Why on Earth would you scratchbuild an M113 in 1:35 scale?

[JR]

Jakko looks good , have you seen these, probably have but just in case.

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/m113.html.
John.

[Guest]

Thanks for those, nothing I didn’t know yet, but more pictures never hurt

[Guest]

More added details on the other side of the engine:

[ATTACH]401344[/ATTACH]

The large tube (engine oil filler) is 1.5 mm brass rod with a plastic disc on the end for its cap, the round green thing (transmission-differential oil cooler) is sprue, with solder for the pipework. The pipe running to the front need to go to the bottom of the differential. The loose part is plastic rod and punched discs to make up the differential oil filter, but I haven’t yet figured out how it’s attached to the engine, so it’s still loose. It also needs a tube on the top that looks like it connects to the oil cooler, but I’m not sure yet of that either.

This is the kind of work I don’t enjoy, to be honest. If I had (good views of) a real engine, I’d build this in no time, but because all I have are two small airbrushed photos of one, it’s a lot of puzzling that I makes me quit every time I’ve built a part

[Guest]

[ATTACH]402594[/ATTACH]

Most of the steering linkages are now installed, together with the floor for the driver’s compartment (suitably bent) and I glued the torsion bars to the floor. To give an idea of the size of all this, the torsion bars are 1 mm brass rod, the connecting rods to the differential are 0.5 mm plastic rod.

It still needs the connecting rods and some springs between the steering handles and the transverse rod at the front. I’m going to leave out most of the engine compartment walls, because I think they probably got blown away in the explosion, judging by the photo of the real thing.

[Guest]

I think this area is largely finished now:

[ATTACH]402698[/ATTACH][ATTACH]402699[/ATTACH]

I put in most of the detail that I figure might have been there, though it’s part guesswork due to lack of photos, and also glued the engine in place now, together with the remains of the firewall behind it. The engine is deliberately crooked, to make it appear it has been torn off its mountings.

[Guest]

I’ve now added most of the details on the left side of the hull:

[ATTACH]403350[/ATTACH]

Most of this is just bits of plastic card, strip and rod — the work isn’t difficult, but figuring out what there should be, and where it’s located, is. Also, all those tie-downs are very tedious to put in: two punched discs of very thin plastic card with a bit of plastic rod glued over the top. There’s 28 of those in this photo alone, and I probably need to add even more to the other side of the hull

The only kit parts are the flashlight and a spare .50 calibre machine gun barrel, which still needs straps to connect it to its tie-downs.

I still need to add a bunch of other things, but most of those should be fairly easy. There will be no instrument panel, nor the boxes below it, because I figure (from the photo of the real hing) those were ripped away by the explosion. The panel, for example, is on the real thing only held on by four metal strips (and a bunch of cables, of course). Similarly, I’ll leave out the driver’s seat — the bracket on the lower hull side is its support (contrary to what model kit makers have wanted us to believe for 45 years, the M113’s driver’s seat is not on a pillar that sits on the floor ).

Also note the weld scars for the rear fuel tank and (less obvious) the plate at the front of the driver’s compartment. I made these by gluing lengths of plastic strip to the model, and then ripping them off again once the glue had set.

[Isitme]

Hello Jakko,
Just caught up with your build, and full marks to you.
I remember when I scratchbuild mine back in the late 1970's, nowhere near as involved as yours, but we had to go with what we had - Profile Publication for the plans. 1/48 Centurion wheels from a company called Aurora and plenty of p/card, also did the M-577 but both were to 1/32 scale.
Mike.

[Guest]

Thanks, Mike This is one of those things where you think, “It's an M113, it’ll be straightforward” … And I must say that you were probably lucky with the limited resources you had back then, because so far I think I’ve spent more time trying to figure things out than actually building them. All this information we have at our fingertips nowadays actually doesn’t make it easier on the builder … who knew there’s so much stuff on the inside of an armoured vehicle?

[Jim R]

Hi Jakko

All this information we have at our fingertips nowadays actually doesn’t make it easier on the builder

Always impressive. Tedious tie downs indeed but necessary. I suppose that when the references are available you go for it and make a load of work for yourself.
Jim

[Guest]

That’s what I meant, indeed: if you don’t know it’s there, you’re not going to build it. But with the references we have now, you (well, I ) will often find yourself noticing things that “need” to be added, and then having great difficulty finding out what they are and how they fit, exactly. In other words: one the one hand, we have too much, on the other, too little

[scottie3158]

Jakko,
All coming on very nicely with some nice detailing.

[JR]

Not easy to model damage Jakko, its looking good.

[Guest]

Thanks, guys

[Guest]

I think I’m finally done with those tie-downs. Or so I hope Here is the right-hand side of the hull, with forty of the @£&*@%ing things I had to put on:

[ATTACH]403696[/ATTACH]

There is also a plate on the upper part of the lower hull side, which isn’t present on model kits with an interior, but — surprise, surprise — is on the real thing. I also had to put one in on the left-hand side, together with more tie-downs:

[ATTACH]403697[/ATTACH]

For the first attempt, I put the extra plate along the entire length, which meant removing the seat support and foot rest. After putting them back on, I found a photo that shows the plate to end just behind the seat … sigh So, after cutting through it at the right point, off the front section came again. That left me having to fill the scars caused by pulling it off, of course, and that still remains to be sanded down before I can re-add the support and foot rest.

But I’m getting there

[scottie3158]

Lovely work Jakko keep it up.