The unOFFICIAL 2011/20012 Veteran's Group Build

It was my driver CPL Fletcher Cox goofing around when he saw me taking pictures. The non-slip tank pre-dated my arrival in the company. It was his tank, "Christine", that appeared to be a newer tank than the other three. I really don't know why he got that tank, but I suspect that since he didn't have a lieutenant for such a long time when a new tank came down the pipe, he took it, and it became A-24, the platoon sergeant's tank.

If you're doing an A3 with the pack on the ground, you probably don't need to lower the suspension.

I was wondering what I could do for this build & thought of the USS Blueback (SS-583) which was the last diesel powered submarine the Navy built (and one of my tended units in 1974-5 at Ballast Point, Subase San Diego).  She's now a museum boat at OMSI in Portland, OR.  I was having a hard time finding any kits, so I thought I'd sit this one out.

Yesterday, a friend at work gave me an old Revell kit of "Viet Nam Aces" - 1/48 scale Mig-21 & F4 Phantom II.  I'll use the Mig for my 1st real attempt at an all metal finish (anyone with recommendations on that, chime in!) and the F4 will be OOB Navy.

Reid

OMC

USNR-Ret.

Top, the M60 is progressing nicely. 

Hans, you are added to the roster with a 109A3.

Some slight progress this evening. I added most of the fiddly bits to the glacis plate and top deck of the Vulcan track and built the gun itself. I need to sand the putty covering a sink mark on the exhaust stack flap, then I can glue the brush guard in place around it.

Tomorrow I can probably get the turret built.

Scorpiomikey

And a veteran has fallen.

At 1655 Wednesday the 30th of November 2011 local time, my grandfather passed away.

R.I.P Mr D. You will be missed.

"Sky-Six Actual, this is Hammer Two-Six.  Message Follows, Prepare to copy, over..."

Well I have noticed that pics I take after dark (when the big door is closed and I am using flash and my overhead lights) tend to come put poorly focused on close ups such as the gun last night. So when I resumed work today I took a couple new ones of the gun...much better results.

side view

head on

and a slightly angled head on

Cleaning up the mold seams on six seperate barrels was abit of a bear, as was removing the ejector pin marks from the discs that act as spacers for the barrels. But I do like the fact that Italeri actually molded the bores hollowed out. A very nice touch.

I next built the rest of the gun assembly

the turret

I have not glued the gun to the turret yet to ease with detail painting

I next sanded the putty on the exhaust flap and added the brush guard

And placed everything on the hull for a few pics. 

almost ready for paint...

OMCUSNR

Yesterday, a friend at work gave me an old Revell kit of "Viet Nam Aces" - 1/48 scale Mig-21 & F4 Phantom II.  I'll use the Mig for my 1st real attempt at an all metal finish (anyone with recommendations on that, chime in!) and the F4 will be OOB Navy.

Reid

OMC

USNR-Ret.

The most recent (Jan 2012) issue of Fine Scale Modeler has a nice how-to article about natural metal finishes. Look for the shiny MiG-17 on the cover.

BTW, does anybody kow of a site with a walkaround of the M163 Vulcan Track? I wanna get the top deck stowage right and the Italeri diretions appear that some of the item placements are not correct.

If Prime Portal doesn't have anything, I wouldn't know where to look.

The Vulcan is looking awfully sweet, though! Got one of these lined up to become the IDF Machbet variant...this is making me want to push it a lot higher in the pile. Heh.

I found some useful shots on Army Recognition, but I still could really use some views of the top deck on both sides from alongside the turret on back to the end. I found a decent shot of the center rear and of course engine deck and drivers hatch areas.

Thanks Dupes. I always loved the look of the Vulcan tracks and had been wanting to build this one for a LONG time. It has been in my stash since it was a new issue kit in 1994 or so...

Stik , looks good . Have you tried "youtube" for reference ?

No... I had not thought of that... Thanks for the suggestion Shell

I looked there and saw some good video's but i'm not sure what you need .

Try this from armorama

http://armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=181598&page=1

Well YouTube was a strike out. Nothing useful to me there. I am ccurious how acurate that Academy Vulcan Tracktop deck is. Based on the one pic I have found I know the Axe stowage is not right, and the mattock head and handle stowage appear to get in the way of the hatch operation. Oh I wish I had a time machine to take my digital camera back 25 years...

Thanks for the suggestions Shell

I loooooooooove the Vulcan!  It makes an awesome anti-personnel weapon!  Just ask the Iranians how well the worked when the Iraqis used them again their "human wave" attacks.  Depress the gun 5 degrees and let 'er rip!! 

I might have a CD ROM collection that has M113 FOV maintenance manuals. I do not know if it would include the M163 since it went out of service around the mid 90s, but I can check.

That would be awsome if it was there. Thank you sir. Very much appreciated.

Duh, I had a BFO and just remembered I have the Verlinden Warmachines #9 that covers the Vulcan. On page 5 it has a couple of photos showing the pioneer tools strapped in place.

That is exactly what I need!!! Aside from the axe and shovel, I have no photo reference for placement.

Stik , Rob gave you the info you needed then , good . I've been looking on the net but with not much success on the deck stowage .

Ys I found one additional photo a few minutes ago that partially shows the mattock handle, but its not a good angle to show proper location...

Mattock is on the rear deck isnt it ? I found a 3/4 view diagram of the front deck with the shovel up there .

Can you link me to what you found? Yes, the shovel is on the glacis just over the engine hatch. The mattock dis-assembles for stowage with the handle and head beaing stowed and strapped down seperately. Somewhere on the rear deck. I just found a drawing showing the sledge and mattock head/handle, but pics are the hard evidence I want.

I've been on so many sites i cant find which one now ..................but i did save it .My mistake , the shovel is on the glacis .

Yes, and that looks like the tankers bar behind the drivers hatch... That helps. Thank you Shell.

 I think yours is the AFV kit ? Here's the layout from the Italeri kit .

First off, a very big public Thank You to Rob and 1sgt. Between what you two sent me in pics and the load plan scans I am set.  Great Stuff! 

Shell, that last diagram also is most appreciated. I have the Italeri kit and that diagram is not from there. It does not even invlude a mattock head in the kit. looks like I will be buying another Academy accesory set for the pioneer tools... LOL! The Italeri ones are incomplete and just too anemic. No progress to report today on my track. What little bench time I put in was spent on another project  that I intend to finish by Saturday morning at the absolute latest so I can take it to AMPS Chapter meeting in the afternoon.

Stik , i see what you meant in the above post . I looked at the kit parts and like you said there is no mattock in there . I stole the the M168 from it and never looked at the rest of the kit .

This is where the Vulcan 20 mm ended up at , a Dragon 1/35th "Defender 500 " . It was a fun" what if" .

My stepson, Matthew (I became his dad when he was a year and a half old and am the only dad he's known), heads downrange to Afghanistan this week. He is (was) stationed in Grafenwöhr and is a supply clerk for an infantry company in the 172nd Brigade. I told him to be safe, not do anything stupid and to listen to his NCOs because they know more than he does.

He's always been a bit of a knucklehead. It's like the old Army saying that you spend 90% of your time on 10% of your soldiers; I spent 90% of my time on one of my six children (this one). But I worry for him because he is still my son, and see the previous sentence.