AAV reference pictures and MK 154 LMC kit.

Welcome aboard and YAT YAS.  I completed Dragon’s LMC several years back as a going away gift for the MK154 Instructor.  I had to move the muffler back slightly and the idler is not positioned far enough aft but, I did not feel like tackling that problem as it would include re-spacing all the support arms/road wheels.  I also had to adjust the rocket cradle, out of the box the rockets are pointed nearly vertical.  Also there is extra plastic used as a mount for the ramp that will have to be removed from the bottom of the hull.  The pre-RAM/RS kit does not have the same issue with positioning of the idler but it lacks EAAK bosses or armor.  Neither kit offers any sort of interior.  If you want to add an interior and can are able to locate a set I recommend snatching up Goffy Model’s resin interior.  More readily available are photo etch sets to really enhance the 1/72 offerings.

Although I have not come across any after market add-ons for a LMC, Hobby Boss’ 1/35 AAV are excellent offerings and if you act quick enough — tomorrow is last day of the sale, Squadron.com has the pre-RAM/RS minus-EAAK kit for $21.99, down from $69.99.  Or just wait for the RAM/RS to go on sale from $62.99 to closer to the $20-mark, which is what I did for the several I added to the stash.  Although, both 1/35 and 1/72 managed to miss the mark with the road wheels, they lack the lip and are molded as solid pieces from outer edge to inner face.

I have couple of the Dragon kits at hand I can snap photos of if needed, along with the Goffy interior and various PE sets.  My pre-RAM/RS kit is being chopped up and back dated to represent the LVTP7 mounting the 105mm armed M551 turret.

Goffy Model’s AAV interior:

http://acc.kitreview.com/images/amtrac-parts.jpg

http://acc.kitreview.com/images/Amtrac-preview.jpg

My Mk154

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/deattilio/Models/AAV7/MK1%20Mod0%20LMC/?albumview=slideshow

I found you photobucket pictures. they were very help full. Do you still work at the school house. I used to be with 3rd tracks from 96-07. Im working on a HobbyBoss straight leg with no EAAK right now. I wish i never would have bought because its driving me insane. I find myself add detail that you wont really be able to see. I was working on the ramp and it was wrong. It had the vice mount for the R7. While I was fixing that the MK154 popped into my head. Now im debateing if im going to scratchbuild the the LMC kit. I have pictures from CAX I was part of MCM for 3 years. But the small details are what I need. Same with the TM10 for the AAV. Im going off my old school hand outs from 96. Somewhat helpful. I was wondering do you have new handouts for the AAV and LMC on a PDF file. If you do It would greatly appericated if you could Email them to me.I looked on the Amtrac Mafia (RIP MGysgt Singleton) but the sites down. Once i figure out how to post pictures on here ill put up pictures of my progress. Looking forward to hearing from you.

I have been imprisoned at the school house since mid-05 but my release is rapidly approaching; I retire before summer kicks off this year.  Prior to that, I was with Alpha at 3D Tracks from mid-99, preceded by nearly three years at the test branch and deployments with Echo and Alpha prior to that.  I too have the straight-leg kit in my stash and have come across the discrepancies readily apparent to a tracker.  More bothersome than the R7 vices on the ramp is a lack of radios.  As I want to model one of the first tractors I crewed I will have to shave the SINCGARS cable channels on the hull; I purchased one set of resin NATO radios but will need a second as it only came with a single R442.  I have yet to come across any aftermarket options available for the SINCGARS stack behind the TC.

I also purchased their LVTP7, I will be kit bashing with their RAM/RS w/EAAK to produce a hybrid tractor we had at the test branch.  It was an LVTP7 with bow plane, Bradley suspension, UGWS and EAAK.  Unfortunately, Hobby Boss short sheeted the LVTP7 kit as well; instead of creating an accurate interior, they simply reused the parts from the P7A1 line.

However, for all the kit’s shortcomings, they are unquestionably superior to the old Tamiya offering.  I will thumb through the LMC handouts tomorrow and put together any useful information you could use.  The TM does a poor job of providing good images of details, most look like they were done by schoolchildren.  I will also look for any useful photographs; there are no Mk154s mounted on the tractors at the schoolhouse.

Fat-At

You must me a great asset to the school house. That why they wouldnt let you go. I scratchbuilt the radio mounts and the radios. I did it like 3 times and the final product came out good but, I think I might do them again because I think I do them better. The hardest part is getting the right scale and trying to add all the knobs and buttons.

I would like to build things  like the radio stacks and other details and cast them and sell them. kind of like AAV LVT update sets. One of these day Im going to tackle the pack and engine compartment. That would be I think a hot seller for a diorama. I even want to fabricate a set of the old P900 armor and sell that. I would be photoetch.

Sorry for the rambling. It would be cool to get the stuff for the MK154. If not I understand cause your getting ready to retire. Whos in charge now at the school house?

Several years ago I was jumping up and down for the sole 1833 billet at Combat Assault Battalion but got denied because we were in the middle of rewriting the AA T&R Manual, which I had already invested a year’s worth of effort into.  Once that got denied I focused on prepping for retirement by getting all my schooling and book-learning done.

I have come across several resin SINCGARS radios, usually in a pair for Humvees or something but for about $25.  That is a bit much for couple quarter-size chunks of resin to me.  I may grab all the measurements for the rack while I can so that I at least have them on hand to do some scaling down in the future.  Stikpusher mentioned attempting the mesh armor in The unOFFICIAL 2011/200012 Veteran’s Group Build.  It looks like it would be a fairly simple build, there is not much to the armor aside from finding the PE fret with the proper style holes.  The engine/transmission/cooling tower would be one heck of a challenge.  I am surprised there hasn’t been an aftermarket offering yet.  I know the data is out there, couple years ago DesignMil digitally scanned every component of the AAV, to include the hull for instruction software they were working on.  Don’t know if you have seen the new C7 but that would be another good conversion.  I’ll snap some pictures next Family Day/Dog & Pony when she’s all opened up and laid out.  Gone are the tiny seats and metal desks, replaced by six forward facing blast-mitigating seats — leaps ahead of the old stuff.  If there are any photos your lacking for any detail work let me know and I can wander the ramp with the camera.

I'll shoot an e-mail with the other details concerning handouts, TM and names, just check the conversations.