Hi all

Yes yes, I'm going to build some modern armor, unbelieveable! Just bought a M88 and I want to put this one on a diorama with a M113!

Now I've got to make a choise which M113 I'll build. I know Tamiya, Italeri and Academy make M113's, but I don't know which one to choose.

Academy € 24


Italeri € 15


Tamiya € 25


I'd like my M113 to have an interior, an engine and if possbile, seperate tracks, but I don't want to buy extra parts so it's got to be OOTB. I'll build the normal APC version, so no flamethrowers etc.

I hope you guys could give me some advice on this....which M113 should I choose for a Vietnam dio?

Thanks!

Martin

Hands down, the best will have to be academy. I have the same model in my stash and has a complete engine, interior, weapons, crew, and a choice of vinyl or link tracks.

Martin,

The Academy is the most complete M113 available, it contains a choice between separate tracks and the vinyl ones,
It has an interiour and some figures and a lot of extra's.

Hi, thanks for the reply's!

I've read several reviews on the Academy M113, and they are very positive as well....think I'll buy the Academy!

thanks!

Academy hands down!!!Also comes with a civilan female figure!!!!Use your imagination!!!!!!!happy modeling

i bought em all.............i need some to tow for my diorama, and they were all about 15 bucks averaged out, but i went thru here and on ebay to get em. got the academy for 17 bucks including shipping off ebay, private buyer......

reb

Dont even go near the Italeri one it's poo, major fit problem with the hull and roff/front get the Academy one good fit and lot's of spare parts

I have the Academy kit built, waiting to be painted (actually, has waited for about a year...), minus the indi-tracks. I can recommend the kit. Great fit and plenty of options. The only major fault in the kit is the individual tracks. They're well detailed but every track piece has an ugly sink mark in the rubber pad, which needs to be filled. But the vinyl tracks are just fine if you plan to use the track guards as then there's no need to worry about proper sagging. A great model out of the box, but some PE does wonders for it. I got Eduards set for mine, enhances the kit nicely, but not necessary.

I have built both the Tamiya and the Academy models, and both are good, but the Academy model is the best. There are some problems with the interior as far as accuracy, but all can be fixed. Right now, if you go beyond the basic M113 (A1 or A2), then you have to go to the Tamiya variations unless you want to buy conversions or do a lot of scratch building. But if I was building my first basic M113, then by all means go with the Academy model.

Dave

This is not true. The "new" Tamiya is still the same old Tamiya 1974 issue M113 wit an extra sprue for the OIF items. It is a composite A1/A2 version, it is just called an A3. It still does not have all the added parts to make a true A3, also, it no longer comes with an interior, but the price is jacked up over $30. Best bet is still the Academy version, it can be made into an A3 just as easily and more accurately than the Tamiya version.

Hi all

I hear something about different versions etc. Now, I don't know much about armor from the vietnam era, so I was wondering which version I need for a Vietnam M113....

Oh and I'll buy Academy's M113, sounds like that's the best one!

Grt

I was speaking more about the versions such as the M106 A1 and the M577A1. The ITV and the Vulcan can be aquired thru Academy, and the Vulcan and FISTV you can get thru Italiari. Each have their good qualities and bad qualities. Overall if you want the best for a Vietnam version, go with the Academy M113. Just get plenty of photo references as it too has some errors that will need correcting. However, if you want to build it OOB, it still is the best kit of the three.

Good luck and enjoy your model.

Dave

The Academy M163 would be superior to the Italeri M163. I think all Italeri M113 based vehicles suffer from the upside down blackout drive light which is a nitpick. Thee link and length tracks are a pain in my opinion.

The Italeri M901(ITV) is the only option besides the old Verlinden conversion but the Academy M981(FISTV) could be modified into a M901.

Paul

For Vietnam era, the best is the Academy M113A1, as seen below, it comes with lots of extras and has 5 figures to boot. It is far superior to the Tamiya M113A1. Still has some accuracy issues, the engine is still an M113A2 engine, and the fuel tank is too large for an A1, but it is the closest you can get OOB.

Well, I always like to build OOTB....I don't mind if the kit has got some errors like an M113A2 engine instead of a M113A1 engine, as long as I have fun in building it...