Working on my LAV-25....some Q's

CDNTanker25 wrote:

interesting Rob.  Never had that issue, and I have never painted the tires, unless you consider spraying a dullcoat over them painting!  This is all new to me!

Yes, that's painting. Anything that prevents the bare plastic from contacting the bare vinyl. As I said, the problem is almost non-existant in US manufactured models since the 1970s. Aurora was notorious for having tracks that ate the plastic. It was almost unheard of in car modeling, although many of the wheels were chrome plated and would protect the plastic.

I've never had a problem with a Tamiya kit with vinyl tires. I've got their LRDG Chevy truck that I built about 20 years ago. The tires are still perfectly OK. I have a Dragon BRDM-2 that the tires split and started to deform the plastic shortly after building the kit (about 10-15 years ago).

I'd paint any Dragon, Trumpeter or eastern European tires or at least the styrene plastic wheels to keep them from melting.

But, it's your model build it as you want. The picture of the Trumpeter Jeep is worth a thousand words.

interesting Rob.  Never had that issue, and I have never painted the tires, unless you consider spraying a dullcoat over them painting!  This is all new to me!

PAINT THE TIRES!

YES, PAINT THE TIRES! Especially where the vinyl touches the plastic.

Hope I got your attention. Now here's why. The vinyl contains plasticizers that keep the vinyl pliable. Many armor model manufacturers haven't figured out what car model manufacturers know; how to make vinyl tires that won't melt the surrounding styrene plastic.

Here's a recent thread on a fairly modern model kit. If you got down the page about a dozen or so posts, you will see the Trumpeter BJ-212A Jeep where the modeler (Ed Sarao) did not paint the vinyl. They have melted the styrene plastic wheels.
http://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=101130&page=1

But it's your model, do what you want.

BTW armor model manufacturers that make car models like Tamiya, Revell, Monogram, did not have problems with vinyl tires melting the plastic. Even Dragon's first wheeled AFVs had vinyl tires that were known to split and deteriorate fairly quickly (BTR, BRDM series).

I joined the Corps in 1991.  The LAV's I saw all had the 240b as the pintal mounted gun.  I would not use that M1a1 M240 on your LAV.  The mount is completely wrong.  I suggest using the barrel from you M1a1 M240 as the coaxial M240 on your LAV.  If don't want to buy or build the Platt mount, why not just leave the pintal gun off?

Jesse

Ok....I found the image of the 240 on the old mount interesting.   

I dont have a m60....I dont have the Platt mount.....

 Was wondring ifI could put this extra 240 off an m1a1 kit onto the old mount?

 

 

I'd have to shave away some stuff, but might be do-able.

Question is, by using the old mount am I limiting myself to a 1980's LAV?    I'm looking to go for a ODS or possible OIF scheme, so woould I have to use the newer mount I guess?

I've found some more detailed pics of the Platt mount.

First is the manufacturer's catalogue (PDF file)- there's a number of fairly close-up pics.

There is a gallery of pics at the manufacturer's site showing how the mount articulates and how it can be applied to a number of different mountings and vehicles.

 

 

Actually, that mount is correct for the inital production LAV's back in the early '80's.  The first LAV-25s used the M60.  Then, the Marines switched to the M60e3.  I believe in the late 80's, they switched to the M240b with it's new mount.  I've some pictures on the net of the old style mount.  I'll see if I can find them again.

Jesse

 EDIT: Here's a picture of an LAV-25 with M60e3.  Zoom in to it for a better look. http://www.geocities.com/pmcmssr/lav2.jpg

Here's a picture of an LAV-25 with M240 on the mount included in the kit.

http://www.armyrecognition.com/Amerique_du_nord/Etats_Unis/vehicules_a_roues/LAV-25/LAV-25_USA_20.jpg

 

I wouldn't bother painting the tires. they're black for a reason.  Hit them with a dullcoat and you should be fine!

cj95 wrote:

Also ....I have an extra .50 from another kit....would it be appropriate to mount it on the turret?  There is a mount up there  (Red Arrow) but the kit does not include anything to go on it

No - the .50 isn't used on the LAV - should be an M240.

The scissor mount for the MG and the MG itself are not included (as you have discovered, just the base), nor is the coax M240 which should be seen in the slot in the mantlet beside the main gun. The mount is available in resin here: http://www.mheaust.com.au/MHE/Resin/MA/ASLAV25.htm (Part MA117) or can be scratched if you can find some decent pics.

EDIT: I understand the Platt mount as depicted in the link above is a fairly recent addition to the LAV's and may not be applicable depending on the time period you're representing.

Pic here: http://www.army.mil.nz/at-a-glance/news/army-news/365/image-gallery/12.htm