1/16 Australian M113A1 & AS4

[GMK]

Not quite done on my big Bushmaster, but close enough to start looking at the next project/s: in this case Australian Army M113A1 APC & its upgraded form, the M113AS4. 
 

This is “my” vehicle from 1999:

 

 

and here it is post upgrade, stretched & with a German engine & transmission. 

 

And here is the design thus far, the AS4 dual-pin T-150F track. Sadly, this has zero commonality with the dual-pin Diehl 513B fitted in Timor. 
 

To help things along, AFV Club has announced a Vietnam-era version:

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by GMK

[dodgem37]

Are those tracks specific to the Australian version?  I don't recognize that track.  The model kit track, yes.  Your rendering, no.

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

[GMK]

1 hour ago, dodgem37 said:

Are those tracks specific to the Australian version?  I don't recognize that track.  The model kit track, yes.  Your rendering, no.

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

G’day Mark,

 

The track I’ve drawn is T-150F, used on US Army M113A2s. I’ve simplified the end connectors a little, though. In Australia, T-150F is only used in the upgraded M113AS4s, which are stretched to six pairs of roadwheels per side. 
 

Greg

[GMK]

Second week - having some issues with the idler & roadwheels. No doubt I’ll figure it out, but for now it’s doing my head in. 

Here’s the basic AS4 hull, CNC milled from plastic - not my design! The turret CAD was done for me by a mate a few years ago. No chance I’m going to reinvent the wheel!

Superimposed the running gear over a drawing I found on the net of an armoured command variant. I need to tweak the scale of the drawing. 
 

 

Started refining the roadwheels, as well as adding the pivot/swing arms. 
 

 

Profile view, showing the offset due to the torsion bars. 
 

 

This could take a bit. 

[Barry]

Greetings sir,

 

I see you're using the Ludwig kit as the basic hull. Here is a link to an RC build using the Ludwig kit.

 

https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=202&t=28802

 

Here is a link to several running gear pieces for the M113 including tracks. They are not cheep as they are designed for RC.

 

https://tank-modellbau.de/k108/Kettenfahrzeuge-Massstab-116-M113

 

Barry

Edited April 19, 2021 by Barry
spelling

[LSP_Matt]

Hey Greg,

 

Nice one. It's a great scale. So lucky to have such a big range of kits and figures in this scale now. Love how you're making your own though.

 

Which unit were you posted to? When were you in ET? I worked in DFSU-D for a time helping with pre-deployments. Some units did their own inhouse so not everyone went via Robertson Barracks.

 

A patient of mine had an engineering company and he was apparently making wheels for those buckets back during that time.

 

Cheers Matty

[dodgem37]

Thank you, Barry.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[GMK]

On 4/19/2021 at 9:50 PM, Barry said:

Greetings sir,

 

I see you're using the Ludwig kit as the basic hull. Here is a link to an RC build using the Ludwig kit.

 

Here is a link to several running gear pieces for the M113 including tracks. They are not cheep as they are designed for RC.

 

On 4/19/2021 at 9:50 PM, Barry said:

 

Barry

Thanks Barry. I’ve tried previously to buy some of the running gear fittings, but apparently there’s no ship to Australia option.  Their Diehl track would be super handy for my Timor vehicle, too.  

I did find a “M1113 PMV” CAD model on thingiverse that may be helpful:

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2955065

 

On 4/19/2021 at 11:49 PM, LSP_Matt said:

Hey Greg,

 

Nice one. It's a great scale. So lucky to have such a big range of kits and figures in this scale now. Love how you're making your own though.

 

Which unit were you posted to? When were you in ET? I worked in DFSU-D for a time helping with pre-deployments. Some units did their own inhouse so not everyone went via Robertson Barracks.

 

A patient of mine had an engineering company and he was apparently making wheels for those buckets back during that time.

 

Cheers Matty

G’day Marty,

 

Thanks for commenting. I was with 5/7 RAR on my first trip in 1999 & 3 RAR for the 2002 gig. Let just say that the 2002 pre-deployment was a little less chaotic than the INTERFET trip!

 

Your story about your patient’s manufacturing business reminds me that references for the cross section of the road wheels are killing me atm!

13 hours ago, MARU5137 said:

Super start.

Cheers!

[LSP_Matt]

That's awesome. yeah 99 was super chaotic. I ended up there in 00 when they were short staffed. I was 4CSSB so knew a fair few of the 5/7RAR guys. I ended up mates with a fair few when I did staff officer courses. Good fun.

 

3RAR eh...proud and fairly epic history that unit. Still do that shuffle?

 

Oh...you might be able to prevail on a US member to have those running gear items shipped to their house and then on post it for you.

 

Cheers Matty

[Derek B]

Good stuff Greg! 

 

Derek

[GMK]

As so often is the case, work & life gets in the way of hobbies. Ah well.

 

I was fortunate to be gifted some CAD for my own use for the turret, external fuel tanks, & rear stowage bin for the AS4. Thanks, Ash. 
 

Here’s the initial iteration of the turret:

 

Test fit, along with the EFTs & stowage bin (support material still in place):

 

My CAD for the stowage bins:

 

Combined with the prints of the turret, EFTs, stowage, & cargo hatch w/air filter box:

 

Looking like I may be able to make progress on the AS4 after all. 

[GMK]

Changing direction on the M113A1 & now scratch printing it. 
 

Here’s the design work to date, after a week or so. 
 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking. 

[dodgem37]

A fan favorite.  From what are you getting your dimensions?

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

[GMK]

On 5/20/2022 at 6:53 AM, dodgem37 said:

A fan favorite.  From what are you getting your dimensions?

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

Thanks Mark. I’m using 1:1 dimensions from a vehicle in storage & the AFV Club 1:35 kit. 
 

Pending verification of the depth of the rear lights & the Jerry can holders, the rear hull plate & ramp are done. 
 

The addition of the front tow points has more or less completed the lower glacis plate on the front. 
 

 

Work has commenced on the cargo hatch with air filter box & the voids in the underside for the M8 mounting bolts. 
 

 

 

I’m travelling this week, which will hamper progress. 
 

Thanks for looking in. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by GMK

[GMK]

Lots of travel this week, so confined to blocking out shapes.

 

 

The T50 turret, driver’s hatch & hatch cover, headlights & guards, plus some hull roof fittings consumed most of the available efforts. 
 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking in.