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M132 Flame Track - COMPLETED

JamesOLeary

Master at Arms
For an upcoming model show, I am going to build this M132 Flame Track out-of-the-box from the Academy M113 Vietnam Version kit. The model is going to represent one of the flame tracks belonging to 5th Battalion (Mechanized), 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division in late 1967. In order to get the model completed in time for the show, I am going to build it with the hatches closed, so there won't be the interior details like there were on the M113 in my "Breakfast in the Boonies" diorama. I took this photo the other night, so it is just as bad as the other initial photos from my other projects for this Campaign.

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Should have some in-progress photos soon as I will start building the model tomorrow.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

Is this one going to be nice and Muddy? :popcorn

Probably not if I build this without the interior and the hatches closed. Although there would be some dirt on it, they were relatively clean in the motorpool...the key words being "relatively clean".

If I decide to build a partial interior so I can have the driver's hatch and the cupola hatch open, then there will be some more weathering to it. I just do not know what the interior of the flame cupola looks like, so that would be the determining factor in regards to the open or closed hatches.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

I would say James is all in on the Vietnam Campaign. :soldier

That's for sure. :)

So far some Army stuff, an ARVN truck for the South Ribbon, and a VC ambush for the North Ribbon. I also plan on doing figures of Marines, Sailors, and Airmen to cover the four main branches of the US Armed Forces (The Coast Guard was present in limited numbers in Vietnam as well, but I doubt I will be able to get to them before the end of the build campaign.) as well as an Australian figure or two. Single figure displays go faster than making several figures for a diorama, so this plan might actually work. We'll just have to see what I have time for.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

Well, I have done some work on this model over the past couple of days. I'm not exactly following the steps shown in the instructions in order, but all necessary steps will be followed. I am going to go with having the hatches closed for now, so the interior is not present.

I think I might have to redo the cupola as the shell ejection port on the right side is a bit too high. No problem, though as I have several Academy M113 Vietnam version kits so I have some extras. :)

Here it is so far...

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I plan on this kit being a quick and enjoyable build and do not plan on using any after market pieces. I will be using it as a platform to practice some painting and weathering techniques.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

I put together another cupola with the shell ejector chute positioned better, but then as I looked at better reference photos than I originally had I realized that the manner in which the kit has positioned the weapons is off centered and not spaced far enough apart. I took another kit cupola and tried to just reverse the kit weapon mounting part but it left a major gap on the top and did not align properly. I guess I will keep the second cupola and paint that one up as well as putting together a Verlinden one to have a more correct version.

I'll post pics later.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

Back with some photos....

Here is what I was talking about concerning the shell ejection chute. In this first picture, you can see the first cupola I built in the background where the chute is positioned too high and the second cupola in the foreground prior to placing the new chute.

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Here is the second cupola with the chute in the correct position. I hope the picture is not too dark.

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Here's a picture showing the Academy kit flame cupola in comparison with the aftermarket Verlinden version. The Verlinden version is closer to being correct in terms of weapon placement and spacing. Note how the Academy version places the .30 MG too far off center and that there is not enough space between the weapons.

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Here is the model ready for primer. Note that I used only kit parts. I am saving my after market stuff for a Tet Offensive Diorama that I have planned for later. I think I will be able to make a fairly decent representation of a M132 Flame Track out of the box. It may not be as good as it might be if I used after market detailing parts, but I can make it look decent.

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Here are the major parts primed with flat black Krylon. The trim vane is not attached yet so I can paint or use dry transfers for the vehicle's name that was on the trim vane. Tomorrow I will paint the base colors.

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I still need to start on the monotonous task of putting together the road wheels and preparing the tracks. :facepalm

Well, that is my progress so far.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

Back with some photos....

Here is what I was talking about concerning the shell ejection chute. In this first picture, you can see the first cupola I built in the background where the chute is positioned too high and the second cupola in the foreground prior to placing the new chute.

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Here is the second cupola with the chute in the correct position. I hope the picture is not too dark.

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Here's a picture showing the Academy kit flame cupola in comparison with the aftermarket Verlinden version. The Verlinden version is closer to being correct in terms of weapon placement and spacing. Note how the Academy version places the .30 MG too far off center and that there is not enough space between the weapons.

100_5344.JPG


Here is the model ready for primer. Note that I used only kit parts. I am saving my after market stuff for a Tet Offensive Diorama that I have planned for later. I think I will be able to make a fairly decent representation of a M132 Flame Track out of the box. It may not be as good as it might be if I used after market detailing parts, but I can make it look decent.

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Here are the major parts primed with flat black Krylon. The trim vane is not attached yet so I can paint or use dry transfers for the vehicle's name that was on the trim vane. Tomorrow I will paint the base colors.

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I still need to start on the monotonous task of putting together the road wheels and preparing the tracks. :facepalm

Well, that is my progress so far.

Cheers,
James
Looking great all primered
 
M132 Flame Track

It has been almost four months since I last did anything with this model. After the primer coat of flat black, I brush painted the model with Vallejo's U.S. Olive Drab as a base coat and then brush painted Reaper's Black Green over that making vertical strokes so if there is any of the US Olive Drab showing through, it looks like water and dirt streaks. This is the method that I used for the M113 I built for the "Breakfast in the Boonies" diorama I built last year. Then, I drybrushed with Ammo from MIG's US Post-War Olive Drab which is something I did not do on the other M113, but I think makes the details pop out a bit without lightening the overall color of the vehicle. It might not look all that great now, but after the filters and weathering, it will look better.

Today I applied some coats of Dullcote so I can start the filtering and weathering process tomorrow.

Here is the hull after spraying the Dullcote.

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Here is the cupola and the trim vane.

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Once the Dullcote has cured for 24 hours, I will start working on the periscopes, the exhaust, and the markings. Since I have a pretty good picture of one of these that belongs to the 15th Engineers of the 9th Infantry Division, I will put those markings on this model. The picture also shows the track with the hatches closed. When I put this on a base, it will be in the 15th Engineers Motor Pool at Camp Bearcat.

Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

I put the markings on the vehicle this morning. They are dry transfers. The US ARMY and vehicle registration numbers went on easily. The bumper markings took a little more time since they were done one letter or number at a time. Because of their positioning, some parts of the numbers did not stick so I had to touch them up with paint. I then sprayed some dullcote onto them to seal them. Tomorrow I will start some very minor weathering since this is the vehicle as it was delivered to the unit.

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Cheers,
James
 
M132 Flame Track

Fantastic work man. Your drybrush technique for replicating rain streaking was a stroke of genius! I might have to try that one some of mine later on.
 
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