Woohoo. 1/35 LAV-III in styrene...

[RaceAddict]

I wish I could have taken more (and better) pics, but in traffic, raining, on an iPhone... that was the best I was going to get. Given I was on the 40 in Montreal heading West I assume it had just left Longue Pointe..?

 

[Loachman]

I just bought the kit, and the Leopard 2A6 as well. I have not opened them yet.

 

[Franko]

I just bought the kit, and the Leopard 2A6 as well. I have not opened them yet.

Post pics when your done!

 

[Loachman]

It'll likely be years before that happens, as I already have far too many incompleted hobby projects as it is and I'm going somewhere for a while soon.

If you have a favourite CFR number, and suitable photographs, I'd happily use that as my subject.

 

[Franko]

It'll likely be years before that happens, as I already have far too many incompleted hobby projects as it is and I'm going somewhere for a while soon.

If you have a favourite CFR number, and suitable photographs, I'd happily use that as my subject.

PM inbound.

 

[GINge!]

Has anyone here started building the kit yet? The reviews I've seen online so far are just overviews... nothing about the actual build yet. Cheers

Hi, I'm about 3 hours into my TUA. I'm building it straight from the box. So far, I'm happily impressed. The overall fit has been pretty decent. Trumpeter would have you build the lower hull complete, and then the upper hull complete before mating the halves. My only deviation from the kit directions was to first glue the bare lower, upper, and rear hull plate together and letting that set up before adding the breakie-offie bits. Suspension is a little fiddly, but all 8 wheels sit straight and level.

Its too bad the AoA package is moulded on. Removing it would be a chore, so I've decided just to build it as is.

Kit comes with a bit of PE. Fit of that has been so-so. Some needle nose pliers helped with bending it. I had to dig up some pics of the real ramp-spare-tire carrier to figure out how it all went together. The other PE for the engine grills has fit well. I'll throw some pics up later.

I'll say this - after getting about 1/4 of the way through their LAV-TUA, I ordered two LAV-III kits; one to make into a LORIT and the other to build a Nanuk RWS on.

 

[Loachman]

I was looking at the Real Models site http://www.realmodel.cz/ and attempting to decide what detailing kits I needed. It would seem that I'll end up spending more on those than on the base kit, which apparently has quite a few errors.

What's a "LORIT", specifically?

 

[GINge!]

LORIT: LAV Operational Requirement Integration Task. Easiest ID feature is the large stowage bins (3 on one side, 1 on the other) and the belly armour. There's more to the LORIT than that, but I'm not sure how much is public domain.

As for the upgrades... yes, you could spend 5x the price of the base kit. I happen to think the base kit (at around $25 + shipping) falls into the 'good enough' category. Built and painted well, you can have yourself a decent looking replica. I'm not sure what the errors are on the LAV-III kit, but I have not gone over it too critically. I know the UNMEE markings are not correct for the AoA version. I think out of the box you can build an accurate early ISAF version.

 

[Loachman]

There's an article on the Real Model site that shows the difference between armour panel lines on the kit and the prototype, and a shortening of the hull. I'd like to see the Real Model kits in a shop before purchasing. I'll probably ave a better idea when I open up the box. It's still in my van, as I've been a little busy with other stuff this weekend.

"LORIT" - clumsy name. It sounds like a bunch of random words thrown together.

 

[Loachman]

I think that I just need 2008-09 Update Set http://realmodel.cz/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=402&category_id=19&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=79. It seems to have everything that I'd want. I may order the Small Stowage kit, and the drink one when it becomes available.

 

[GINge!]

Yep - that set would definitely set the LAV off nice. The kit comes with some printed paper IMP/Water/Pop stock, which might be a lower resolution copy of the real models stuff.

I just ordered this set for mine:

 

[GINge!]

Here's where mine is at. Still have to add the grenade launchers, C6, and what I think is an LWR on a short mast at the rear of the turret.

Fit-wise, its not bad for trumpeter. Which is to say expect to have to sand and file to get a good join. I'm seen some guys point out a few dimensional issues with the rear/top hull and the placement of some hatches. My main problem was the turret baskets, which were badly warped. Lots of clamping and superglue later, I had them more or less straight. The sight covers on the turret do not look to be correct.

Detail is not bad. You get some copper tow cable in the kit, plus what I think is just the right amount of photo-etched metal parts.

Instructions are a bit puzzling, in that they have you jumping all over the kit instead of following a logical sequence. Like the TUA kit, the first thing I did was join the upper, lower, and rear hull. Its a lot easier to handle with that out of the way.

I'm no expert on the LAV-III, but out of the box, this looks to be accurate for a TF 3-06 vehicle (and by default earlier JTF-Afg TF's?). I think I will do mine up as per some Combat Camera pics on Op MEDUSA.

Got it for around $35 Cdn shipped. Good value, but if you are going for accuracy, the (much more expensive) Real Models kit is the way to go.

What I plan on having it look like:

 

[AC 011]

...

"LORIT" - clumsy name. It sounds like a bunch of random words thrown together.

True.  But to be fair, "LORIT" was the just name of the design/installation effort to bring together a number of upgrades/additions/modifications to the LAVs in response to requests from TFA.  It was never intended to be the name for the vehicle that results from that process.  It just kind of worked out that way.  There was (is?) a designation to identify the resulting vehicle configuration, but it does not appear to have stuck (or at least found common use).

 

[Hammer Sandwich]

Got it for around $35 Cdn shipped. Good value, but if you are going for accuracy, the (much more expensive) Real Models kit is the way to go.

Your model has re-aroused my interest in building models, great job!
Where exactly did you order the kit from?

 

[larry Strong]

Nice work. Looking forward to the paint job

 

[Franko]

The LAV kit is missing a few odds and sods, such as the pioneer kit guard, engine grill plate and the engine grill cover. Mind you some extra cloth and some sheet styrene and you'll be good to go.

Many LAVs from Archer roto 0 had lengths of angle iron (piquets) welded on the rear from the road moves from Kabul to Kandahar for an extra 4 jerry can of diesel. Get some good scale brass or copper angle rod and that will do nicely as well.

Note how the tow cables are done up on the front of the vehicle as well. Not strung along the side as it's not very practical at all.

Some also had an X-wing for the PRC 117s or an improvised one.

The space for the winch was used by many crews to put in extra rations/ water/ whatever else you needed. It was kept in place with some wire mesh and some straps.

Hope that helps a bit.

Regards

 

[GINge!]

Your model has re-aroused my interest in building models, great job!
Where exactly did you order the kit from?

Hi, I got it from Lucky Model, though its currently out of stock:
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=TP01519

For a few $ more, these guys have one left in stock
http://store.spruebrothers.com/135-trumpeter-lav-iii-kodiak-wheeled-armored-vehicle-1519-p23533.aspx

 

[GINge!]

The LAV kit is missing a few odds and sods, such as the pioneer kit guard, engine grill plate and the engine grill cover. Note how the tow cables are done up on the front of the vehicle as well. Not strung along the side as it's not very practical at all. The space for the winch was used by many crews to put in extra rations/ water/ whatever else you needed. It was kept in place with some wire mesh and some straps.

Hi, thanks, always good to have a second pair of eyes go over it before the paint goes on!

The pioneer kit guards c/w the kit, I just left them off so it would be easier to paint the tools underneath. There's a circular disk that goes over the hexagonal grill, I assume that's the engine grill plate. What is the engine grill cover?

The kit does come with a winch, but I left it off. It would have been easier to include it, as the front of the hull has holes cut for the fairlead (?) parts, which since I left off the winch, I had to fill in that area and try and detail it with some bolts.

Good point about the tow cable, it will be easier to do that way. How was it secured to the deck?

Thanks,
G

 

[Franko]

If you look at the photo of the right side of the vehicle the engine grill cover is rolled up under the gun just behind the engine grills.

As for the tow cable, it was attached by straps to hold it to the hull when coiled up and the ends were attached to the tow points with D-rings.

Have fun!

 

[GINge!]

Nothing like a cross Canada posting and a new job to put a crimp in the hobby time. After just over a year, I finally got a chance to relax at hobby table. But a base coat of green on them, and knocked out a Cougar while I was at it...