Thank you, Ben. I hope the ONTOS turns out well too. I would like to give it to a friend who commanded six of them during the Vietnam War.

I noticed you're working on the 1/350 scale USS Alabama BB-60. I have an interest in 'man-of-war' ships too. I finished a 1/300 scale USS Alexandria SSN-757 (Los Angeles-class) nuclear-powered attack submarine two years ago for a friend whose son is currently a crew member.

I've been looking for two other ship models for a long time: The USS Leary DD-879 (Gearing-class) destroyer and USS John King DDG-3 (Adams-class) guided missile destroyer. These were ships I served on in the U.S. Navy. Neither have ever had models manufactured in their hull numbers as far as I know, but both have had models in their class offered in the past.

Another project I'm ready to start when I finish the ONTOS is a Vietnam era M109 like I served with, but made from an AFV Club M109A2 #AF35109 and Tamiya M109 (Vietnam War) #37013. Please see article below:

Gino (HeavyArty) got me interested in this project last year, so I purchased the models over the winter, including the AFV Club M54A2 6x6 5-ton truck #AF35300 to do a diorama. Gino is a great resource, he served as an Artillery Officer on M109A6's.

You mentioned that you served on M110's, well it so happens that is a model I have been thinking about too. If you have built this model or have any suggestions on building one please let me know. Thanks

Harold

I started my career in the late 70's going to Ft Sill and trained as a 13E, Fire Direction, or FDC. During my time in Artillery I was assigned to both M109 and M110 (8 inch) nuclear capable units. Artillery= The king of Battle; "Steel on Target", Zero mils! 

Your model is really looking good. Nice work on a not so common subject...

I'm really looking forward to seeing the finishws product.

Ben

Thank you Ben; I served during the Vietnam War in a field artillery battalion with M109's as RATT Team Chief 05F40, current MOS might be 13D/25C. I trained and supervised personnel to maintain tactical communication networks. I received field artillery and communications training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Lewis, Washington.

Harold

I really like your build so far, nice work.....

We are having much of the same today in central Ohio but then it will return to 65 degrees tomorrow.

I noticed in your signature block your reference to Ft. Sill and Artillery. We you an artilleryman at Ft Sill at some time? If so were you a 13B, E, F ???

Just curious,

Ben

A perfect day to work on a model. It's unusual to have fresh snow in the middle of March in Vancouver, Washington. Picture taken today at 5:30 AM PST.

Harold

Yeah, that looks like a nice fret of PE. I just want the engine vent screens in a lot of cases anyway so it's nice to see them included. Having a set of headlight guards are cool too. 

Thank you Keavdog, Gamera and Gino. Gamera, Gino is correct the Academy kit has an excellent PE fret that is exactly the same as the Voyager parts. However, I was so insecure about messing up this feature I decided to use the Voyager parts first. When it turned out not be an issue I was surprised and still have the nice Academy fret intact.

One thing I would do different if I did this muffler and exhaust pipe guard again is pre-form the pieces first with the correct diameter mandrel of plastic or metal. I used the actual muffler and exhaust pipe and it was difficult to get a nice smooth bend.

Harold

Thanks Gino, I had no clue. I'm impressed!

Gamera

I really like that aftermarket muffler, looks sharp! 

Actually, I believe that is the kit-supplied PE muffler guard.  Academy has been stepping up their recent kits to include PE.  This one was quite good.  You can see the three-part PE muffler guard in step 7 on the instructions below.

Harold: Thanks! I can see the fold-back seat now. 

Nice work, she's coming right along. I really like that aftermarket muffler, looks sharp! 

Wow - shocked how small that vehicle was.  But what a punch!  Looking good.

Below is a better view of the exhaust pipe and muffler guard made of photo-etched brass. I was expecting trouble forming this three part guard, but it was not a problem at all after working with many fiddly parts on AFV Club projects over the last three months.

Point of interest: The [ONTOS] vehicle was taken to the Aberdeen testing facility where single [106 mm] rifles had been tested. When all six weapons were fired at once, the back blast from the firing knocked bricks out of a nearby building and knocked the rear windows out of several cars. source: wikia.org Military website

Harold

Gamera

Ohhh that looks nice!!! 

I have to wonder though, did the driver get in though the front hatch? Seems like it'd almost be easier to use the big back one. Or were you blocked from doing that? I can't tell from the photos. 

 

However, with four shells in the storage rack there was not a lot of room for the driver, gunner and loader. This vehicle was designed to travel over rough terrain at 30-mph, so it's my guess the loader sat on the shells or deck and held on to whatever he could when they were moving.

And move they did. In Vietnam the Marines used the shoot-and-scoot maneuver all the time because the ONTOS armor was not very heavy. Shoot-and-scoot is an artillery tactic of firing at a target and then immediately moving away from the location where the shots were fired to avoid a counter attack.

Harold

Ohhh that looks nice!!! 

I have to wonder though, did the driver get in though the front hatch? Seems like it'd almost be easier to use the big back one. Or were you blocked from doing that? I can't tell from the photos. 

I completed the interior base coat of Vallejo #71.001 White and assembly of exterior features on both sides of the upper hull. I do not want to add more exterior parts until the interior is finished, so I don't break anything. I will let interior base coat dry for 8 hours before starting interior detail painting. Below are some interior photographs I will use to help me determine what details to paint.

Harold

HeavyArty

It is coming along nicely.  The Verlinden interior and PE really add to it.  Keep up the great work.

 

It is coming along nicely.  The Verlinden interior and PE really add to it.  Keep up the great work.

I completed some of the upper hull photo-etch parts assembly and gave the interior a coat of grey surface primer. I'll give the primer 24 hours to dry and then apply a base coat of Vallejo #71.001 White on the interior. The Small Shop photo etch bending tool was a real joy to use while forming the tool rack for the outside of the upper hull. As you can see below the rack is flat on my vice and square with all angles formed at 90 degrees.

Gamera

Whoops, looks like I missed a few posts... The Verlindin detail does look really good, nice work on getting it all assembled and in there!  

 

Harold

Whoops, looks like I missed a few posts... The Verlindin detail does look really good, nice work on getting it all assembled and in there!  

Completed the interior assembly and started on exterior hull assembly. Ready to begin painting the interior next. I will tape off areas needed to glue the upper and lower hulls and give the interior a coat of Vallejo #74.601 Grey Surface Primer. This will include all the Verlinden interior parts plus the inside surface of the of the upper and lower hulls. After that a coat of Vallejo White #71.001 for the interior. Then detail the gauges, controls, seats, and other interior features.

Started using the The Small Shop photo etch bending tool; however, it was not required for the gas can holder. The quality of Voyager Model kit parts appear to be extraordinary. The tie-down for the gas can as an example is unbelievably detailed right down to tiny holes in the strap for the buckle.

Harold

I have completed the lower hull interior assembly of the Verlinden Productions kit. There were a couple of issues mainly due to poor quality photographs in the kit. However, the parts are well fabricated and only require the usual clean up associated with a resin kit.

Because of the lack of instructions I'm thankful for the pictures that Stikpusher posted and the information I found online, without which it would be very difficult to determine where certain items were located inside the ONTOS.

One thing I would caution anyone planning to use this Verlinden kit is to make sure the driver and gunner seats line up with their respective hatche openings. There are no instructions or marks on the deck to use as a reference.

I also found the shell storage rack to be a little confusing, but here again I had photographs and drawings to guide me. It appears that one shell is not placed in the rack correctly, but that is done for a reason. The engine bulkhead in front of the gunner seat is protruding out where it connects with the starboard bulkhead limiting space available for the top right shell in the rack. The shell rack is also designed to fold back against the starboard bulkhead when not in use as illustrated in the drawing below.

The forward stanchion on the port side next to the drivers seat should be in front of the seat instead of at the back, but that is a minor issue. The port bulkhead also has some thickness issues as you can see in the plan view photograph, but rather than try to remove material on the back of the bulkhead I modified a few small features on the deck to make it fit.

Harold

Thank you GMorrison.

I completed step 5 and part of step 6 and step 8 of the assembly instructions. From here on steps 6 through 12 will involve substituting some exterior parts for photo-etched or machined parts on the upper hull and turret. Before I can glue the upper hull to the lower hull I need to assemble and paint the interior. The interior parts are Verlinden Productions resin kit #2623.

Today I was looking for information regarding the ONTOS interior and found a collection of ONTOS pictures, drawings and illustrations on Pinterest: https://pin.it/gdCTXEq

Surviving ONTOS: http://mcvthf.org/Veh/Surviving_M50_Ontos.pdf

Marine Corps Vietnam Tankers Historical Foundation:  https://mcvthf.org/Veh/M50A1_Ontos.html 

Harold

Your plan will really make an impression.

Thank you and your compadres for your service. I was about 5 years behind you all, headed for college as a good bit of luck, and didn't get drafted.

I'd build up the base with a couple of layers of Bondo. On too thick and it cracks, but that might not be a bad thing. Then go to town on the pink color with sloshy washes of black.

Getting Vietnam guys is hard if they are tankers or artillery. Speaking of whom, Gino will know way more, but my best source so far is the Tamiya mortar crew, who are probably more early sixties Europe. Leather boots, army, not marines.

Vietnam vegetation is even harder. Probably worth avoiding here.

snapdragonxxx

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?

 

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?

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.

 

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.

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

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.