Not sure what color to use for the interior of the M59 APC. My experience with more modern vehicles was the sea-foam green used for M113-series tracks, but as M59 pre-dated the 113, would it have used the white instead?
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I agree with Frenchy; flat white is the proper color. the older gasoline-powered M113s were all painted white on the inside before they went with pistachio green.
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M59? Wow; tell me more!
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Thanks Tim - a huge gap in my Cold War theme now ostensibly filled; delighted to hear that this is now available (though somewhere along the line I half recall it - but then my brain doesn’t work the way it used to).
Any thoughts/tips/user views - anyone?
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The M59s were front and center, along with the M48A1s during the Checkpoint CharliE standoff in Berlin in 1961.
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There is roughly a quarter-million dollars worth of vintage VWs in that last pic.
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I’ll upload my initial observations later tonight.
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Thanks Jim! No hurry I assure you - just delighted that this now exists!
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Initial thoughts on the just-released M59 APC from Hobby-Link in Vietnam.
Being a 3-D print model, we have to contend with the print lines, which are only on the hull sides and front plate. Not too bad, and an initial sanding followed by a skim coat of putty pretty much evened things out.
The biggest challenge is going to be the warping along the bottom edge of each hull side. I have tried the hot water method of correcting with small success, followed by the area returning to the warped appearance afterwards. Looking at the interior of the hull (an otherwise magnificent one-piece item), there are large cabinets along the sides where the two motors (not included!) live. There are bulkheads inside the cabinets that I cut away (see photo) to permit the outside plate to be massaged inward without also pushing the interior walls inward. This is to prepare for joining the hull upper to lower hull, at which time I will use Irwin Quick Grip bar clamps to cement the hull edges together. If the cement/CA/whatever is strong enough, that will straighten out the wavy edges.
Speaking of the lower hull, the image shows how it is printed in one piece, including all suspension arms, idler adjustment and even the return rollers which came out perfectly. An amazing piece. All of the printing process supports were removed before boxing the kit up, which as you can see, would have made using a bandsaw the best choice for removing the supports.
The commanders cupola has a hatch that be made workable if you are cautious with the CA. A fair amount of detail for the .50 cal MG is within the cupola.
The tracks are link and length, with right and left handed sections. A decent amount of top run sag is evident. I have elected to use a suggestion from Hobby-Link and picked up a set of AFV Club workable tracks, just to make it easier for me.
Paint? Well, choose a shade of the Federal Standard colors olive drab/forest green, olive green… I have only seen one M59 in camo, an APV in front of the California National Guard 40th Division HQ, which had been painted in the MERDC desert scheme, but very weathered. It was recently repainted by volunteers and I have not seen it since the re-paint. So, white registration, white bumper codes and white stars. It’s a good thing I like REFORGER exercise vehicles!
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Thanks Jim, a very useful and concise piece; I’ll have to get one - the only game in town! I’d already thought about AFV Club tracks, which is what I used on my M75; it wasn’t that the resin tracks were especially bad, more a question of convenience.
I’m more or less well versed in the vehicle’s usage, courtesy of Tankograd mainly, an iconic vehicle of the Cold War, or at least to me(!) - and of course, the Berlin Crisis in 1961:
Personally, I find the Reforger images - as covered by Tankograd - more interesting; however, first things first - to get the kit!
Thanks again Jim, please do keep up the good work - I for one will be following!
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I looked at this kit at the recent AMPS Convention and I thought it was a nice kit but the large warpage in the hull sides was too much to deal with. Not that it would be impossible to repair, just more hassle than I wanted given my interest level in the subject.
All of Hobby Link kits I have examined have been well made and packaged. He seems to have good balance in his designs between loose parts and integral assemblies. The models out there with like eight total pieces are unappealing to me and have a lot of detail compromises.
KL
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Where did you find an M59?
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I don’t know where you live, but there was one in New Jersey, and another at Camp Shelby, MS.
There are probably a few more languishing around the country.
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This one is on display at Ft. Carson, CO.
This one is at an Ohio Army National Guard Armory in Lorain County, OH.
This one is at Ft. Sam Houston, near San Antonio, TX.
This one was at Ft. Knox, KY
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Wow; every shade of OD (including faded versions) and rust ,one could wish for.
I’d forgotten that the Greeks used them - including their version of a MERDC scheme. All grist to the modellers’ mill!
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