As a change from my normal modelling preferences,WW2 German AFV's,i recently bought two M-113's by Academy.On first inspection i must say i am well impressed by what you get in the box.Both of them have full interiors,some extra's and can be built to display the interiors as well.When i eventually get round to building them i will let everyone know how they come along.

Oh and if anyone has buit either of the Academy Vietnam M-113 or Israeli "Zelda" AFV's perhaps you could give me your impressions and any trouble spots i need to watch out for.

Stay Frosty:)

Hawkeye

These are based on the old Tamiya kits, not a bad thing, and have additional detail Tamiya didn't have. From what I saw, these seemed to be quite accurate. In both cases, you get at least two options, with the Vietnam version giving you several, including the flame thrower option. The Toga spaced armor is quite heavy in the Zelda kit, but it fits better than the Verlinden etched metal. I used the Verlinden mounting hardware and the kit's armor on mine. Well, most of the armor. I drilled out all those holes, #:-) yes, every one of them, then sanded the armor down along the edges to get a more scale appearance. Whenyou build the Israeli version with external fuel tanks, you should remove the molded on fuel filler at the rear left corner of the top.
If you add figures to the Vietnam version they would be more likely to be riding on top. The references I've rad said this was thought to be actually safer since the fuel cell was inside the crew compartment and was notorious for exploding.
If you leave the rear ramp open, there are a couple large ejector pin marks that need attention.
Enjoy. These are fun kits.

Eduard makes a set of zelda skirts that are much nicer and easier to work with than drilling out all those holes and thinning the plastic down.I have seen the set but not used them so, this is not a review,only a suggestion.

The AEF Designs set is beautiful but hard to find,at least for me.I am going to hunt this one down and see if I can find one.Anyone know where to order one online?
(:-)

Since I was stationed in Korea, I became a fan of Academy for many of their offerings, including the M113 series, since the price was only about $8. The variety offered by them is amazing, and relatively accurate, at least in the "looks" department. The Vietnam one was a pleasure to build, enough so that I have bought several just for the items it has for spares. The Zelda variant allows you to make several of the israeli versions, from the Zelda to the communications variant, and off to the Zelda-Communications variant. Many of the kits have interiors and engines, and although the engine only fits for the earlier variants, and the interior is a little sparse, creative tinkering can fix those problems. Other recommended ones are the M981 FISTV, M113A2(which makes the A2 and the A3, at least externally), and the M163 Vulcan. Many of them, like all models can be better with some TLC, but still aren't bad, overall.

I haven't seen those two versions of the M113, but was wondering if the cargo hatch on top was still represented backwards? The Tamiya kit had the release chain and latches molded close to the hinged side of the hatch, rather than towards the distant side away from the hinge. I always had to cut the hinges off and re-position them on the opposite side to make it right.

Our APCs were all M113A1s, with the diesel motor, so the engine compartments of the models were always closed, in spite of all the detail located there. Our M106 mortar carriers were gasoline, but I had left the infantry by the time Tamiya released that version, so I never caught up.

By the way, the old magazine Scale Modeler had an issue in 1973 where a featured project was the M113. I followed the story and built my own, just finishing it when Tamiya released their (at the time) excellant model. If anything, I learned more techniques with that scratchbuilt to make the let-down bearable!

Jim Peterson

just starting an old tamiya M113A1"fire support"-can anyone tell me if a particular companys add pn is better than other? thanks

Well, the chain for the rear hatch is corrected in the Academy, it's actually a seperate piece. Along with the hand holds that hang from the ceiling.

I'm a bit of an M113 nut, and most of what I was going to say has been covered.

I've got a few nits to pick, nothing major.
Watch for the sinkholes (caverns really) in the rear ramp and inside of the hatches.

The fire extinguisher up by the driver is the wrong type. it's a vehicle wide model, not a
handheld. Lop off the handle and the bell, add a big disc of styrene and some plumbing running across the hull/roof joint and you're golden.

There is no ramp pulley or fuel system filter set up below the fuel tank just inside the lower left ramp.

My reference pics show the drivers seat mounted to the side wall, not attached to the floor.

Other than these little gripes, they're fine and fun kits to build.

Having ripped the kits up a bit, I should say that overall I think the Academy kits are great, they include multiple variants in one box ( Viet Nam and Zelda) rubberband AND link to link tracks, and accessories. They are worlds of imrovement over the old Tamiya dog and the ACAV.

So, have a blast and ignore us 'experts' ( me included) who tell you what is missing!!


Mike

Thanks guys for all the helpful msg's

I found some other useful info on the AFV interiors site.They have a very good 4 page article on the M-113 and some very useful interior pics.Once i have got this Panther G finished i will start the "Zelda" and let y'all know how i get on.I plan to use the Eduard photo etch stes with both the "Zelda" and the M-113A2,and will be looking at getting either white metal tracks,or the Model Kasten ones if they do them.

Sorry for jumping in late on this but...

Yoshida also makes a couple of PE sets for the 113/113 ACAV. Of particular interest (to me anyway) were the tie-downs that I used for my 901 ITV a while ago. Quite fiddley, but worth it (to me anyway).

I don't have their URL handy, but a search for "Yoshida" might turn up something.

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe
Mortars in Miniature

Be aware that the interior in the M113A3 is completely different from the previous models, if you decide to build one. Both the crew compartment and the drivers area are laid out differently, with different details and furniture. Back home, I have an M113A3 on the bench with a scratch interior (not finished yet), and references were hard to come by. Sabot gave us a couple of partial interior shots, but his vehicle is a maintenance trainer and is missing some stuff that the service vehicles have. If you decide to scratch an A3 interior, let me know because I am interested in helping and observing.

Academy Kits are the best in my humble opinion, Yoshida Etch sets aren't bad but only cover the outside, he produces a set of etched deihl tracks that are a really tough build, I am not sure if he is still in business. Eduard set covers both outside and in but some of its parts are way out of scale. Have fun filling the sink holes if you are going to open the hatches. Maple Leaf Models does a nice interior set for cheap and includes ramp pully and other details also they produce a set of rear tanks that are excellent. If you need deihl tracks I have tried HKCW ones and they go together nicely and aren't that expensive. Thats my opinion, have a good build.

Mark
Parva sub Ingenti

I use the Academy M113-A1 APC to make modern Australian carriers. Ive found them great. Thay include the T50 turrent, which is what the Aussie APC's are mounted with. Thay are easy to build and add on to. I have about 20 carriers of all sorts, all Australian. and most of them are Academy kits.

yeah man i have done that, isnt it sweet with all the little bottles, its a really detailed kit, hope u enjoy it as i did, cheers (im talkin the academy "nam" m-113)

Hi Hawkeye ...........must be a bug going around, because this W.W.II modler/enthusiat
received a Tamiya M113 for Christmas. This will be my very first go at anything Viet Nam !
- I grew up from child to teenager watching Walter Cronkite and T.V. news scene's of our boy's in the rice paddies, Cambodia ........Saigon........Huey's dropping infantry, and It all remain's so clear and vivid in my mind like it was yesterday. So ya think I would have grown up building models of Nam, but for many good reason's , I chose to center scale modeling around W.W.II. ( As far as military history part ... I'm all over the place ) - So this M113 really comes as a nice surprise and probably will open up a new chapter in my modeling and at the same time recall many times in front of the T'V. set during the late 60's and early 70's. ........and on another note, man did I love to watch those episodes of "Combat " and " The Rat Patrol " !
...........................SORRY FOR RAMBLING OFF GUY'S.

- ralph

Hey m75 I picked up the Tamiya M106 a few weeks back and its a pretty sweet model.Not much I else I can say about it though cause I havent built it yet lol.

Ah, COMBAT, home of the endless Thompson magazines. The sarge never ran out of ammo and NEVER reloaded!

Regarding the interiors of the Tamiya and Academy kits:

I led a cav platoon in VIet Nam that had M113A1s (deisel engine, etc.) and it seems to me that I remember the part of the fuel cell that is visible inside the vehicle being flat like in the Tamiya kit, rather than convex as in the Academy version.

Could the Academy interior actually be for the A2, or am I remembering wrong?

John C. (Cavguy66)

Yeah, that's the one Al ! ......... the day's of my scale modeling innocence, as I call it.
When building a model was a 10 cent tube of Testors glue and the little square bottles of Testors paint that you brushed on .............. and brushed on only.
Cheeeeeez .........AM accessories , Photo-Etch, Resin ........ " who'd of thought ? "
HAPPY NEW YEAR AL !

- ralph

Ive many refence photos from viet-nam of the M113 with the academy fuel cell in Australian APC's. Ive never seen the flat fuel cell. I may be wong, Im still a young lad.

Yes, Academy interior is for an A2, A1 fuel cell was smaller and flat like Tamiya version. I believe Acadmy includes the correct fuel cell in their Vietnam version M113 kit.