Scratch built M113s

As I was tidying away after the last AK47 game I came across my fleet of M113s.

When I first started playing AK47 I wasn't exactly cash-strapped but there wasn't a lot of money to flash around. I was going to buy some M113's for my regulars, but then, when I looked at them I realised they were actually quite a simple geometric shape. After all they were designed by a fridge company, so how stylish were they ever going to be?

I got hold of photos and measurements and drew up the net of the shape which I then photocopied onto card. The track/bogie assembly was more challenging, but then I found a sideways on drawing of one and photocopied that down to the right size. I then used that as an outline to cut out balsa wood formers for either side. The track wheels I discovered were the same size as the holes on a hole punch, so that did for them. The tracks were made from strips of card, scored to give some more texture.

So, cardboard & balsa wood M113s, then. The MGs on the roofs are a mixture of Peter Pig and some scratch built Brownings made from wire, cardboard and Miliput.

If memory serves me correctly I built most of them (I have 10 at least) whilst on holiday in a caravan in the evenings when our young children were fast asleep. I knew how to live it up in those days.


Some of them got made up as UN, complete with a command vehicle (note aerial wire) and a mortar unit (note base plate on the roof).



If I could find the original net I'd post it here, but it is lost in the depths of time.


Comments

  1. They are crude, but serviceable - a great bit of scratchbuilding.

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    Replies
    1. I think crude but serviceable describes the M113 perfectly.

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  2. They still look better than the QRFs, and your armour thickness is to scale too :O)

    Regards, Chris.

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    Replies
    1. I agree in both counts, but then again I'm biased!

      The only thing wrong with them is the layout of the hatches, which isn't quite right.

      Delete

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