The fixed versus strapped-on internal fuel cell may have been an early change. All the Canadian M113s were delivered around 1965 and they all have the strapped-on version.

Thanks to all who confirmed the "flat" fuel cell in early M113A1s. I guess I remembered correctly, since the ACAVs in my platoon were indeed early-production A1s. I guess I haven't lost that many brain cells after all!

John C.

Just picked up the Academy kit today. :-) Hope to use it in a Sidon dio idea I have.

Is PE needed on this one? How's the detail and if anyone has used some PE, what brand and how was it?

Thanks!
Steve

Hi, I can help with that sort of..
I reviewed the two M113 Acav etched sets for the Academy kit and they're up in the reviews section of Tom Rea's armour page ( he's CDN, go figger..)

http://www.thot.net/~trea/armour.htm

I also reviewed the Zelda set, but it's not up there now. I've got it on the machine at work, I'll add it tomorrow.

Mike

The main problem with the Academy fuel cell is that it is way too long. Once assembled it extend up to the forward portion of the crew hatch and that is plain wrong.

Scaled to 1:1 the Academy part would result in a fuel cell that is 150-152 cm long, while the RealThing(tm) is only 120cm. Just to bring it back to our 1:35 world, this mean a 7mm difference. In my opinion this is a too big mistake to be glossed over. Luckily, I was able to get a replacement part from a friend who casted an accurate fuel cell.

The M113s used in the early stages of Lebanon wer of the A1 variety. As far as PE goes Eduard has some Specifically for the Zelda. Aef has also produced some sets for the M113(PE). I've used some in my article on the Fitter vehicles last year. He has also made a command toga set, this has the extended hinged plates for access to the side com boxes. I actually hope to review some more 113s later this year.

Josh Weingarten Aka shiryon

Looking over the kit last night I decided it will need some detailing, so I think I'll go with the Eduard set. Guess I have to do a hybrid of the two versions Academy has supplied.

Someone said the Academy kit comes with rubber band AND indy link tracks? Mine only has the rubber bands. But, they do look better than average as far as detail and 3D appearance.

Who makes decent indy link tracks for this?

UGH, ejector pin marks on the back of hatches and doors are annoying! Some seem like they will be a bi**h to remove.

By the way, what color is 'light interior'?????

(More questions for Josh. Do you know if they would just use the rear door, as opposed to the whole hatch, in a situation where troops would dismount in a situation where they may be under fire? Also, I heard armor comanders were prime targets for snipers. Would they try to stay 'hatch closed' as much as possible?)

Steve

Light green interior should be the same as the disgusting "sea foam green" colour used to paint the interior of the M113. The IDF still use this revolting paint but I thing that the US Army found something less annoying.

In my opinion the best tracks money can buy for the M113 are the white metal Friul set, but AFV and modelkasten are both manufacturing articulated plastic tracks which are not bad.

The ejector pin marks on the interior of the ramp are not the worst problem. You need to create the recessed latch mechanism for the escape hatch and, in case you didn't notice it yet, a ramp pulley and cable for the ramp.

You might find an article I wrote on making an 1977 to 1982 IDF Zelda (the infantry version) helpful for your project. In the end of the article is the formula for the light green interior colour used using Humbrol paints. The PDF version of the article can be found there:

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/claude_il/lst?&.dir=/My+Documents/Models/Academy+IDF+M113+(1977+to+1983)&.src=bc&.view=t&.begin=1&.order=&.done=http%3a//briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/claude_il/lst%3f%26.dir=/My%2bDocuments/Models/Academy%2bIDF%2bM113%2b(1977%2bto%2b1983)%26.src=bc%26.view=t

The US Army still uses sea foam green and even the Stryker interior is this color.

The ramp is dropped when an all-out assault is used. This maximizes the exitability (is that a word?) of the vehicle. The ramp door is used when troops are just hopping in and out or if the vehilce isn't going to in one place for very long.

As far as the track commander goes, the US Army goes by the "name tag defilade" term meaning that the commander should not be hanging out farther than the name tapes on his uniform. The hatches are almost always open on an M113 series vehicle when it is in use. Remember, the vehicle commander is probably not the unit commander (squad leader, platoon sergeant, etc.).

Rob and Catskinner,

Thanks for the info!

Cat, great article and I think it will be VERY helpfull for me!

Steve

Yes, we always caught heck for sitting on the top of the turret with our legs dangling into the hatch as loaders and as TC's sitting on the open hatch on M48's. It just looked so darn cool though!

Yesterday I baught the academy zelda plus the legend Prod update set to make it a kasman armor version. I also had rubber band tracks only. The legend set sells for 18 euros ( 1 euro = 1 dollar) which makes it pretty cheap.

If you're interested in the ACAV version, legend also does a set for it. The box for it is bigger (their boxes are usualy very well packed) and I saw at 28 euros.

As far as the nterior of the IDF goes ,I like to use tamiya XF -21 Sky. Also don't fret about not having the indy tracklinks every single link has a major sink hole. but if your really up to it contact me via Email and I'll send you my spare set.

[email protected]

Josh Weingarten
aKa shiryon

Hey Mike,
I read your Fitter review quite a while back when I was not sure if it was worth buying. Needless to say I bought one. Looks like everyone turns up at Armorama sooner or later.
I just bookmarked Tom's site. One can never have access to too many reviews.
Chuck

Just found a copy of Squadron's M113 in Action at the used book store for $6.

No bad except that it came out it 1978, so much of the info is out-dated. Did they ever revise this book?

Only a few photos of IDF 113's.

Steve