New project.
I have the AFV Club Australian Army M113A1 APC in my stash. I intend building it as a salute to those who served at Long Tan.
So I’m looking for any help or links that anyone can share. Yes I’ve done a lot of Googling but more can’t hurt…
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=australian+apc+m113+at+long+tan&va=b&t=hr&iax=images&ia=images
Note - this will be ‘representative’ and not a rivet counting build. So be gentle on me.
thanks
So looking at the Firestom and other Aussie vendors seem picking a year to model after is the key as things changed but really for what you stated your goal is, you can build OOB. Just have to pick which scheme/turret setup you want to model.
Battle of Long Tan was 18-19 August 1966. No T50 turrets there. In fact one APC commander, Cpl PE Clements, died of wounds sustained in the battle as his car did not even have a shield on the gun - only three of the squadrons 10 APC were fitted with gun shields - I do not know which they were.
APC Call sign 23A - Clements vehicle . Trooper showing bullet holes from the battle - note no gun shield:
This is another M113 patrolling the rubber plantation the day after:
Day after, M113 of of No. 1 APC Squadron and troops of 6 RAR waiting to return to Nui Dat
Nice shot of the .50 cal. again 19 August
Bruce. A lot of carriers (including mortar carriers) were moved up to patrol the next day, so be careful using pics on the web of next day non-Long Tan vehicles chasing the retreating enemy in Operation Smithfield.
This may be of interest:
When I asked for M113 Marginal Terrain Assault Bridge (MTAB) images, @Frenchy was kind enough to supply some links.
Here’s one of the links with more than a few Australian M113s in it. There are a lot of pictures to scroll through here.:
Question for the experts!
I like doing something different. i found some images on the web that have given me food for thought re a diorama. Thing is I want to show the interior.
So would there ever be a ‘possible’ situation where a M113 is in this pose with the rear door open? Remember in MY world everything is possible. But I don’t want science fiction either.
thanks
Far from an M113 expert but I would think a number of people would have messed up if the track is moving as it appears it is to me in the photo and the ramp is down. No good could come from that. Even if stopped not sure they would try given the angle of the rear and the earth below.
I seriously doubt it.
Firstly, the crew have to climb up and out, not an easy feat with a load on your back. Then there is the slide down and sudden drop off the end - the ramp does not swing down 150 degrees or so, as far as I know. There is a cable reel on the hull floor which is used to raise it and I expect the limitation on travel would be around 50 - 60 degrees. The physics of having to pull up against itself is probably too much.
e.g. The ramp at 50 degrees from closed would mean the pulley top is still above the attachment on the ramp. The drop off for a laden soldier would be considerable at that height.
Ah yes but what if it was an ‘oops’ moment? A track thrown off! Or the front bogged! Maybe the bank was steeper than the driver thought!
Realist v imagination?
If it were me inside, path of least resistance - out the top hatches and go forward. Stuff to hang onto on the way down.
Not saying it never could happen just not as realistically likely. If it were me, you could have the front depressed and the ramp down but the angle would not be as steep as currently shown for the reasons Peter mentioned. Probably no more than 15-20 degrees. However it is your build, your choice.
Yeah, at that high of an angle, the ramp would never reach the ground. It would just be hanging in mid air!
Ken
Yeah maybe it’s a stretch. But I can still get a similar affect by using a smaller angle. A bit of trial and error!
Hey I gota build the darn thing first.
So according to your thread title you’ve got 30 days as of today, ANZAC day being April 25th. Enough time?
(For non-Aussie/Kiwis, ANZAC day commemorates the day of the initial landing of those troops at Gallipoli (Turkey) in 1915. Officially over 8,000 Anzacs died (many more injured and/or subsequently died of disease) during the ensuing months, an offensive poorly planned as the brainchild of one Winston Churchill while First Lord of the Admiralty. Even more British troops suffered the same fate, but to this day it’s a bone of contention between the “colonials” and the mother-country)
i said a “salute” to. But did I mention a date? Im old enough and smart enough not to put a completion date on any build.
Ah well in that case you’re off the hook…foiled by a technicality 
Nope. Not happening. No TC in his right mind would order the ramp dropped with the vehicle at that angle. It would snap the ramp hoist and you wouldn’t be able to get it back up again.
Nothing happening. Ive been crook and sitting at the work bench isnt a high priority!
Thanks
I hope you feel better soon Bruce.
What Peter said, get well soon. You know what I mean when I say we’re rooting for you… 
