Great, thanks! Hopefully I can use the Academy part as a guide to make a new one for the Tamiya kit.
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Unfortunately, Academy missed this part and still has laterals in their M113A3 âIraq 2003â kit. They used the same basic interior sprues as their earlier kits. All they added on the interior is the Kevlar panels on the same sprue as the new exterior parts.
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Bent solder, styrene rod. A few other bits of styrene. You wonât even see the mount from the top.
Nice edit by the way, Gino. 
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@HeavyArty, @18bravo, Thanks! I donât know how much of the interior will be seen. The rear ramp on both kits are workable but wonât really have it open and I donât plan to keep the driverâs hatch open either. I am only going to have the commanderâs and rear troop hatches open. I might use the Tamiya figures in one of them. I will just do a basic steering yoke as simple as possible.
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Change of plans. The Tamiya M113ACAV is now going to be the M113A2 from Just Cause. I will be using the Tamiya interior and adding the Academy internal fuel tank. The Academy internal fuel tank is from the M113A3 kit. I also used the rear fenders from the Academy M113A3 kit. Still a long way to go on it.
The Tamiya M113A2 Desert kit is now an M113A3 from OIF. I am using the BMG shields from the Tamiya ACAV kit. As with the one above, still a lot more to add to it.
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Hereâs a side-by-side view of the Academy kit fuel tank and a replacement one from Elephant Model :
if you decide to correct the kit partâŚ
H.P.
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Thanks! That is a big difference. I do plan to have the troop hatch open but I probably wonât correct it. I donât do shows or contests so the Academy part is good enough for me.
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You wonât see the filler cap in any case. A little judicious sawing and shortening. Save that money for beer.
It looks like one cut in the rear to remove about a kerfâs worth. A little more from the center, and a little in the forward part. The whole thing ends just short of that ejector pin mark. Thatâs assuming
Elefant got it right, and we know how that can goâŚ
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I probably wonât do any corrections. The troop hatch will be open on mine but probably wonât see much of the inside.
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Removed the upper hull fuel filler cap on the Academy M113A3.
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Does anyone have a good picture of the top of an M113 (or related) vehicle showing the tools strapped in place? (Want to get the straps right.)
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This is the load plan from the operators manual. Spare Dragon rounds go on the right sidewall.
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@Damraska I canât find any images showing the tools strapped in place but this Prime Portal link shows the top where they would go.
This link is to someone elseâs build showing the tools strapped on. He said it was a Verlinden set. The image is shown about 1/2 way down the page.
This is the image of their model showing the tools strapped in place.
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@Stikpusher Thanks! According to your diagram, the image below shows the area the extra M47 rounds would be stored? Do they just use regular tie down straps? Image found on Prime Portal.
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Yes, standard GI cargo straps would be used to secure the stowed rounds in place. Interesting how some pioneer tools are tied down in that area on this track in the photo, they belong on the top deck behind the cargo hatch.
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@Stikpusher Thanks again!
Here is another image from Prime Portal showing more tools strapped to the wall. I am guessing those are the same type straps that would hold the extra M47 rounds? I could make them from tape.
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Motor pool theft was and always will be a thing.
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Yeah, you never attach your BII on the outside of the vehicle where they âbelongâ. They will walk for sure. You always stuff your tools, tow cable, etc. inside in a corner so you have it to turn in later and donât get Hand Receipted for it.
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Oh yes, I know all about the âundocumentedâ equipment transfers and storing the stuff inside locked tracks in the motor pool. But when heading out to the field, our pioneer tools were always strapped down in their assigned spots.
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Regarding the two different size fuel tanks, the gasoline engined M113 had an 80 gallon fuel tank, while the diesel engined M113A1 & M113A2 have a 95 gallon fuel tank. Check the data tables here
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