Is the academy kit the same as the italeri kit or is that a completely different kit/mold?

Odd they’ve included bar armor and .30 cal mg.

There is a new M163 coming out with an interior!

Cheers Rob.

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There is a new M163 coming out with an interior!

Cheers Rob.

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That's good news, any idea who is producing it and what it's release date is?

Good to see a bunch on board on this, James, thanks for that service a lot can not do that no more I was stationed at FT Sill 1980 -1981, great unit 2nd shop combat engineers. We replaced engines on trucks jeeps, dodges, cranes Dozers, 2 1/2 tons 5 tons, the shop next door did the tracked stuff, whatever we could not do , was sent to the Civilians, on base. Where we got our engines from, Ft sill was one of the best places I was ever at, I would of stayed 20 years if kept there.
Even though married a lot of time spent with cases down by the lake driving my buddies that had no car, down to bust back the brews, sometimes did not know how I got home, or what went on. Yes those were the good times,made Sgt there. One thing I never liked was I was getting put up for E-6 and my Platoon Sgt, rode my back as telling me I should not hang with my squad, I told him to mind his business, well that did not go over well, as he said I should be hanging out with E-5's and E-6's, screw that.
Now back to the model.
Weak details, tracks suck both kinds, I do have metal ones from spade ace might use them, and I also bought the Aber metal barrel set last year ,so might put that on, I do have the Italeri kit also.
And what the heck is the square cutout on the side from?
I am going to fill it, as looked and no part that goes there.

Mike I might use some upgrades to it,see where it takes me, the wheels also suck too.so far I will give it a 50% as the spruces say 1993. Which is way outdated. I do have 3 Tamiya kits also, I should maybe use some of their parts, but the deal is supposed to be a review build of the Academy kit, and not 3 different companies parts to build the Academy kit, is it?


Jeff

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Good to see a bunch on board on this, James, thanks for that service a lot can not do that no more I was stationed at FT Sill 1980 -1981, great unit 2nd shop combat engineers. We replaced engines on trucks jeeps, dodges, cranes Dozers, 2 1/2 tons 5 tons, the shop next door did the tracked stuff, whatever we could not do , was sent to the Civilians, on base. Where we got our engines from, Ft sill was one of the best places I was ever at, I would of stayed 20 years if kept there.
Even though married a lot of time spent with cases down by the lake driving my buddies that had no car, down to bust back the brews, sometimes did not know how I got home, or what went on. Yes those were the good times,made Sgt there. One thing I never liked was I was getting put up for E-6 and my Platoon Sgt, rode my back as telling me I should not hang with my squad, I told him to mind his business, well that did not go over well, as he said I should be hanging out with E-5's and E-6's, screw that.
Now back to the model.
Weak details, tracks suck both kinds, I do have metal ones from spade ace might use them, and I also bought the Aber metal barrel set last year ,so might put that on, I do have the Italeri kit also.
And what the heck is the square cutout on the side from?
I am going to fill it, as looked and no part that goes there.

Mike I might use some upgrades to it,see where it takes me, the wheels also suck too.so far I will give it a 50% as the spruces say 1993. Which is way outdated. I do have 3 Tamiya kits also, I should maybe use some of their parts, but the deal is supposed to be a review build of the Academy kit, and not 3 different companies parts to build the Academy kit, is it?


Jeff

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Other than being temporarily assigned to Fort Sill while in the Warrior Transition Unit, I had never been stationed there, but while at WTU I really liked the post. Just the right size, just enough stuff in Lawton (it's changed a bit since you were stationed there ), and not far from OKC and where I live in Texas. If you ever make your way to Fort Sill after February, let me know. I will be working at the Fort Sill Historic Landmark and Museum. I'll make sure you get the grand tour of all of our stuff from all three museums - there is a lot of cool stuff not on display.

Are you going to attend the IMPS shows in Tulsa and OKC or the Tulsa Figure Show this upcoming year?

Cheers,
James

Man, when they demonstrated one of the originals of those things for us at Benning, IOBC, back in 1973, we couldn’t believe the rate of fire! Too cool
What a beast!
We need a kit that will do it justice.