Just looking for some input on the Esci LAV Command vechicle. Has anyone built it? Is it one of those kits based on the Italeri model? How does it build? Any photos?

Thanks in advance

Ryan

Esci and Italeri LAVs are totally separate kits. Italeri's were better but Esci was the only one to do the command variant. I have one, but I have not built it. I did build the Esci LAV-25 back in the late 80s. Not the best kit, but it suited me at the time and looked like a LAV.

I subesquently built the Italeri LAV-25 in the early 90s and it was a much better kit. I was once told that the Italeri LAV-M (mortar) carrier is a better starting point to scratchbuild a more accurate LAV-C. Too much bother for a vehicle that marginally interests me.

thanks for the info. I really dont want to do any scratch building on this thing. REALLY hard to find any info on it, plans and whatnot. I just wanted something basic that looks appropriate. It will be a OIF machine, so lots of tarps, spare wheels, water cans, ect. Should hide any mistakes.

Thanks again,
Ryan

Major mistake in ESCI LAVs is that all the angles of the front hull plates are wrong. Also engine grilles are not correct. These errors would be hard to hide under stowage. But as Rob wrote above - the model still looks like LAV despite these problems.

Pawel

Well, I built one by combining a Italeri LAV-25 with a esci kit. Here is what I ended up with:





First off, i should have shimmed theupp hull piece about 1/16th of an inch or so...the upperhull piece should have sat higher. ALso, I added the front hull wire-cutter from scratch, the Mk 19 AGL and the smoke grenade launchers and mounts. I also added AEF Designs wheels. (Italeri and Esci's are both crap.)

It is a fairly easy conversion, but I admit to do it right I would have quite a bit more to do to it.

Looks nice. I am going to pick up an LAV-M, with both the command and the mortar kits, I should be able to get what I am looking for. Thanks again for the picks.

Ryan

I will most likely never build mine. Give me a holler if anyone needs it.