I have a set of the Master M61 Vulcan metal barrels. I was thinking of replacing the kit plastic gun parts on the M163 with the Master barrels. The Master barrels are shorter than the kit parts. Which is the correct one to use?
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I would use the metal barrels in spite of the difference.
- You’ve already got them.
- They are better scale thickness.
- They don’t have mold seam lines.
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Yes, I will be using the Master barrels. They look much closer to the ones in the photos NZTankie posted. They also look way nicer than the Academy parts too.
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have lost the pic i had of one when i had a harddrive die on me (or just cant find it in the hundreds of carrier pics i have) was posted by a guy that severed on them, think there were only ever a few 901s with the external tanks as they only ever built a few as A2’s but then they were obsoleted and converted to 981’s. they were quite rare. i think the only other more standard type M113A2’s in US service i saw pics of with externals was Armoured Ambulances to give them the extra space inside.
had another rare pic with it that i also lost that showed a carrier that still had internal and external cells mounted as a trial for long range operation.
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Going through the Academy M163A1 kit instructions, it shows the external fuel tanks as optional. Were the external fuel tanks ever used on any of the M163 variants?
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Not by the US military. Only US M113A3-type vehicles use the external fuel tanks. The only exception in the M981A2 FISTV. I think they were used on them by the IDF though.
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Thanks!
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When the M981 was deployed to Operation Southern Watch in 1998, I guess it is safe to say they were mounting the M240 MG and not the M60? Anyone have any images showing the M981 with the M240 MG mounted?
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I don’t have any pics, but I was in 2ID in S. Korea as a Bn FSO and had 4 FISTVs. In 1999, we traded in M60s for M249s, not M240s. I don’t know when other units changed out, but I am assuming they went with M249s as well.
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Thanks!
Would this be the correct M249 setup for the M981?
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That one may be too new. Earlier ones had a more tubular, lighter buttstock. I don’t remember which type they were though.
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Thanks!
I have a Trumpeter M249 with tubular buttstock like the one you showed.
Do you know what mount I would need? Is it like the one in my previous post and like the ones in these two images?
Or would it be like the mount on this M240?
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The gun looks correct. The mount you have is the correct one for an M249 as well.
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Thanks!
With the M981 having external fuel tanks, should the fuel filler cap on the upper hull be removed?
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Yes, remove it. It is not there on an M981A2 FISTV.
Likewise, it should not be there on your M113A3 with external tanks either.
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Thanks again and also on the M113A3. I noticed it on the M981 but missed it on the M113A3.
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Removed the upper hull fuel filler cap on the Academy M981.
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Nice clean work.
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Thanks!
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Added some plastic strips and bolt heads on the front of the glacis of the Academy M163. Academy forgot those.
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