.

My vote would be to extend the cab that little bit and extend the forward frame members by the same amount.

Just my 2 cents worth.

I thought about that too, but then the tire opening may be too big in front of the front tire. I'll have to think about it.

I think it can still be done. You may have to cut off where the cab mounts on the frame and extend it a bit to accommodate the extra cab width.

this may help. There is a notch in the back of the cab for the engine bay. But it also looks like the edge of the engine deck begins at the same spot retaliative to the center of the front axle

I understand but if you manufacture some quarter round tubing to represent those big black rubber fender flares/skirts it would do a lot to make the extra open space in front of the tire less noticeable.