Washed my M577’s AFV Club tracks using Gino’s method. Painted the generator unit semigloss black, not sure if this correct - the Tamiya instructions are in Chinese, but show the generator fuel tank in another (unknown) color.
Any clues would be appreciated.
Thanks very much! BTW the Academy M113 (base kit) has one internal fuel tank. Looking at Gino’s M577 build there seems to be a matching tank on the other side, with transfer/balancing pipework going under the floor.
Guessing I need a second internal tank?
There are two fuel tanks in the M577, but they are totally different from what comes in the M113. They are slimmer tanks that run about 3/4 the length of the side sponsons on both sides of the hull. They are connected by crossover tubes as well to keep them balanced. This was originally done as the M577 was supposed to be able to swim.
You can’t really see the fuel tanks here, but they are under the darker green work tables on each side. You can just see the crossover tubes (aluminum) on the sides of the floor.
Underside view.
Crossover tube.
Schematics from TM.
Great info and references Gino.
Thanks Gino. You are a star!
What did you use? Tamiya dark green 2 lightened maybe?
The second picture is not mine; it’s from the net. But I would use Tamiya Olive Green (XF-58), maybe wash it with a NATO Green (XF-67). If you’re building an M577 in a Vietnam War setting, then Olive Drab (XF-62) is your option.
Hey Gino. Did you scratch fuel tanks for your M577 build?
I did. Sorry though, it was a long time ago and I don’t have any dimensions on them. Basically, the width of the side sponsons and about 3/4 the length. They are about 1/4" high. Hope that helps.
Thanks Gino. 1ft 4in high?
About .25 inches (1/4") tall in 1/35, maybe a little taller. See the pics above. It is about the same height as the folded piece of the work tables.
While I was working on the M577, I heard from Wanamaker that the AFV Club M35 - based dump truck conversion set from Hobby Link is in stock.
Mine’s on order, along with the M113 mortar carrier conversion set. Bye bye to the old Tamiya kit…….
I’ll need an Academy donor for this future track build.
Depends on when his M106 will represent. The M106 was in use form 1964 through the mid-'90s. If he wants a later M106A2, the Academy M113A2 is a better option.
yeah; that would do as well. I think the M113A2 is a bit harder to find than the older A1 or even the A3 from Iraq; he could use the M113A3 kit, which is the M113A2 kit with the extra parts tree for the A3 version.
Ordered the Academy A3 last night.
Good choice. 
A bit more on the M577. Then pondered my next project and in doing so realized how……complicated modelling is nowadays.
I’m planning to build an M813 or maybe the dump version. The parts list looks like this;
AFV Club M54 base
Panzer Art wheels
3D M800series hood
Voyager M54 basic detail set
PSM Tank and pump OR
Hobby Link dump conversion set.
Who knew it would ever come to this?
That’s because you like “unique” subjects like I do. We could always build a Tamiya M41 out of the box and save a lot of money…but what fun would that be?
