I finally started a project I have been wanting to do for some time. I am converting an Italeri M109 howitzer into an M992A2 FAASV (Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle). The M992A2 accompanies M109A6 Paladins and provides them a mobile ammo supply. They are built on the same chassis as an M109, with an enlarged super structure to hold all the ammo.
Here is the actual vehicle:
For the model, I am using the lower hull and upper front deck from an Italeri M109 kit. I had a friend draw up a set of CAD files to lay out the super structure in 1/35 as flat panels. I sent the CADs off to Pololu Costom Laser Cutting and had them cut out in 0.040 sheet styrene. The laser cut pieces fit the Italeri hull perfectly and had clean, crisp cuts. The cost was less than $30 as well, much less than any resin conversion or kit would cost.
Here are some of the parts, I forgot to take a pic of all the hull pieces before gluing them together, but these should give you an idea.
The hull superstructure went together very well. Only some minor sanding was required to blend all the parts together.
Once the major parts were together, I started on some of the detailing. I started with the fuel filler access door on the right front of the super structure.
I still need to add bolt heads and clean it up a bit. So far I am pleased with the results. I still have a long way to go though. I’ll keep the updates coming as I go along.
Very cool. The ammo track is always an interesting subject…(for us redlegs at least) The laser cut plastic look great, nice clean build up. Nothing like a good scratch build project to keep the mind going!!
I be keeping an eye on the fuses and primers with this one…should be fun to watch and even more fun to build…once done it will make a great conversation build.
The subject you chose sure is cool. Dang, I musta been a redleg in my previous life, because I always liked the artillery tractors and resupply vehicles.
On the other hand it feels a little funny to see you cutting up a kit I’m trying so hard to locate. I’m trying for some time now to find the basic variant of the M109 as it served in Vietnam.
Good luck with your build, I’ll be watching closely and have a nice day
Thanks guys. I am enjoying it so far. I really like the laser-cut parts. They work really well for flat-surfaced vehicles.
Pawel: If you want the M109-specific parts from the kit, send me a PM and we’ll work something out. I don’t plan on using them. They will fit onto any of the Italeri M109s (with the exception of the A6 Paladin) to build an original M109 as seen in Vietnam.
Thanks Dre. For the recessed areas, I first draw the part on with a pencil and a straight-edge. Then I scribe it into the plastic using a scribing tool and the straight-edge again. A little fine sandpaper and some liquid glue to smooth it out and thats about it.
Your build is looking great and it looks easy to asemble with the lazer cut pieces. I see that you made all the doors open, are you going to do an interior for it?
I’m going to follow this build because I want to scratch build this version that you are doing.
I scratch built one from a picture in a book a long time ago with a crane in front of it and I think Canada used it. Did you ever see this version? I made all the doors open to scratch an interior for it but can not find any pictures of the interior. Do you have any that you can share with me?
Thanks Ralph. I have seen yours and it came out pretty nicely. I do not plan on doing an interior in this one. We drew the CAD so you could open it up if you want. Also, the laser cutting can not only cut lines for the doors, but had to cut all the way through. I do have some pics of an interior. Send me a PM with your email address and I’ll shoot them off to you.
Thats a cool conversion you have going!!! I always wondered when one of these would be done. Doesn’t this track have a conveyor set-up coming from the rear to "load " the rounds to the Paladin?
Jeff - Yep the M992 has a transfer crane/conveyor which will come out the rear to feed rounds to the M109A6
Now…whats a Redleg??? [:O]…The short answer is an artilleryman. The derivation is from early years of the US army (and other armies) where artillerymen were identified by the Red stripe on their pants and thus…Red Leg or redleg.
Now…you don’t want to get Gino or I started with the long answer or any other artillery trivia [;)] That could be a thred in itself [*-)]
Thanks for checking in Jeff. Looks like Mike answered your questions. Like he said, don’t get us started on the longer explanations…we might run out of electrons on that.[;)]
Here is the next update. I have closed it all up and started adding details. I have completed the front wall. The generator grill and exhaust are from an M88 kit, with new PE added to the exhaust. Everything else is scratch from sheet plastic. The bolts are all hex-rod salami-sliced into bolts. The tool rack is left over from some other kit; no idea where it came from.
I also completed the door for the aux generator. The grills were cut from an M113 radiator grill.
I have pretty much completed the large side doors and their holders, hinges, etc. The balls on the pull bars that hold the doors back are bird shot from a shotgun shell. They fit the scale perfectly.
That’s it for now. Next I will move on to the roof, side stowage racks, and rear. Its getting there, slowly but surely.
It’s coming along great. I like the surface detail on the front bulkhead and on the side doors a lot. I think such surface “thingies” are amongst the hardest to do when scratchbuilding.
The tool rack bothers me a little. Judging on the detail level and the colour of the plastic, it has to be an old Tamiya. And the shovel is not there! Maybe if you add a shovel and replace the “loop” that holds it down, it can really add to the detail, IMO.
I wish you good luck with your project, have a nice day
