I’ve just finish my Tamiya 1/35 M113A1, it’s looking good (i’ll post pictures of its assembley soon) It’s my first good step in model building but i still have some skill and trick to learn. I origaly wanted to put him in a diorama with my M8A1 cargo tractor since there the smae scale but there in the wrong time. Any ideas on what to do with it, decals have been added as autrailian army and no camofloge.
Mag
Okay I got the pictures. Here is my new Tamiya 1/35 M113A1 and how I made it:
This is all my modeling tools and the set.
After installing the wheels I painted them flat black, by the way what’s that hole there under the tanks? what’s its use for?
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402299.jpg[/img
Now I install the back door and the top of the main body.
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402303-1.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/M113A1.jpg
After a few painting and intalling the tracks the tank is appearing
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/M113A1.jpg
Now its time to work on the turret and the barrel.
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402316.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402317.jpg
The turret is now complete, here the finish turret with the fiquer next to a image of a panther turret from an article that I use to help me out
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402362.jpg
After a week of work the tank is finaly complete, here are the finishing photos.
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402366.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402378.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402379.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402387.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402385.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402383.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/Magellan_photo/SA402401.jpg
I added a austrailian army decal but I couldn’t paint it well or as good as most models but I don’t have a airbrush, also i’m not that good at basic or camofloge. But I desided to not paint the tank and left it the way it is. Its my first well made and succesful tank model I made so far, another step in model making.
Ya
Though it’s labelled “M113A1” on the box, it would be more correct to call it an M113 FSV (Fire Support Vehicle). The correct, or more widely accepted usage of the designation M113A1 is for the standard APC version.
The FSV variant was used exclusively by the Australian army, so it would be incorrect to put anything other than Austalian markings on it. Further, as far as I recall, they were not camouflaged, but rather, were painted in single-colour (lustreless?) Olive Drab.
The Tamiya M113A1 was originally released as the standard APC version with full interior and as a motorized version of the standard M113A1 without interior. The smaller hole is for the commander’s seat post. It doubled as a latch to allow the top of the hull to be removed. On the full version, it allowed the interior to be displayed. On the motorized version, it allowed the top to be removed to access the battery compartment.
The longer hole was the on/off switch for the motorized version. For your kit, you can just blank them off from the inside and putty the hole over.
I agree with phil_H. It is an Australian M113A1 FSV, and was mainly used in Vietnam in overall OD Green.
It looks O.K. from what I can see in the pics. They are pretty bad. You really need to get a better camera. It should be painted though. Bare plastic looks like just that, bare plastic. If you don’t have an airbrush, get a rattle-can of Testors OD Green. It is way better than bare plastic. You can get a great single color finish with rattle-cans.
It isn’t a tank either. It is an Armored Personnel Carrier with large gun on top to give it an extra punch. It is sort of the predecessor to the modern Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle).
Just keep asking questions and reading the sugestions here , you’ll learn . [tup]
Waht Gino said. If you can’t afford a better camera, drop back a bit so the subject is in focus. If the itelm appears too small in the picture, crop it in your photoediting program. I’m sude one came withthe camera.
Basic rule of thumb for painting models: if there’s the slightest chance the plastic will show, paint it.
ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT![banghead], sorry about the camera maybe I should use my camera, just can’t get the pictures to show right, I’m still have problems with the focus and size of the image, sorry if that happens. I knew there was something with the name, most M series (like M8A1) are mostly transport vehicule but I couldn’t believe that that small vehcule, (half the size of a panther) could carried persenels, heck when the engine in the really thing, also I saw a few M113 but they didn’t had a turret on so I figure it was a tank.
Anyway I did put the decals on as australia army but it won’t go well in a diarama with my M8
A1, at lest its a excellent ground vehicule, best model that I made so far, I just didn’t paint it cause I was afraid that I mit ruined it, but I mit put olive green (which is my favorite army color) on it for camoflage.
Thank for the help guys for the advise.
The “M” has nothing to do with carrying personnel. M stands for Model, all US vehicles, and allmost all equipment has an M number. Some are personnel carriers, some are tanks, etc. For example, an M1 can be an Abrams tank or an M1 Garand rifle.
Yep, this model represents the original FSV Australia used in 'Nam, around '65/66 if memory serves, which means they would’ve been painted US OD. The turret was taken from the British Saladdin & was armed with a 76mm (?). There were only about a dozen or so made. They were found to be too top heavy, especially when fording - often capsizing - and the turrets were replaced with those from the Scorpion - later coded MRV.
A good project. Lots of room for improvement left, but a good start.
[#oops]sorry about the mistake on the M series, your right not all M series are persenael carrier, some are as late as WW1. O well at least it was a succesful tank that I did, thanks for all the help guys.
My next project could be a Panzer for a Czeck diorama beside a Czeck ruined building, then it would be a T-34 diorama with a ruine german building but that won’t be for a while.
Thank again for all your help.
Good news! I use Tamiya spray paint can olive green on thje model, your all right the result is much better than before, I’ll send pictures of the completed model after setting the australian decals.
Bad news Czech diorama won’t work, could only affor Tiger 1 and it never was in Czech.
Although most of the paint is on there still some area on the suface that ain’t painted like the wheels and front.Also the decal have been remove for the painting but won’t go on again, I’ll try appliing Futur on is as a kind of sub glue to stick the on. But on the painting i will be using my new airbrush, will this have the same reasult as the Tamiya acrylic spay paint?
but I couldn’t believe that that small vehcule, (half the size of a panther) could carried persenels,
You would not believe how many guys can get crammed into and on one of these or any other military vehicle when the need arises! Looking forward to seeing your latest pics of this track. If your camera has a close up or still life setting (usually some sort of flower vase icon) try that. Keep up your efforts and drive on![#toast]