Heya, Folks,

Recently, got ahold of the Tamiya AAVP7 from a friend --- would like to build it as an OIF vehicle... Was wondering if all of the AAVP7s have the EEAK reactive armor or are there any serving without it? I'd swear that I have seen footage of these beasts without, but that may have been earlier in the conflict.

Also, the kit was opened and did not have the UGWS turret --- going to call Tamiya tomorrow to see if they have that sprue available (they are usually pretty cool when it comes to buying separate sprues if they have them available)... If not, does anyone make a separate UGWS (or have one they would like to part with)?

Lastly, just getting over being horribly sick with the stomach flu and I gotta say that this is a nice simple kit to work on...just what the doctor ordered. Dealing with the more complicated Tasca Firefly or Dragon M2A1 would probably have sent me right back over the edge!

Thanks, Folks!

Much Aloha,

Johnny B.

I don't have pictures but I had seen several without EEAK on them. Not sure about the initial invasion. I'm sure it's possible that several in March 2003 did not have it on them.

I did the aavp7 a couple of years back, I actually had the UGWS in the box. I didn't like the look of it after building it and went with the older turret. The bad news is that I have used my UGWS as a practice piece and has decals, future, paint, zimmerit on it, as well as layers of all kinds of paint and weathering. But I'm sure there are guys out there in Armorama who have done this kit and have the UGWS lying somewhere in their spares box. So if Tamiya don't have any around, some of the guys here might.
Anyone out there?

There were plenty of AAVP7A1s without EAAK on them in the initial invasion of March '03 as well. Most, if not all have the EAAK mounting blocks on them even if the EAAK is not mounted though.
As such:


Here is the photo album of a USMC AmTrac crewman in OIF with a few pics of AAVP7A1s without EAAK.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks for the replies, guys!

And Gino, thanks, as always for coming through with the photos... I like the idea of adding the mounting blocks --- particularly, if they are easy to scratch... Gino, would you happen to have any close up shots of what those blocks look like...? And do the blocks/EEAK also mount on the front and rear of the vehicle as well?

Muy Mahalo and Much Aloha,

Johnny B.

Hey John,
Here is a good one...



You might wanna take a look here, it's a great web site full of photos

AMTRAC

Joe

Here are some links:

http://www.technogap.com/static.htm

http://members.tripod.com/modernarmor2/aavp7a1.htm

http://www.defenselink.mil/multimedia/ and enter 'amphibious assault vehicle' in the search box.

Here is something I worked on back in '03 before I got bored and put it back in the box. For the mounts, I used pieces of .030 x .060 stryrene strips.


Paul

Thanks again, guys! You RULE!! Think I might add those brackets as it appears to be a fairly easy task (especially with a 14 month old running amok)...

Great links, great photos, and great work!

Much appreciated --- thanks again, guys!!!

Much Aloha,

Johnny B.

P.S. Joe, say HI ta my home State of NY for me --- sure miss the pizza but ya can't beat the climate out here in sunny California!

Hey John, You bet!
Where in NY were you staying, I'm here in Buffalo. About a 15
min. ride to the Peace Bridge and 30 mins. to Niagara Falls, Canada. Ah yeah the Pizza…it’s the best and the Wings here are famous.

Joe

Oh by the way, the weather this year has been great. We just started getting cold this past week.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even if EAAK isn't fitted, haven't all the Marines' amtracs have all undergone the RAM/RS suspension upgrade (and therefore will need the newer tracks)?

(I think Blast Models makes a resin RAM/RS suspension/track upgrade if that is the case......)

Or are there some still serving without EAAK/mounting blocks and the original suspension?

My understanding was that all THREE versions were around for the initial invasion:

- LVTP7A1
- AAVTP-7 W/O EEAK or mounts
- AAVTP-7 W/EEAK

AAVTP-7's with the new RAMS came post invasion.

I am NOT certain of this info, so can I get verification?

IIRC, the designation LVTP7A1 was changed into AAVP7A1 in 1979. David E.Harper's book "Vehicles of the USMC in OIF" (great reference book BTW) includes pics showing RAM/RS upgraded AAVs taken in March and April 2003 (with and without the EAAK). All the OIF pics I have came across show AAVs fitted with at least the EAAK mounts, the only exception being the AAVR7A1 recovery version (but I'm not sure at all that this version can be fitted with EAAK...)

HTH
Frenchy

An AAVP7A1 and an LVTP7A1 are the same vehicle. The name was changed a few years ago (can't remember exactly when), but nothing else did on them. About half of the fleet of AAVP7A1s in OIF 1 were modded with RAM/RS upgrades. The upgrade is a gradual process and still has not been completed. There are still a few non-RAMS/RS AAVP7A1s running around in the fleet.

So, no luck with Tamiya on a replacement sprue for the UGWS --- the kit is out of production. Anybody got a Sprue C or just a UGWS that they are looking to trade or sell...? I'm also trying to track down the Verlinden aftermarket version.

Grew up in The Bronx, Joe! Wanted to see the world, so I moved to Brooklyn!! Been in California for 14 years now and am no longer willing to brave an East Coast Winter! Buffalo is good people and great wings!

Thanks again for all of the helpful info and replies!!!! Yuse guys ROCK!

Much Aloha, amigos,

Johnny B.

As I said in my previous post, the name was changed in 1979, "to reflect the change in the vehicle's mission profile by renaming it the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) series rather than the long-standing designation of Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT)" [from Weapons of the Modern Marines by Michael Green and Greg Stewart]

As Gino said, the vehicle hasn't changed, only the mission has ...



You can also try to find a cheap Trumpeter or even MiniHobby AAV kit : they sucks (=poor copies of Tamiya's kit) but the UGWS turret is retrievable...

EDIT : on some websites, the year of the designation change is 1985 ....
HTH
Frenchy

Were all OIF AAVTP7's the W/UGWS or were some of the older (what I call) LAVTP-7's (the ones with just the MG turret) used initially. I have heard, but not confirmed, that they were in use.