Nice.  I did one a while ago for a customer w/the Voyager PE/barrel set.  It came out really nicely.  The Verlinden interior is nice as well.  Looking forward to seeing this one.

I have a few photos of the interior of a restored Ontos from a museum at Camp Pendleton if you’d like me to post them for your reference here.

Hello!

Lookin' forward to see this one built! Our friend redleg12 (Mike Del Vecchio) built one many years ago and at that time he wrote that there might be some problems with the geometry of the suspension in the academy model - you might want to check it out, I think it's fixable at an early stage.

Anyhow - I'll be watching, so good luck with your build and have a nice day!

Paweł

stikpusher

I have a few photos of the interior of a restored Ontos from a museum at Camp Pendleton if you’d like me to post them for your reference here.

 

Harold

Pawel

Hello!

Lookin' forward to see this one built! Our friend redleg12 (Mike Del Vecchio) built one many years ago and at that time he wrote that there might be some problems with the geometry of the suspension in the academy model - you might want to check it out, I think it's fixable at an early stage.

Anyhow - I'll be watching, so good luck with your build and have a nice day!

Paweł

 

Harold

HeavyArty

Nice.  I did one a while ago for a customer w/the Voyager PE/barrel set.  It came out really nicely.  The Verlinden interior is nice as well.  Looking forward to seeing this one.

 

Harold

With help from Snapdragonxxx (James) I have determined what color to paint this model. The correct USMC green for tactical vehicles is FS34052. Some modelers have indicated that FS24052 is the correct color, but I believe that is an error.  I read the instructions for FED-STD-595C and they indicate the first number in the FS numbering system is the sheen. 2 = semi-gloss and 3 = matte finish, so one would presume the 24052 and 34052 are the same color with different sheens.

However, the two colors look completely different online and the FS instructions warn against using a computer to determine the actual color, just like we talked about in this forum. For my M50A1 ONTOS I intend to use Vallejo Model Air paint and Vallejo indicates that 71.013 Yellow Olive shown below is FS34052 and Marine Corps specifications indicate that FS34052 is USMC green used on tactical vehicles.

The spoon sample picture below was taken this morning outside in the sun and best represents what I see with my eyes. The sample was painted with Vallejo 74.601 Grey Surface Primer, allowed to dry 24 hours. Then painted with one coat of Vallejo 71.013 Yellow Olive mixed in my air brush, 10 drops of paint to 1 drop of Vallejo 71.161 Airbrush Thinner.

Harold

I invested in a photo-etch bending tool from The Small Shop for this project, please see links below. The only thing missing is the Voyager upgrade kit of photo-etched parts. They were ordered through eBay back on February 5th and have not arrived yet. However, the Voyager kit is coming from Australia, so I will wait until the end of the month.

Armorama Review:

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=4444

IPMS/USA Review:

https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/5-speed-hold-fold-workstation

Harold

Apologies for my delay in posting these for you.

Drivers Compartment, looking in from the left side

Ammo rack below rear hatch

Looking in rear hatch

Wow those are great pictures! Thank you so much Carlos, your timing is perfect.

Do you think the interior paint is matte finish?

Harold

You’re welcome. I’m glad that you find them useful.

I want to say it was satin or semi gloss. I know it’s completely different, but the M113 family vehicles that I crewed or rode in had the interior in that satin/semi gloss finish.

Now this is gonna be interesting to say the least!!! 

Memories of the Renwal 1/32 Ontos from back in the 50's!

Didn't this beast have a M2 mounted on one of the tubes for ranging?

Tamiya XF-74 is the best match I have found based on my hazy memory.

GMorrison

Didn't this beast have a M2 mounted on one of the tubes for ranging?

Gino, when Pawel mention the suspension issue I studied several ONTOS photographs and also found pictures of the Renwal 1/32 Ontos model. It became clear the front of the Academy model is lower then actual photographs and for that matter different than the 1950's Renwal model.

I'm not sure the Academy tracks will allow much expansion, but now that I know what to look for I will try and find a modification method before I start assembly.

Harold

HeavyArty

 

 

GMorrison

Didn't this beast have a M2 mounted on one of the tubes for ranging?

 

 

 

 

Each gun has the mount to add the .50 cal ranging gun above it.  Usually the top 4 had the guns mounted.

 

Always loved the Ontos.  I have to get those detail sets!

HeavyArty

Panel

...there might be some problems with the geometry of the suspension in the academy model - you might want to check it out, I think it's fixable at an early stage.

 

 

The suspension is squashed together and down at the front.  It is not an easy fix.  I left it alone on mine.  You can read what Steven Zaloga had to say about it, along with a pic.  He left it alone as well.    

 

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/academy-ontos-build-up-on-what-s-new-t128943.html#p1030044

 

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/3/9/7/129397-11-instructions.pdf

If the location of these two parts are lowered on the hull I believe it would have the effect of raising the front end giving the model the correct profile.

Steven Zaloga's overlay shows the distance between the wheels get progressively shorter on the model compared to the Ordnance Tank Automtive Command plans. I don't think there is anything I can do about that without relocating the rest of the axel locations. What do you think

Harold

Maybe, I'm not sure.  I would think you have to lower the whole front roadwheel arm (B42, B43) location to raise the front end.  It also needs to come forward, as do the 2nd and 3rd roadwheel.  Then adjust the position of each of the subsequent road wheel arms as well.  Like I said, it isn't as easy as it looks.  That is why I left mine as is.  As Zaloga says, "the kit looks like an Ontos," when done.

Today I received the two upgrade kits I've been waiting for to start this project. Most notable is the Voyager Model kit #PE35370 which traveled 8,000 miles from a place near Alice Springs, Australia. I attempted to purchase this kit from a source in China but was unsuccessful.

I tested the paint selections on plastic spoons and decided to use Vallejo #74.601 Grey Surface Primer, Vallejo #71.013 Yellow Olive for an exterior finish which matches FS34052 USMC Green. Vallejo #71.001 White for an interior base coat and clear coat the exterior with Vallejo #70.520 Matt Varnish and Vallejo #70.522 Satin Varnish for the interior.

I also purchased a photo-etch bending tool from The Small Shop to improve the quality of forming PE parts on this project. And again, I plan to use my Iwata RG-3L-3 spray gun for most of the painting and my air brush where I need too.

The first step is to decide if I want to modify the suspension which is known to be problem. As Gino pointed out it is a lot of work and without modification the finished model still looks like an ONTOS.

Harold

Completed steps 1 through 4 plus 12 that allowed me to see if adjustments I made to the suspension gave the model the correct 'nose-up' profile. What do you think?

I decided not to try and correct the wheel spacing because it would require major changes, but rather concentrate on getting the front of the model to look less squashed.

Harold

Looks much better.  Good job so far.  The second and third road wheel look a little high now.  They look to be floating above the lower track.

HeavyArty

Looks much better.  Good job so far.  The second and third road wheel look a little high now.  They look to be floating above the lower track.

 

The adjustment I made is where the suspension arms connect to the hull. I noticed there was some play in the way the parts fit together, so I modified the arm where it fits into the hull to allow downward rotation about 3 to 5 mm which raised the hull just enough to give the model a typical ONTOS profile. If I built another M50A1 I would be more careful that each set of wheels touch the track.

Harold

You could put it on a terrain base. I think that and so figs around it would suit it well, sort of a crew served artillery piece.

You did a nice job on it so far.

GMorrison

You could put it on a terrain base. I think that and so figs around it would suit it well, sort of a crew served artillery piece.

You did a nice job on it so far.

 

Hi sarge,

Coming on well this. I would put some dirt etc under the tracks and lift them so they fit the wheels and make it look like the suspension is doing stuff!

Looking forwards to seeing the green on it. You could take the greens to your friend and see what he says about the various shades before painting. Maybe he has some photos?