M109 Vietnam / full interior

Hi all…
New to this forum so here is my first post :slight_smile:
I am building AFV Clubs M109 with the Black Dog interior.

Planed is a diorama with this howitzer in an fire support base.
Will use figures from Paracel Miniatures and an old base from Verlinden…

verlinden-35-kit-259-54mm-vietnam_360_266dbb9b6e27ad087c9ca7f42838b042

Thanks for watching :slight_smile:

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Welcome aboard!
Looks like an interesting project :+1:

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welcome to the site, i love Vietnam era modelling so i look forward to seeing more progress soon.

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Good deal. I’ll be watching this one.

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Thank you all :slight_smile:
It took a while to figure out the differences between the A2 version the Black Dog kit came for, and the early version wich served in Vietnam.

The biggest changes are the ammo storrage and the rammer at the breach.

I scratch build the rammer and moved it to the turret and built a ammo storrage in the left turret corner.

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Nice. Looks like you have the conversion sorted out.

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Yes :slight_smile:
Took some time. Wasn’t easy to get interior shots of a vietnam era M109 showing the details i needed.

The Black Dog set is really nice. Lots of details and fit quiet well.

Next i am gonna add some hydraulic lines in the turret

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Keep it up! I have the same kit and conversion, so I want to see how it works out.
Ken

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One other difference between the original M109 short tube and the -A2 version which I’m sure you picked up on, the cover for the PanTel (panoramic telescope) on the AG side of the tube is simply a flat metal disc on a pole which extends above the roof of the turret when the pantel is installed and in use and there is no enclosed housing like the Black Dog kit has.

This arrangement with the housing was a revision which came in with the -A2 version and was NOT installed on the original -A1 versions which were the first ones with the long tube.

My unit in Germany converted from the short tube to the -A1s in 1974 and we did not have the cover for the pantel. It’s probably the easiest way to differentiate the -A1 from the -A2. Given the weather in Germany it’s a modification which was well needed.

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Thanks :slight_smile:
The AFV Club kit comes without the housing and the Part of the Black Dog kit with the pole just sticks trough

The interior is almost completed.
I won’t get into details for just the AFV Club kit as there are many build reviews already here in the forum as long as it doesn’t interfers with the interior.
That being said, the only major problem was the big floor plate. It fits in nicely but i had to put some plastic sheet pieces under it to support it better.
Also had some problems with the direct fire optics on the right side of the gun. I couldn’t get the turret roof on so i decided to detach it. Won’t be vissible anyway :wink:

Comments are very welcome :slight_smile:

The fire wall was a bit tricky. Was a lot if trimming and dry fitting to make sure it is not too high and to make sure the hull roof fit in well

Thanks for watching

Cheers
Ralph

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Finished the interior.
Quite happy with the result :slight_smile:

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Nice job on the interior.

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Nicely done! I have the BlackDog interior which I plan on using in the M109A3 at some point…

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Wow the interior looks great.

Cheers,
Ralph

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Thank you all :slight_smile:
I finished weathering of the interior and added a few details like beer and food and stuff :slight_smile:
Now, on to the exterior

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Some progress…
I messed up the right turret basket. Had to rebuilt it with wire.
Almost ready for primer :slight_smile:

And the layout for the diorama

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Beautiful, but a small question: if you have it firing, shouldn’t those ‘spades’ at the rear be down in the ground? Especially as it is in a fixed firing position? Or was that not necessary or only done every now and than?

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Nice work. The Black Dog kit is good- it does need some surgery to fit the AFV kit, but it is hard to see any fit problems once everything is closed up. I have built 2 109s with the black dog kit and the fire wall and drivers area were the hardest work to get fit and set properly.

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Thanks :slight_smile:

The spades were not always down on the ground

Cheers :slight_smile:

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Thanks, great pictures!

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