Hi guys,
It seems like there is a rising interest in the HEMTT family of vehicles, so I’ll chip in with my ongoing build of the IDF M985A2. Ongoing should in brackets, since I don’t currently build on the kit, since I have other buns in the oven, so to speak.
The point of departure for my model is the fact, that although Trumpeter have issued a number of HEMTT kits, they are not doing the regular “truck” version, the M977 or the M985. Italeri has isssued the M977 version, but this kit is nearly 25 years old, and a real piece of crap, pardon my French.
So I use the necessary parts from the Italeri kit and combine them with the Trumpeter HEMTT kits. If I should begin this kit today, I would chosse the M1120, since it has the correct frame lenght. I began this build, when the M983 was the only version, so I had the lenghten the frame.
The photos “IDFOshkosh.jpg”, “pic47.jpg” and “PICT1094.JPG” are my primary references.
Original post on the old Armorama can be found here:
Most of the ones you show above are M1120A2s with the arm for lifting flatracks. The one with the locally-made crane is a recovery/wrecker version. That is why it has a shorter bed; to hold an engine or other parts.
The only M977A2/M985A2 cargo versions you show are these.
The crane is from the now closed Belgian company ProArt Models. The crane is the same as in the M984, so hopefully Trumpeter will sell the crane sprues separately?
