LAV 25A1

LAVscout

Quick background nutshell of me, I was in the Marines from 04 to 07 assigned to 1st LAR out of Camp Pendleton. I worked in, on and lived out of LAVs the whole time and got pretty intamate with the specifics about them. Im wanting to build a model of one, likely a 1/35 scale but Id like to know if anyone has also built one because Id like to get ideas of how to weather the one I build. The simple way would be to paint it tri-color green and them offer a few light coats of tan air brush passes for the sand that all but repaints them. If anyone has any pictures, Id love to see them.

 

I built the Esci and Italeri ones a very long time ago, the Esci in the 80s when it came out and the better Italeri one in the early 90s after Desert Storm when there was a chance they would replace the M551 Sheridan in the 82nd Airborne.

No pictures of the kits from long ago. But Trumpeter now has a superior line of them and they come in virtually every version. Revell reboxes the Italeri kit in case you run across that kit.

Scalemates has a listing of all available kits of it. https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION%5B%5D=All&q=1%3A35+lav+25*

I built this one

I have the 1/35 ESCI 25 TUA with marines.  I think I used the figures for something else.  Kit is still sealed in the bag - here's a few shots:

I’ve built the three ESCI LAV kits: 25, TOW, and Command. They all need help and extra work. I have a couple Italeri and a Trumpeter in my stash. The Trumpeter kits are much better, especially with later versions and features. 

Go for the later Trumpeter kits (one of which is an LAV-25 SLEP), as the first iteration, the basic LAV-25 kit lacks a few details which are included in the later kits.

These include:

• Driver's mirrors
• Hull and turret cable cutter/deflectors
• Commander's M240 MG (unfortunately, all versions omit the coax MG)

Hello!

First - a question. Why doesn't the LAV-25 have a nice M-number like all the other US military vehicles?

Long time ago, in 2009 I have made this article:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/p/118601/1188047.aspx

It describes painting of something like that:

Hope it helps, good luck with your LAV and have a nice day

Paweł

Pawel

Hello!

First - a question. Why doesn't the LAV-25 have a nice M-number like all the other US military vehicles?

 

They don't always play that game, go back to WW2, Vietnam, modern times with their AMTRACs, none of the have M-numbers with the LVT, LVTP, AAV7, and their 7-ton truck the MTRV. Basically their unique to them vehicles.

Pawel

First - a question. Why doesn't the LAV-25 have a nice M-number like all the other US military vehicles?

Well, until 1947, there was a War Department, and a Navy Department, and ne'er the twain doth meet but in Congressional arguments about budget.

Even now, under the (allegedly) unified Department of Defense, Vehicles produced solely for the Navy Department do not get "M" numbers.  This is because those "M" numbers come from the Army's (DLA's per The Book) Classification/Inventory system.  The materiel gets an NSN (National Stock Number) because GSA (General Services [national government] Administration) requires them for auditing.

The original reviews of the original ESCI kit were tough.  The reviewers stated that the angles & profiles were innaccurate and the tires also were wrong.  But, it was the only game in town.  I want to remember at least one FSM article, where only about 40% of the kit remained, the rest was pretty much from scratch.

Now, OOB, the kit built up nice enough.

Probably worth doing a serach on armourama and the like for LAV builds.

A personcould beuild up a pretty decent motor poll out of the trumpy kits, to my thinking.  (Which would be a handy way to display them all in a go.)

That's my 2¢  I only had to see them onto LCU & LCAC and off again, and to remind the LPOs that, no matter what, we were supposed to return with as many Marines as we left with.

CapnMac82

 

 

Pawel

First - a question. Why doesn't the LAV-25 have a nice M-number like all the other US military vehicles?

 

 

Well, until 1947, there was a War Department, and a Navy Department, and ne'er the twain doth meet but in Congressional arguments about budget.

Even now, under the (allegedly) unified Department of Defense, Vehicles produced solely for the Navy Department do not get "M" numbers.  This is because those "M" numbers come from the Army's (DLA's per The Book) Classification/Inventory system.  The materiel gets an NSN (National Stock Number) because GSA (General Services [national government] Administration) requires them for auditing.

 

ahhhhhh... is that it? 

That and its a Light Armored Vehicle... So why not use LAV 

Pawel

Hello!

First - a question. Why doesn't the LAV-25 have a nice M-number like all the other US military vehicles?

Long time ago, in 2009 I have made this article:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/p/118601/1188047.aspx

It describes painting of something like that:

Hope it helps, good luck with your LAV and have a nice day

Paweł

 

Nicely done, the paint seems a little light compared to the schemes on the ATs Ive worked with but its well done so I cant fault there. 

Hello LAVscout!

Thanks a lot!

The scheme looks light because it's been weathered by dusting it sand colour. Clean colurs were substantially darker - you can see that if you'd like to look at the link that I posted.

Have a nice day

Paweł