Please pardon me for reviving an old thread but I have a question relevant to this conversation.
Is the Academy M163 as good as the other Academy M113s (A2 and A3) recommended in this thread?
It lacks an interior but includes individual tracks. That is perfect for my needs.
Also, is the very old Italeri (or Revell) M901 any good?
We should do a thread on this 
Go ahead and get the Academy M163. It holds it’s own alongside the other Academy M113’s.
However, the Italeri (Revell) M901 ITV is a disaster. I commanded one. The Italeri kit details are soft, mushy, misshapen, or just missing. It may look like an ITV to the uninformed if you squint, but I straight binned the one I bought. If you want to build an M901 ITV, I suggest two routes - search out and see if you can find the Academy kit # 1361 FISTV kit. These are very rare these days but it is an excellent kit and worth the hunt. If you can get one, all you have to do is modify the turret head with some TOW parts (available cheap from many sources) and you have a beautiful ITV. Or, you can buy an Academy M113A2 kit, and the Perfect Scale Modelbau M901 ITV conversion kit. I have this conversion and can highly recommend it. It is beautiful and pretty easy to use. Either way will get you an on-point, accurate, detailed M901 ITV.
Split into a new thread, subject is worthy of a dedicated topic
All styrene ITV turrets are plain wrong, thr cupola diameter is straight to small.If you want a decent M901, M981 and LAV TUA, get the turret by Perfect Scale.
My takes on both M901 and M981.
The Academy M163 latest boxing comes with both indi-link plastic and vinyl track options, PE for the engine screens and a few other parts, and all the sprues out of their M113A3 kit for better detailed parts. Definitely the kit to get.
Depending on how detailed you want it, get the Hobby Link M163 interior. It has parts for both the late or early version. Ealy version shown below.
Available in the US at Wanamaker Hobbies: https://www.wanamakerhobbies.com/
Not really. It is buildable and looks like an M901 ITOW, but it’s not great. More info on the Italei M901 ITOW here:
M901, take 2 - Armor/AFV / Modern - KitMaker Network
Also, I have built a couple M901 ITOWs and a bunch of M981A2 FIST-Vs. I find the turret size just fine; they look correct. I served on M981A2s and it looks the same to me. The turret was small and the hatch opening tight, and I am not a big guy (5’ 8", 155ish #s as a 2LT on them). I would forgo the PSM set and go with the kit parts.
Love those ammo belts 
I have this kit…I am a fan. I am pretty sure it includes the original “exposed” ammo belts, and the more up to date, enclosed ammo box. Great set! I have not started with the Hobby Link set yet. I also have a kit I started, I used the old Eduard interior set, but have used most of that to scratch the interior. It is still in the construction phase.
The Academy kit does not have any interior for the M163. There is a rudimentary interior to the turret bin, as it is visible from the exterior. There is nothing else for the M163 interior. No turret bucket system, no ammo bin, etc. You would need either the Hobby Link kit, the older Hobby Fan kit (which I have built and is fantastic) or the older Eduard PE set that needs some help, but passable.
Thank you for all the information and advice.
Hi, is turret from Trumpeter LAV-AT better in shape? Can it be used on m113 TOW.
Thanks
No Sasa, the LAV TUA turret has the same dimensional errors as the other manufacturers. All them have its origins in the ancient Verlinden TUA turret.( copy-of-a-copy-of-a copy.). To me te only way is the PSM conversion.
Thank you again for all the advice and suggestions. I ordered an Academy M163 and am now working up a paint order.
With regards the M901, I discovered why it felt so familiar. It turns out I built one in 1/72 scale, painted in three color camouflage! It was sitting in a display case hidden behind a book shelf, long forgotten.
I have the M901 TM and FM and lived in one for quite a while, so if you need anything just ask.
Thank you for that very gracious offer with regards the M901 ITV. Everything required is around but, as usual, I am trying to stretch my procurement dollars as far as possible. I will definitely seek your advice once all necessary materials are assembled.
Back in 2021, Denimo built an M901 ITV with help from you and other forum members.
…
While looking for information on the M163 and M901, I discovered two more fun M113 variants. Old news for all of you. New (or long forgotten) for me.
Norwegian NM142 / Canadian M113A2 TUA
Canadian M113A2 ADATS
As the veterans here surely know, Legends makes conversions for both vehicles.
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Now, an Academy M163 VADS question:
The Academy model of this vehicle uses vinyl to represent ammunition belts for the Vulcan cannon and something else. (The purpose of the second ammunition belt is currently a mystery to me. Perhaps it feeds a coaxial machine gun?) Is there a cheap way to replace the vinyl ammunition belts with something plastic? My spares box may contain short ammunition belts from a German 20mm Flak. Would something like that work since they are the same diameter?
…
Does anyone besides Hobby Fan make a 1/35 M167A1 Vulcan Air Defense System?
I believe the narrower chute is to guide the expended shells back to the ammo drum.
Thats it!
Ken
9-2350-259-10? I still remember that number from filling out countless 2404’s….
Holy crap Carlos you’ve got a good memory, that’s the TM number exactly! It’s good to have another 11HE9 around!
