Hey thanks a lot buddy. Yeah, I think I'll probably stick with the generic USA scheme. I see that as a tribute to all the Vietnam grunts. I'll tell my friend about the idea though. He'll be touched. It's a nice thought. After I'm more seasoned, I might do something ARVN related. They don't get a lot of respect, and they were in a pretty crappy situation. Thanks again, Stik, and awesome build. The weathering, inside and out, is phenomenal!

This kit is the only one that I know of off the top of my head that comes with ARVN decals. But I have not seen Academy's Vietnam M113 in the box, so that one might also. But ARVN markings are pretty simplistic. A yellow strip with the vehicle number. Some ARVN 113s did also have large numbers on the hull sides or other markings.

Stik, got any suggestions for ARVN decals? I was going to do a generic "unknown" US Army version, but I'm kicking around doing an ARVN tribute to a good friend I work with who was ARVN and got captured after we left and was thrown in an NV prison for seven years. He's one of the nicest gentlemen I've ever met. He was honored by our veterans this weekend, and it would be a fitting tribute

Thank you RB. I am happy with the final results here.

Stik: Very well done!

stikpusher

I am willing to bet that some cherry grunt GI somewhere at sometime called it a one thirteen... Probably not too often or for long though.

Yeah, getting chewed out tends to correct any bad tendencies I have as well! 

I am willing to bet that some cherry grunt GI somewhere at sometime called it a one thirteen... Probably not too often or for long though.

Thanks SP- I've refereed to it as a M-One-Thirteen before- glad I didn't to someone who served on one.

Thanks guys! I am glad to hear that you like it, late or not.

Gamera, indeed I always heard them called one one threes or  simply a track. Never a one thirteen, or gasp, a Gavin.

Nice job, Stik!

Great work SP and well worth the wait! Very cool interior and the mud is epic!

PS: I think someone mentioned over on the armour forum that the correct term is M-One-One-Three and NOT M-One-Thirteen???

OK, here we go... My completed ARVN M113, 4th Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry, Ap Bac Vietnam,  January 2, 1963

Thanks for looking, and thanks to FSM for hosting this Group Build.

Hey now, I just woke up here...

Come on SP, you promised finished photos today!!! 

Thank you Aaron. This has been a great Group Build, even if I did finish up late. Thanks for putting it on.

Nice work, Stik!

As I suspected yesterday, once dry, the "wet mud" came out a little lighter than I wanted... too much thinner and not enough paint I guess...

so today I went and mixed up a new mix of Future, thinner and Burnt Umber acrylic to get a nice "wet mud" look and got that applied where I wanted. Then a mix of a wash of Grimy Black for fuel and oil spills on the appropriate spots and finally some soot in the exhaust. I am calling this one done...

I will get a proper all angle and detail shots batch of photos up tomorrow on my day off.

Thanks Jack! It is just about where I want it now... Regarding the mud splatter, for some reason, when they move thru muddy terrain it gets flung up all over those areas. I remember lots of mud build up in those areas. I can't explain the dynamics of it, but it happens.

Stik,  that is looking very muddy, and really adds another element to the character of this vehicle.

Now I know you worked around these vehicles in real life, but I'm trying to understand the mud pattern at the rear, in terms of how did the mud get up on  the back edges and all the way to the top.   Watching videos of these machines charging through mud, the dirt appears to fly upwards and outwards?

regards,

Jack

Well the mud was freshly applied and still drying when I took the photos that I posted on Sunday. Here is how it came out after drying to the lighter shade that I wanted and mixed up.

as you can see it is much lighter and toned down that when still damp...

Today I added the darker "wet rice paddy mud"

I think that I am going to need to go back tomorrow and do some touch up with the Burnt Umber paint to get the proper look that I want. Plus I still need to add some fuel & oil spillage... 

One more session at the bench...

Thanks G. No you sure cant beat mud for mud ;)

Looks really good. Guess you can't beat real mud for mud eh!?!

Today I started my favorite part of the weathering- MUD!!! I am doing that in two stages. a more gainy lighter color mud to represent the more grainy gloppy mud of the roads and trails... it is still drying here so a bit darker than it should look once dry

and of course the stuff tracked in by the troops carried when they would re mount the track

My final step will be to add a layer of fresh wet darker, siltier ride paddy mud to represent as they would have looked during and immediately after the Battle at Ap Bac. That will come in a few days due to work...

One more session at the bench and I can call this one done

Here is some detail shots of the final bits added before weathering... tie down straps, lenses, antenna...

and with initial weathering...

I still want to add a bit more before I call it done...

Thanks G. I think that it will look pretty good once completed.

Very nice SP, she's gonna be a beauty finished up!

Well this past week of so the urge to work on this has returned and I am now in the final phase... yes it is past due, but oh well... to quote Patsy, "It's only a model"

so in the past few days I have been doing little stuff getting the small detail painted up, like the machine guns & tail lights, plush dry brushing worn areas on the MGs and the pioneer tools. I also added some foil straps to some proper jerry cans in my spares bin and glued those in place. And then today I airbrushed on a coat of Humbrol Matt Clear (my personal favorite flat clear coat... absolutely dead flat and total control applied with an airbrush)... After that had dried I added the final top deck stowage of a tarp, some ammo cans & a crate... I still need to add some tie down straps for the .30 cal tripod...

Tomorrow I will paint the last details like headlights, tail light lenses, periscope lenses, add an antenna, and then final weathering after that... finish line dead ahead...

Thanks, I just don't feel any urgent need to rush it and muck it up...

Continues to look good SP!