Over at So Cal AMPS we are doing an online GB of Air Defense vehicles, so this is my choice for an entry. It’s Italeri’s 1/35 kit, ad I’ll be replacing the kit wheels with a set of resin ones from TAC Scale Dynamics.
Yesterday at AZ AMPS I started construction and completed Step 1 and got most of the way thru Step 2…
Stay tuned for more in a few days…
Looking good Carlos. 
Thanks Ryan. I know I’m gonna have to do some surgery on the exhaust as the LAV-AD has a slightly different set up compared to most of the LAV family
Yeah, Trumpeter got that part more correct. I say more only cause I don’t know if it is the correct length but it is not the exhaust in the Italeri kit and looks the part to me.
Yeah, I’m gonna have to eyeball the exhaust unless I can get some good references… 
Nice start. This was my 2nd or 3rd armored vehicle that I modeled back in my teen years. I don’t remember clearly but I think mine didn’t have clear parts for the windows.
With the AD, any photos are good references as it’s photo shy. I have never found any interior turret pics.
I will look later this week and give you the measurements of the Trumpeter part and you can adjust from there to your liking.
Looks good so far.
Here is a YouTube video that talks about it and shows a bunch of pics.
FYI: I asked the USMC HQ Public Affairs (PAO) a couple of years ago as to what happened to the LAV-ADs as they’re not in any recent DoD photos. The USMC PAO said “LAV-ADs are not on the USMC roster.” The USMC did not disclose on if they have been stored, sold, scrapped, converted, or whatever. There are only 18 LAV-ADs ever built.
With the Low-Altitude Air Defense Battalions of the USMC forming using Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS JLTVs) of Moog 30mm turret, 7.62mm COAX, and a 4-shot Stinger pod with some JLTVs with RADA radars, it’s a wonder what happened to the LAV-ADs and their 25mm gatling gun and 8 Stingers.
Case in point, the USMC recently passed their financial and accountability audit, the only DoD branch to do so, meaning all weapons, equipment, and vehicles were accounted for. I asked about the LAV-ADs and they weren’t in the audit! A high-ranking Marine officer thinks that they were converted back to LAVs, but he wasn’t sure. He hasn’t seen any LAV-ADs recently.
So it’s a mystery as to what happened to the 18 LAV-ADs. They were last used in the Iraq War around 2003.
Thanks for the info and videos guys! One of the guys in AMPS here was a USMC ADA officer, and is contacting an old friend of his for some reference photos for me. Man I would love to find any photos of these things in OIF. Looks like they used these in Iraq like we used to use our old Vulcan tracks. Talk about volume of fire!
With today’s drone threat gun systems like this need to be brought back as a short term ADA solution.
Thank you sir! The first two are new to me, but the second pair I’ve seen before. I like seeing how they are combat loaded.
I been thinking about getting one of these kits! These vehicles look badass ! Gonna be following this
I built this kit way back as a student and it’s a nice fun kit to build. I agree that the tires should be resin.
Fit in overall very good…just putty the two halves were there are hairline gaps or add tape to the inside to secure them better and prevent “light leakage.” The gatling gun and Stinger pods elevate and the turret rotates.
I backwashed my turret windows because the two seats in the turret basket were so tiny.
I threw my LAV-AD away long ago after decades on display. It was the first time I use enamels in an airbrush for camouflage and also before I bought a door display cabinet. My LAV-AD got covered with a thin layer of dust accumulated over the years on an open shelf and I was concerned about leaded enamel paint. Despite that, it was a cool 1/35 LAV to display and looked very much the part as seen in the photos.
I don’t believe any modern model paints have lead in them. Maybe some old Pactra paints.
Ken
This one is also on my great big list of vehicles to build before I kick the bucket. I recently came very close to purchasing the old Italeri kit you are using. I look forward to seeing and learning from your project!
The reference pictures Gino linked are super helpful so thanks for those.
https://nara.getarchive.net/amp/topics/lav+ad
If you need some help to hide details.
Thank you sir! Those will come in handy on the turret.
Ryan, that will help immensely! Between your photo here and the one that Gino posted showing a good view on the actual vehicle, I am in pretty good shape for this now. Thank you!
