TongDe M-113 A.P.C. - Asking for any/all Ideas from those who also have one, or even just want one

[Estnische]

Hey Bruce - I would normally buy the metal-upgrade version, but I was intending a Tamiya gearbox swap and bought the base plastic version to reduce the strain on it. Driving it around on the concrete of my garage floor, I notice it doesn't have much grip and struggles to get over slippery objects. I put that down to the light weight and lack of cleats on the tracks.

Alternately, jhamm has found his metal upgrade lacking the strength in the plastic mountings to run the metal tracks and gears in the long term. He has set about strengthening it.

Performance-wise, it goes well once you set the speed to slow so it is not jumping around like a demented raccoon.

Food for thought.

[HvyCgn9]

Cheers I am looking at getting the full metal version as I like to run em on dirt and gravel (which is how my M1A1 got thrashed...still waiting to be fixed)

I will have a read thru the other posts too...

[Estnische]

This A.P.C. is painted how I want my M-113 to look like. Oh well, maybe next time!

Only thing is, the colour of US M113s in Vietnam appears to be a green so dark it is almost black. (I borrowed this from Louis' images)

[Marc780]

I was thinking of getting one of the versions with the Scorpion turret but after peoples opinions on getting the full metal version or the basic version? and my other question for those that have them How is their performance?

Cheers Bruce

I have to say I wish I'd bought the metal edition first. Especially since I've been waiting years for somebody to make an (affordable) RC 1/16 M-113.
Even so, at first I was unsure if I'd even like this M-113 model or not. So I was very reluctant to spend more than the bare minimum on buying one. But by now after driving it around for a bit, and really enjoying painting and detailing it...I now believe I should have got the metal edition after all.

Regarding the "performance" question, I am not sure exactly how to even describe that. It runs and drives and everything on it works, and it seems to have plenty of power, (no doubt because the all-plastic tank weighs so much less).
I bought a T.D. M60 and got the metal one this time around. But as soon as I took it out of the box I realized I'd been mistaken - the M60 weighed a ton! I did not even attempt to drive the tank with the metal treads still installed, I just sent off for a set of plastic tracks, per the image.
If a fast tank is what you want, then the plastic version is the way to go.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

HvyCgn9: mine is the metal upgraded version, and I have only tested it on the living room carpet. I am rather gentle with my AFVs. I immediately noticed the speed and, so, set the speed down, set the braking to its weakest, and opened the turning circle to wider (all per the instructions Tongde provides).

Tamiya sells "TS-28 OLIVE DRAB 2"; I cannot confirm the accuracy of the color, but some years ago I used it on 1/35 model of the U.S. Walker Bulldog tank from after WWII. I am eager to use it on an M60 or M-113.

[HvyCgn9]

Yeah I am now tossing up the idea of getting a M109 first and maybe a M113 after....but will probably delay buying till New Year and see if I can get em on sale.

Going to keep watching everyones builds for now to see how the M113's durability holds up. Looking at the pics of the drive axle arrangement I would have designed it differently! With 2 longer axles extending further into the hull with a solid support block in middle, to me it looks like the drive sprocket is going to get a load of force applied on the inner end due to how short it is.

EDIT is there a section on the forums for the M109 yet ?? And does it fire BB's....

[Marc780]

Yeah I am now tossing up the idea of getting a M109 first and maybe a M113 after....but will probably delay buying till New Year and see if I can get em on sale.

Going to keep watching everyones builds for now to see how the M113's durability holds up.

So far so good, have had no issues with how it operates - but I have barely driven it and spent much more time creating a visually pleasing model than doing anything to change its performance. BUT on reflection, I have to take back what I said, because now I'm thankful I didn't get the metal one! Bearing in mind your (accurate) appraisal of how robust this model is (or isn't), the added weight of metal tracks are not a good choice, if you want your APC to move under its own power.

An important thing to remember about this model is spare parts are almost non-existent (even from the manufacturer). So adding anything that might cause parts to break, it is very unwise!

[Marc780]

I was thinking of getting one of the versions with the Scorpion turret but after peoples opinions on getting the full metal version or the basic version? and my other question for those that have them How is their performance?

Cheers Bruce

Well, I'll tell you what happened with this one and the full-metal M60 I bought a month or so later. At first i regretted not getting the metal version of the M113 as, for the extra hundred bucks the metal one costs, you get a whole bunch of metal parts that would cost you a lot more than $100 if you bought them later: metal control arms, metal wheels, and above all,metal gearboxes.

But the metal tracks, to me at least, are kind of a mixed blessing because they definitely do affect the model's performance. Unless the tank in question is the kind with narrow tracks (like a Panzer III for example), metal tracks are often far too heavy for any tank model that actually gets driven...and will definitely slow it down.

And I realized I had made a mistake as soon as I removed my M60, metal version, from its box. It weighed what felt like a ton - and it was obvious that most of the added weight came from those long and wide all-metal tracks. And since I intended to drive this M60, I just bought a set of plastic tracks to replace them.
(I don't consider it wasted money though, as the tank still has metal wheels, control arms, and gearbox, anyway).