I recently picked up an RFM M1240A1 M-ATV and whilst it looks like a great kit, I’m unsure exactly what time period it represents.Therefore, can I pick the hive mind please?
The problem with searching online is that there are loads of nice M-ATV images available but often they have little or no context (where taken, when taken etc).
The aerial locations and types of aerial seem to vary from vehicle to vehicle. Is it left to crew/unit preference or is there a formal order of precedence in terms of which aerial fits where. Do certain types of aerial have to be located on certain aerial mounts/locations for example?
The CROWS seems a lot less common on older vehicles so my first question is when did it first start to be fitted to the M-ATV?
I’ve seen at least one SF variant with a ‘ball-style’ surveilance camera/FLIR mounted on the rear (image below). Is this common on other mainstream army/USMC M-ATVs or is it specific to SF teams?
Also in the same image is a small manual winch above the spare wheel. Again, this appears to be a later addition so is it unique to the SF variant or is it seen on the standard M-ATV?
Lastly, how common is/was the fitting of mesh to the rear cargo area? It often seems to be unit-fitted and varies in design and material - sometimes metal mesh and sometimes nylon mesh.
At the risk of stating the obvious, i would start here and see where it takes you. From there you may find other references to help answer your question.
Keep in mind that your pictures show two different vehicles: the top picture shows an M1245, the Special Forces variant, introduced by Oshkosh later than M1240, the variant shown in the second picture.
The manual winch for the spare tire is present, optionally, in both the models.
I’ve seen the FLIR unit only in M1245, there isn’t be space to accomodate it in the rear of an M1240.
Keep in mind that the M1245 is different in many parts from the M1240.
I have converted the same RyeField model you have (it is really a great kit) into an M1245 adding a lot of 3D designed parts; if you are interested, have a look at this thread here in KitMaker forums.
Maybe I need to get my glasses changed out but the perspective of the pic with the green M-ATV looks to me like the Gyro Cam is mounted on a vehicle that is parked behind the M-ATV. Most of the gyro cams that I saw were mounted on a sold baked vesicles (i.e.: RG31/33 Maxx Pro, Couger). Please if I am wrong let me know love to learn and to be proven wrong about vehicles, the more I’m proven wrong the more I learn.
You can distinguish them from the M1240A1 by the larger front windshields and the solid panels on the rear deck. Also, the M1245A1 uses a second front bumper.
Sure, do the VA owes me my yearly glasses. And thank you for the pics I really did not think you could mount a gyro on the M-ATV but now I see anything is possible with that SF budget.
Galactica - I’m working on RFM’s new 1/48 scale M-ATV rather than the 1/35 version. The reason I asked about the FLIR is that I have a resin example from a wargames manufacturer in my stash. I thought it was probably unique to the SF version and I don’t have enough info (yet) to build an SF variant - but I have a second kit put aside for that purpose.
we actually had the prototypes in house in 2004 and maybe even 2003. There was another company and maybe even a third that we had in house. Want to say the others were Stewart & Stephenson and IH
The main body was similar, but the front sheet metal (maybe fiberglass) was a little different in shape. We actually had a complete chassis that could be driven before we ever saw the body! When they got the complete ones, they actually drove it around the town of Speedway going to lunch and taking it home once in awhile
gary
