Small Scale Military Headquarters

Here are some shots of another member's custom M113. You will see bits from other vehicles used well. Hope this webshots folder works...
http://community.webshots.com/scripts/e ... =234393250

mmmmm..... It didn't work....

-Ski

http://community.webshots.com/user/diggernyc

maybe?

Yep, it works! Looks pretty damn slick! Now why didn't 21st do that in the first place to keep it in line with the rest of the VN line??

-Ski

i really like that M113....really nice Nam diorama.
keep up the good work.
I wish 21st kept the NAM line alive.
I have a Nam diorama myself that i built and I'm always looking to add stuff to it.
take care,
HOOA!

very cool, nice paint work and the gear looks great on there, awesome nam redo

Looks awesome! 21st has tried to keep the M113 within the framework of the Viet Nam line by including the OD version. However, that version is still the A3 variant, and did not exist during the 1960s and 70s!

Nice work! Makes me want to give it a try. Need more VN pieces!

I saw several pictures of the M113 outfitted with the Build-A-Rama modern accessories. Much improvement over the stock accessories.

Digger, you didn't make the custom 113 mentioned in this thread? Who did? I would love to see work-in-progress photos, and maybe some instruction on how it was done...
Or maybe someone like Build-A-Rama could make an armor-upgrade kit? There are troops in the field without adequate protection. I want to custom my 113 to look like this photo:

I'd love an M113 like that as well. The 21st version is close, just minus the turret and armor (and with worse gear and antenna).

The owner is a member so we need him to step up and field your questions/comments....Bill?

Now that is what I am talking about...

well done

outstanding

tomd

This is from an email he sent me with the pictures, for anybody interested in some of the finer points:

"The material you need is plastic styrene for the commanders front shield, M60 shields, front fenders and back fenders(where the external fuel tanks used to be). The side shields for the commanders cupola are made out of light gauge copper sheeting because of it's bending capabilities and it holds the round form. That was where I almost blew a fuse. The beauty of making these ACAV shields is that many of these were field made so they can be in different shapes or forms. I took the sort of factory made approach to mine but added my own touch.
All the holes were filled with Green Putty and then sanded down. Most of the gear as you can see is Build a Rama( rolled barbed wire, ammo boxes, tent rolls, etc), 1/18th ERTL Sportsman and some 21st century. The fence is from a craft store $5.00 for three different styles which is dead nuts to BaR's ($14.99) and the real deal. The fence poles also came from that ERTL set. I cut 1" of their length. I drilled out all the existing eye hooks so more gear could be hung the real way and not with glue. The radio is BaR, the M79 Grenade Launcher and smoke grenades are BBI modern accessories. There are some other changes that had to be made such as the exhaust pipe(scratch built) on the front opposite the driver. The tail lights and handles which are on the back are from a M41 Walker Bulldog. The M60s are from the MUTT. So to make this model right you have to ruin a M41(no big loss there) and swipe the M60s and mounts from two MUTTS.
The whole vehicle was painted green camo paint (that was bought a PEP BOYS a while back for another project) highlighted with some steel color on some friction points and then dusted with a dry paintbrush some earth tone pastel chalk which was bought in the art section of  the same craft store. How I did this was: I took some course sandpaper and rubbed the chalk on it. Two colors mixed together was perfect. I then started brushing it on all over with more added in the wheels, tracks and everywhere you would think it'll be. The nice thing about this stuff is that I think you can wash it off if you want. I bought and used as reference the 1/35th Tamiya M113 ACAV model kit for all my measurements and the book Vietnam Armor In Action for photo references and of course Goggle M113 Images.

I have used plastic styrene sheets for customs, and models in the past, but can never get it to bend without breaking. How was the main gunners shield bent like that?

The main gunners shield is actually three pieces of plastic styrene. The sides were glue to the front to form the shape. After the glue dried, I applied Green Putty to both sides of the two joints. The outside of the shields received a generous amount of putty with the most applied at the joint and least away from the joint. After sanding both sides, the shield will look like one continuous piece with smooth bends at the corners. This is the only way in which I found this to work. Like Don mentioned, the plastic breaks when you bend it too much and it doesn't hold it's form after you heat and bend it. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, just ask. Bill

Very Nice job. Where were the figures from?
Todd

Thanks Todd, the figures are 21st century. One M48 Tank Commander, one basic Mutt Driver and one Mutt Driver with a head swap. Bill