M113 Repaint (Op Iraqi Freedom) Finally Finished

[pcoughran]

I had another thread titled "how to get Future off" so figured I'd post a separate thread with the final pictures from start to finish:
Here's what it comes like:

After taking all the cheap looking stowage off you're left with about 22 ugly holes in the diecast hull, so putty and sand:

Then a little interior paint here's a real one:

Then mine:





Exterior comes next.

[pcoughran]

Now the exterior:




Here's a few in different light without the "blade" on the front, no stowage on top, and antenna in up position:




Hopefully the mods won't mind a few of the reposts of previous pictures.
Still debating whether to add Pickel's bubble turret for the .50 cal - the real pictures of this M113 didn't show it having one, but I think it would just make it that much more "custom" from the original. So, do I stay true to this actual vehicle's configuration or do I go with turret?

[flyboy_fx]

I think i have seen some modern ones with the turret guard. Although it is more of a vietnam thing.

[pickelhaube]

I think i have seen some modern ones with the turret guard. Although it is more of a vietnam thing.

Negative.

They used the heck out of them in the Mid East wars.

They were old stock. I have seen many pics of them used in action painted OD green with the rest of the M-113 desert tan.

Later on as time allowed they were painted to match the AFV.

Granted when the Wars first broke out they were not used.

More so when they left the suburbs and moved into the cities were the extra protection was needed.

GREAT LOOKING M-113 Pcoughran !!!!!

[pcoughran]

Yeah, I know they started out without the turrets in Desert Storm, then started putting on the OD later in. Finally, started to paint them to match the desert.
I haven't found any pictures of this particular vehicle (HQ 35 of 3I 3-69) that show it with a turret. So I need to decide if I stick with what I know it looked like at one point or do I add the turret assuming it would have gotten the upgrade. I saw another picture of one with the desert painted turret (not HQ 35 though) that also had some arabic on the turret - it looked pretty cool. I pulled down some arabic phrases, numbers, letters, etc.. to match that picture only now I can't find it.

[flyboy_fx]

I think i have seen some modern ones with the turret guard. Although it is more of a vietnam thing.

Negative.

They used the heck out of them in the Mid East wars.

They were old stock. I have seen many pics of them used in action painted OD green with the rest of the M-113 desert tan.

Later on as time allowed they were painted to match the AFV.

Granted when the Wars first broke out they were not used.

More so when they left the suburbs and moved into the cities were the extra protection was needed.

GREAT LOOKING M-113 Pcoughran !!!!!

Haha! HE HAS SPOKEN!
Shows what I know. lol.

[Der Kommandant]

Looks great, nice work.

[tmanthegreat]

Looks great with those smooth sides, antennas, and restored markings - very nice job I agree, no turret shield is needed, particularly for accuracy sake if its not seen in the existing photos.

For some of the flak the 21c M113 recieved in terms of the crappy stowage and figures, it really is a pretty nice vehicle with a lot of functionality and a ton of custom potential... The same "desert cammo" M113 was my first custom project back in 2005. This is how it originally looked almost 6 years ago, but its undergone further modifications since then.

[pcoughran]

Thanks for all the nice comments - tman yours looks good too.