I just picked up the Italeri M109 Paladin. I would like to build it as a M109A2 (during Desert Storm to be exact). Please let me know what I need to do to this kit to back date it (if anything is needed at all, don't even know for sure). Also, any information on building a great model from this kit and any suggested after market products would be great.Thanks for the help all.

Gun tube for sure is different, I think it is shorter. I will defer to Gino on this information though. Best bet is to offer the Paladin up for trade to someone who has the Italeri A2 kit. I believe that is the kit that makes several early M109 variants. Do a search in the forums with my user name. I did a thread a while back that outlines all the kits that utilize that same basic hull.

Rob is right, ask Gino for sure. I believe that the entire turret is different between the Paladin and the A2 version.
If you wish to still build the Paliden, Barrel Depot has an alluminum barrel and Eduard has a great photo etch set for it. Also Czech Masters has an engine for the M109.

I'm sure the turret is the same, it's the fire control system and gun that have been improved.

Im not a GUN BUNNY!! I'll leave it to the experts. But here is two sight where you all can check.

M109A2
Paladin

Actually the turrets are significantly different, as is the tugun and recoil mechanism. IF possible I would follow the above advice and trade it away for teh Italeiri kit. for basic all around info on the a2 get VErlinden's warmachines book.

Josh
aKa shiryon

Italeri M109A6 does a good job on the turret but uses the old M109A2 chassis which is not very accurate. Fine Scale Modler did a article on correcting the chassis. Don't remember what issue. Sorry.

I concur with the above assesments. Backdating an A6 to an A2 would be a nightmare. You would have to totally scratchbuild it from the hull up. Better way is to get the older Italeri M109 kits. The M109 A4/E4 actually builds into any version up to M109 A5. The Paladin has a totally different turret and a longer tube. The italeri kit is still readily available in hobby shops and on e-bay if you can't get it at a hobby shop.

Here is agood build article on the Paladin that also describes the evolution of the M109 system. M109 Evolution

Here is another description of the M109 with some drawings and photos of the A2 and A3 models. M109 A2/A3