I've been doing some research for a pair of future IDF builds:

1) A modern day Macha"g (Academy M579 fitter with the Legend Chata"p)

2) An early M113 Chata"p (Tamiya M113 with the Verlinden Command Vehicle/Technical Team conversion, #312) circa the mid 1980s

I picked up the Desert Eagle Zelda M113, part 1, Fitters book. It's a fantastic reference especially if you're doing a more modern fitter.

Unfortunately, I haven't had much success finding "in action" photos of the early technical vehicles. Page 12 of the Desert Eagle book has three photos of early M113 Chata"ps. Two are of the same vehicle, the third may be as well but it is hard to make out the serial number. (I'd also love to know when and where they were taken)

Oddly enough, the Verlinden set has sketches of the two sides of the M113s, as shown in the Desert Eagle book, as possible configurations. Given that the Verlinden set came out in the Mid to Late 1980s, these photos had to exist elsewhere.

Many of the Verlinden sets and dry transfers of that era can be traced back to Osprey and Squadron publications as their source material but I haven't been able to locate anything (in print or online) on these or other early IDF repair vehicles.

Maybe I'm not punching in the right combinations of key words into google. If anyone has any leads, photos or links for M113 fitters/Chata"ps/technical/repair vehicles or whatever you want to call them, circa the 1980s, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

Could this be the variant you're looking for ?



Full size

H.P.

Thanks Frenchy. More or less though a little earlier timeframe. Basically the M113s with all the storage boxes, jerry cans and M113/Merkava/Patton parts on the sides.

So you mean the one you're looking for is a later variant ?

I've read that early Chata"p M113's (with less or even no exterior storage boxes) were called Hatap...

BTW, the picture above has been taken in 2012.

Another one that will not fit the bill either



H.P.

It's the same. Chatap (or Hatap) stands for '(C)Hulya Technit Plugatit' which translates roughly to 'Company (level) Technical Crew'.

Mostly newer variants, hope they help though...

Thanks for the clarification

H.P.

Israel

You are posting photos taken from my book.
It is 2, 4, 6 7
This is against any familiar copyright.
Please remove them.
Michael

Removed

I kinda lost track of this one. Thanks for the photos guys, there are a couple I haven't seen before.

Frenchy, that second photo IS what I'm looking for. Circa 1980s I'm guessing? It shows off the additional metal paneling on the sides used, I believe, to bolt the stowage boxes to.

Israel, thanks to the last photo you posted, now I want to rebuild stowage boxes with opening doors.

Michael, do you have any additional information regarding the three M113s on page 12 of your fitter book? When and where they were taken?

Thanks again all.