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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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MOM M109A6 13b
13b
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 12, 2005
KitMaker: 76 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:43 PM UTC





1/35 revell
markings were custom made to represent bumper and unit numbers of the Paladin i was on when i was stationed in germany.
actual vehicle was painted woodland camo but i chose desert camo
custom straps on all BII (basic issue items), fuel cans and muzzlebrake cover.
hinged spades, added .50cal ammo belt, bilge pump hose

let me know what you think.
dexter059
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Region de Valparaiso, Chile
Joined: July 28, 2005
KitMaker: 1,569 posts
Armorama: 1,385 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:53 PM UTC
Nicely done, I love the way you did the antenas. I think itīs too clean for my taste, but itīs because I like to be dirty :-) :-) :-) :-)
Congrats and best regards
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 03:31 PM UTC
Looks pretty good. Nice rendition of a Paladin. A few things to make it better though.

First, the track. As you know, the track doesn't float above the road wheels like on the model. To fix it, superglue the top run down onto the 2nd through 6th road wheels. Place popsicle sticks between the hull and track to hold it down till it sets up. Spare track blocks are missing from the battery covers and front hull. These can be made from the spare track links in the kit. Simply cut apart into individual links and add them to the hull. Or you could add small pieces or square styrene to replicate their mounting points. I also like the replaced road wheel on the right side. To make it look even better, you could paint the hub and lug nuts sand to show that they are from the original vehicle as well. Road wheels and sprockets could use some more weathering as well.

.50 cal is in the pintle backwards. The pintle mount should angle to the rear, not forward. Pintle mount and cradle on the .50 cal should be either sand or dark green as well (could also be flat black), but not the same gunmetal as the .50 cal. Most of ours (3ID) were sand, like the vehicle since the mount and cradle stayed on them and only the weapon was taken off and stored in the arms room. I would take a few links off the belt on the .50 cal as well. It should fit inside the can, not hang out over the edge.

Some of your fuel/water cans on the turret sides are incorrect as well. The metal cans with the funky X with a square on them are WWII vintage US and German Blitz cans and are no longer used. New, plastic water cans can be found in the Tamiya Modern US Equipment set and would look much better.

Rust on the exhaust looks too orange. Try drybrushing with some brown and black to tone it down some. Could also use some screening over the exhaust outlet as well.

On the tubular housing on the right, front, turret face, it is missing the lifting handles and a small lift ring on the top. The handles in the kit are correct and the lift ring can be made out of thin wire wrapped around a sewing needle.

Could just be the pics, but the antennas look like thin wire and are kinked in spots. They would look better being made out of 0.20 styrene rod. It approximates the fiberglass antennas well. Antennas are in the wrong place too. The short digital antenna should be on the left side of the rear ammo box, while the long FM antenna is in the forward left position.

To make it more accurate, you could also add the extra plate over the driver's hatch out of 0.20 sheet styrene as well, then add the handles on top of it.

The travel lock shouldn't be open as far as you have it either. It only opens enough for the barrel to clear it and then returns to the closed position when stowed.

The tow cable looks to much like the rest of the turret to me. I owuld paint it steel , then some rusty/dirty brown colors.

Bilge drain hose looks good, but your outlet is too close to the side of the howitzer. It should be all the way over to the right side of the panel, on the flat piece next to the split line for the engine cover. The bilge hose then is in kind of a double L shape on its side. It comes out, angles roughly 90 degrees down, turns roughly 90 degrees out to the edge of the hull, then turns 90 degrees down and over the edge to dump.

Great job on the lower sliding ring near the mantlet cover, most modelers miss this.

Sorry for all the details and nit-picking, but I worked on these all the time as well and have been over them with a fine -toothed comb. I've built a bunch of the Italeri Paladins as well.

It looks good as is, but could be even better with the tweaks I mentioned. Little more work and it will be great.
13b
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 12, 2005
KitMaker: 76 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 03:51 PM UTC
thanks for the notes.
you made some valid points there, i do agree with most of them.
one i do not agree, is that the track is sitting on the track.... on the real piece the track should be a 1/4 inch off the middle road wheel, if the track is sitting from 2-6th roadwheel the track tension should be adjusted.......my chief made me do it plenty of times.

as far as the color of .50 cal, you could be right. our vehicles were woodland camo.

antenas got bent during my pcs move to the states.

pic is somewhat discolored but the towcable is actualy out of braided wire but it does not show well.

this is the first but not the latest model and i am getting better. this was a very constructive reply and thanks again.
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 05:15 PM UTC
No problem. Glad to help out.


Quoted Text


one i do not agree, is that the track is sitting on the track.... on the real piece the track should be a 1/4 inch off the middle road wheel, if the track is sitting from 2-6th roadwheel the track tension should be adjusted.......my chief made me do it plenty of times.



As far as the track goes, you are correct, however, 1/4 inch in 1/35 scale is about the diameter of a human hair. It is not possible to show 1/4 inch, that is why I recommend glueing them to the road wheels. This will represent it the most accuarately. The distance you have is like 6-8" in actuality that the track is above the road wheels.

One other point, the hand grips and charging handle on the .50 cal should be black as well.

Keep working at it and I am sure your models will improve. Great first effort.

2CAVTrooper
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Alabama, United States
Joined: October 21, 2005
KitMaker: 310 posts
Armorama: 302 posts
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 - 07:29 PM UTC
13b,

Nice Paladin, did your unit have the stowage baskets hanging off the rear of the turrets like that?

Were you in Baumholder?
13b
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 12, 2005
KitMaker: 76 posts
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Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 01:28 AM UTC
yes the baskets were positioned like this.......not enough room in the motor pool, plus i do not like the way they look when they are forward.

yes i was in baumholder "the rock".
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 04:42 AM UTC
I like it as well. It's very nicely done. In addition to the armored driver's hatch, there are a few more things you may want to add, since the kit suffered from a few inaccuracies. The bore evacuator is different, but can easily be fixed even now. The two long stowage boxes in the rear are actually shorter, with a third long one mounted on the rear crew hatch. Add the bump stop and latch for the left side turret hatch. These were located in one of two positions. You can make the ball for the latch from #20 shot. Finally, grind off the oxbow shaped flotation kit stowage box located on the upper hull in front of the turret.
Are you at Ft. Sill now?
13b
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 12, 2005
KitMaker: 76 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 04:49 AM UTC
thanks for the tips.
yes im in fort sill.

you guys are talking about armored drivers hatch, but i do not remember it on the ones we had, may be cause i am on the M119 so things get forgoten some.
thanks again.

does anyone know of 1/35 scale M119? i want to put it together with my hummer.
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 05:25 AM UTC
When I get back from my latest gig, I'm going to order an M119 from Mouse House out of Australia. I have never used any of their stuff, but it looks good on their site. THey also do a range of 1/25 Centurion items I want to try. I'll post a photo of the armored driver's hatch a bit later.
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 05:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

thanks for the tips.
yes im in fort sill.

you guys are talking about armored drivers hatch, but i do not remember it on the ones we had, may be cause i am on the M119 so things get forgoten some.
thanks again.

does anyone know of 1/35 scale M119? i want to put it together with my hummer.



Welcome back to Mother Sill. Hope to get back there myself sometime in the future.

The armored driver's hatch is simply a plate of steel over the existing hatch with a space between them. If you use some 0.20 styreen, it is the same shape as the hatch and a few 0.20 spacesr will give you the proper spacing.

For the M119, there is only one out there in 1/35 that I know of and it is a resin kit by Mouse House Enterprises out of Australia. It goes for about $75 USD plus shipping.

Here is a link to it.
M119 model
13b
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 12, 2005
KitMaker: 76 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 05:35 AM UTC
cool. do you have the link?
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