Tamiya M151A2 w/tow missile launcher

[Ron2]

Great kit. Started this for a diorama idea I had a few weeks ago. I was planning on finishing up current projects but ran into some issues so I started. This will be strictly box and if my diorama turns out I think it'll be pretty cool. I have not done a diorama before and am planning on using water effects so wish me luck!

 

[Jakko]

I've always liked those kits, though IIRC you may want to add a little spacer in the rear suspension, to get it to sit a little higher.

 

[Ron2]

I've always liked those kits, though IIRC you may want to add a little spacer in the rear suspension, to get it to sit a little higher.

Good idea for the future but won't need it for the diorama I'm planning

 

[BarleyBop]

water effects

... good luck! I love an adventure!

 

[Richard55]

I agree with Jakko and ive always loved these little gems from Tamiya.Used to love seeing what Francois Verlinden did with the kits in his books in the late 1980s.
Richard

 

[Ron2]

Great kit. Started this for a diorama idea I had a few weeks ago. I was planning on finishing up current projects but ran into some issues so I started. This will be strictly box and if my diorama turns out I think it'll be pretty cool. I have not done a diorama before and am planning on using water effects so wish me luck!

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pretty much done next to work on the diorama. I added some straps to shovel and axe. I don't like the look of it just sitting in the model.

 

[BarleyBop]

diorama

...hmmm, quite the goggles on the driver, and the vehicle has a snorkel!!??

 

[Ron2]

...hmmm, quite the goggles on the driver, and the vehicle has a snorkel!!??

It'll make sense later. But yes marine version came with snorkel. Goggles actually look kind of comical.

 

[Glenn S]

pretty much done next to work on the diorama. I added some straps to shovel and axe. I don't like the look of it just sitting in the model.

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I love it! This was the first military vehicle that I drove when I joined the military. Don't get the wrong impression. I was being "advantageously employed" in the vehicle wash bay at the Infantry School while I waited for my first infantry course to start.
I was the only student who knew how to drive a vehicle with a standard transmission, so I was the one who drove the Mutts around the motor pool.
I think back now and laugh. I didn't have a military driver's licence, or any military driver's training. Of course, after I worked in the wash bay they gave us driver's training while we waited for our training to start
(mostly just to keep us busy and out of trouble).

 

[Ron2]

I love it! This was the first military vehicle that I drove when I joined the military. Don't get the wrong impression. I was being "advantageously employed" in the vehicle wash bay at the Infantry School while I waited for my first infantry course to start.
I was the only student who knew how to drive a vehicle with a standard transmission, so I was the one who drove the Mutts around the motor pool.
I think back now and laugh. I didn't have a military driver's licence, or any military driver's training. Of course, after I worked in the wash bay they gave us driver's training while we waited for our training to start
(mostly just to keep us busy and out of trouble).

When were you in? How was the vehicle? Did they really strap a shovel and axe to it? Glad you like it and hope you like the following diorama!

 

[Glenn S]

When were you in? How was the vehicle? Did they really strap a shovel and axe to it? Glad you like it and hope you like the following diorama!

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal.

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal. The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.
The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.

The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.

 

[Jakko]

Am I the only one seeing double?

If you want an Iltis in 1:35, BTW, ACE released one this year, I think. However, it's apparently very difficult to assemble.

 

[BarleyBop]

got to drive

Great backstory!
Something weird happened with the post though, the text repeated itself a few times, and the link didn't seem to come through!

 

[Ron2]

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal.

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal. The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.
The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.

The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.

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Very interesting- thanks for sharing! My dad had several Volkswagens and I believe two of them caught fire and he was constantly working on them.

 

[Ron2]

Am I the only one seeing double?

If you want an Iltis in 1:35, BTW, ACE released one this year, I think. However, it's apparently very difficult to assemble.

Maybe that's Ace homage to how difficult it was to keep it running?

 

[Glenn S]

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal.

I was in the Canadian Army from 1985 to 2021. I got to drive the TOW Mutts in the Fall of 1986. They were on their way out of service by then. I suspect they had been collected in the Infantry School's transport compound in preparation for disposal. The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.
The Mutts that I drove were in decent shape. They didn't have the shovels or axes strapped to them at the time. Those things would normally be stored indoors when not in use so that they didn't rust. Normally, the only guaranteed time the axes, shovels and other things would be strapped to the vehicles is when they were being inspected by a commander. When deployed to the field they would usually be strapped onto the vehicle, mostly because there wasn't a better way to store them. When using the old M-113s, we would usually keep our tools inside the vehicles (in homemade wooden benches) so that they didn't turn into piles of rust that would have to be scraped down with steel wool, and then oiled or repainted. One lesson learned early in my career; don't store batteries with the fine steel wool in wooden benches! Thankfully we caught that learning opportunity while it was still glowing red in the darkness, before our M-113 became a molten mound of magnesium/aluminum alloy.

The TOW Mutts were replaced by the Iltis TOW variant by then (see link). The Iltis wasn't really any better than the Mutt. In fact, it wasn't very good at anything except providing the drivers plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted with the unit's maintainers.

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That post looks a lot different then it did on my phone screen when I posted it.
I really need to break out the laptop's bigger screen more often.

 

[Glenn S]

Very interesting- thanks for sharing! My dad had several Volkswagens and I believe two of them caught fire and he was constantly working on them.

That's kind of funny because the Iltis' had a Volkswagen Jetta engine. They used to catch fire as well. If I remember correctly, the gas fumes used to get into the air filters, and then catch fire. They eventually fixed the problem.
I remember thinking at the time, "what type of junky vehicle did the government buy that we have to remove the airfilter when we are not using the vehicle."

 

[Ron2]

That's kind of funny because the Iltis' had a Volkswagen Jetta engine. They used to catch fire as well. If I remember correctly, the gas fumes used to get into the air filters, and then catch fire. They eventually fixed the problem.
I remember thinking at the time, "what type of junky vehicle did the government buy that we have to remove the airfilter when we are not using the vehicle."

Yes that's why I mentioned about the Volkswagen- I thought the Iltis was a Volkswagen product.

 

[Jakko]

It is, though the Canadian ones were made by Bombardier. Oddly, Belgium bought them there as well, rather than from next-door in Germany.

 

[Glenn S]

Yes that's why I mentioned about the Volkswagen- I thought the Iltis was a Volkswagen product.

It was. A Canadian company bought the license to produce the Iltis in Canada (just as the vehicle was going out of service in most NATO countries). Bombardier produced the vehicle in Canada. It was not good value for Canadian taxpayers.
I suspect the Iltis would have been best suited for carrying surf boards to the beach in California (as long as it never left asphalt roads).
But, I might be a bit biased because I was a passenger in an Iltis when the driverside rear wheel departed our vehicle while driving down the autobahn. After we stopped, I got out and sat on the front passenger side of the vehicle hood to keep the three remaining tires on the road. We then drove down the shoulder of the road to where the wheel had come to a rest. The driver then ran across traffic and picked up the wheel and ran back. We then bolted the wheel back onto the vehicle using the three bolts we robbed off the spare wheel on the back of the vehicle. I remember saying to the driver that a wheel shouldn't come off a new vehicle. He then told me that the vehicle just looked new because it came back from a rebuild after having caught fire.
Anyone noticing a pattern WRT the Iltis?

 

[Ron2]

That beats my dad's Volkswagen catching fire at a fast station story! That is hilarious.

 

[Ron2]

pretty much done next to work on the diorama. I added some straps to shovel and axe. I don't like the look of it just sitting in the model.

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Started the base for my diorama! This is a first for me but I'm excited to give it a go!

 

[Jakko]

my diorama! This is a first for me

If I may give a tip there: try not to set things parallel to the edges of the base, as that will make the scene look artificial. For this diorama, the raised parts on both the left and the right will look better if you trim them a little so their "visible" sides are at an angle to the base. Something like the yellow lines:

Carry them down to the base while following the slope, of course.

 

[Ron2]

If I may give a tip there: try not to set things parallel to the edges of the base, as that will make the scene look artificial. For this diorama, the raised parts on both the left and the right will look better if you trim them a little so their "visible" sides are at an angle to the base. Something like the yellow lines:

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Carry them down to the base while following the slope, of course.

So instead of being so rectangular I should trim them to more of an irregular, angular shape?

 

[kevin]

its not the shape, its the layout. From Shepherd Paine's excellent book.

 

[Ron2]

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its not the shape, its the layout. From Shepherd Paine's excellent book.

Hmm ok thanks. The idea of the steep bank was to create the backdrop for the picture. I'll have to see what I can do at this point.

 

[Jakko]

So instead of being so rectangular I should trim them to more of an irregular, angular shape?

Basically: yes If it was my diorama, I would just trim what you have already so that the sides are no longer parallel to the diorama edges, which is what I tried to indicate with the yellow lines. Here's attempt no. 2

What you have now is basically this:

With a little judicious trimming of the current shapes, you could get it to something like this:

Just those little angles already break the parallel lines, and you can fairly easily make that out of the terrain you already have by slicing some bits off.

 

[Glenn S]

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its not the shape, its the layout. From Shepherd Paine's excellent book.

Shepard Paine... my boyhood hero!

 

[Ron2]

Basically: yes If it was my diorama, I would just trim what you have already so that the sides are no longer parallel to the diorama edges, which is what I tried to indicate with the yellow lines. Here's attempt no. 2

What you have now is basically this:

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With a little judicious trimming of the current shapes, you could get it to something like this:

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Just those little angles already break the parallel lines, and you can fairly easily make that out of the terrain you already have by slicing some bits off.

Thanks! I did t see any yellow lines. Facing the diagram you drew I eliminated the bank on the right side (smaller hill). I'm also going to have the jeep coming in at an angle- that was the plan all along but I think the right sided hill kind of restricted things a bit. I'll have to see about trimming the left side- I'm out of material now and I'd rather build it out slightly than reduce it.

 

[Jakko]

I was afraid the yellow lines didn't show up that well, but the other colours I tried were even less visible so I went with yellow