New photos with details of AFV Club's Doher kit.

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Thanks!

I really can't comment on the actual accuracy of this kit is...but it looks awesome!

The kit is certainly interesting for IDF fans, but I don't understand why AFV Club call it "M109A2". While the howitzer has been significantly upgraded by IDF, probably even beyond the basic A2 variant capabilities, it is clearly based on M109A1 howitzer version with a small turret w/o the extended ammo storage in the bustle.

Several sources point out M109A5 as a base of Doher howitzers.

I don't think so. I'm not sure if IDF ever got any A5s. Most sources list A1 and A2 variants as base for Doher. The AFV Club kit is clearly A1 based Doher. Maybe Doher firing equipment is equivalent to that of A5, but I highly doubt any of them are built on actual A5 base vehicles (which e.g. used a newer gun - the same as A6 Paladin, not the same as earlier A1-A4 variants).

AFAIK, all M109 based IDF SPGs ('Rochev','Doher','Dores') are based on the A1 variant. There are a few A2 examples too, but I'm not sure whether these were received to be used as experimental vehicles for upgrades, or did see actual service in artillery units.





The M109 modernization project called 'HIP' (Howitzer Improvement Program) was a joint venture between the US Army and the IDF. The project's aim was to upgrade existing units to A6 level. Although the IDF pulled out of the project after two completed units only, SOME of those improvements, together with a few local upgrades, were implemented (from '95) in the 'Doher'. These locally upgraded units can't be called neither A5 (because of the different gun) nor A6 (only certain elements of the A6 upgrade level were implemented). As Pawel (rightly) pointed out, AFV Club's latest offering is clearly based on the A1 variant yet it's labelled as A2. I really hope the actual kit is accurate...

And here I was just pleased to have something cool to build...

Oh, the model is very cool. It is just the name on the box that isn't right, not the kit itself

I think this is one of the two examples of the cancelled 'Yair' project (as the 'HIP' was called by the IDF).