RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Thank you very much 43rdRecceReg and Herman for your encouragements.

With a total of 15 hatches of different shapes and sizes all around the vehicle, completing the "hinge" job on this model requires patience and an assembly chain. Ludwig provides some basic hinge shapes but they need to be downsized by about half, and there are too few of them, so many hinges need to be completely created from residual plasticard sheet. M1 x 5mm bolts and nuts are also required for most.
The front hatches assembly, no real issue but they require a lot of sanding and superglue filler.
Close up view of the driver and front passenger hatch.
These hatches were made operable in order to provide better access to the electronics and frontal area of the vehicle.
The top rear hatch has a complicated opening mechanism that i reproduced in scratch on a best effort basis. I need to protect my sanity.
This hatch is not made operable so i will be able to refine some elements later without having to worry about the solidity of the whole thing.
Close up view
The V-150 has a round hatch on the roof top at the rear instead of the square hatch of the V-100.
Continuing on following post

This is one of the side doors, minus the pistol ports
Overall, the V-150 is a good looking vehicle, a classic. I like it.
Regards, Louis

Hi,
This is the exhaust stack and air intake.

At this point, the Ludwig kit does not provide any more parts. Everything else required to finish the model needs to be scratch built from reference.

The Verlinden and Hobby Boss provided dimensions for the exhaust stack, but both have differences in details and shape. Reference pictures are needed. Nothing new here, I've done it before with the V-100 build.
With so much plasticard sheets left from the kit, it would have been nice to have the basic parts for the stack and air intake pre-shaped and ready.
The exhaust stack, seen in the book Squadron Signal V-100 Commando walk around, a must have reference for this build.
This is the scratch built exhaust, similar to the one created for the V-100 build. The tool rack is a Shapeways US tool rack in 1/18 scale, a better fit than the available 1/16. The tools will be added after painting.
The back angle of the exhaust stack must follow the angle of the lower armored plate.
This is the interior of the stack.
The grill is made from a JTT 97413 Clapboard Siding plasticard plate available for a few dollars, also used for the Centurion Sho't Kal build.
This is the engine air intake on top of the front engine maintenance hatch.
The (dusty) model as it stands today. Next steps are for the headlights and tail lights, a few brackets, foot pedals and the gun ports, otherwise, the construction of the model is almost finished. A relatively easy and fast build, considering that I started one month ago.
Regards, Louis

Hi, continuing the build, going around the vehicle to add the remaining equipment and details.

The V-150 90mm Cockerill gun turret is consistently equipped with 6 smoke grenade dischargers on each sides at the back of the turret. There seems to be many types of mounting arrangements however. Both Verlinden (below), Hobby Boss and reference pictures show variations.
I selected and reproduced the Hobby Boss mount version because it is the one that provided a clearer view
I chose to use Heng Long Leopard II smoke grenade dischargers purchased at Mato Mart. Calculations extrapolated from the Hobby Boss 1/35 kit show these to be about the right size. M0.6 bolts and a small chain add details for the cap.
Here are the installed smoke grenade dischargers.
These are the engine maintenance hatch latches.
There are working latches in order to provide access to the electronics and wiring at the back of the vehicle.
Next step, the head and tail lights

Regards, Louis

Hi, with the completion of the front and tail lights, all the electronic components are in place for system integration testing. It went rather well.

Here is a short YouTube video of the mechanical and weapon systems integration testing.

https://youtu.be/3MEQhm2sNNI

The Commando is equipped with M60 tank style headlights. Both lights are clear, no infrared.
These need to be scratch built, all 4 headlights are working lights with a 5mm clear LED, each with a resistor and connected to CN9 Lights + and - wires.
Its the third time I am scratch building M60 headlights so I am starting to feel comfortable with them.
The guards on the V-150 do not have a mesh like the V100 in Vietnam. See wires at the back, there are just too many of them to try to fully hide them, but they are made the least visible by exposing only uncovered wires.
The tail light is a stardard US model seen on other AFV.
The MLRS metal lights sold by AFV_Model of Germany are a perfect match.
These are installed on a brass bracket with a 3mm red LED with resistor. Clear red lenses will be installed after painting.
The Commando armored car model as it stands today
Next step is to go around the vehicle and add all the missing detailing.

Regards, Louis

Stupendous, Louis!. Yet, you're so nonchalant about turning out these masterpieces- You make the impossible look easy.
You already have a model full of miraculous details, and yet you feel there's room for more. That's amazing. It would take me weeks to attempt even one of them.

Thank you very much Mr 43rdRecceReg !

I went around the vehicle and finished construction. I made a few additions and corrections.

These are Shapeways US Jerrrycan holders. I went lazy scratch building these so i purchased 4 of them, not cheap. SOL model Jerrycans are used.
With the turret and all the equipment, i found the single spring leaf suspension was having some difficulty so i purchased 4 more.
These WPL leaf springs can be stacked as many as required to get to a firmer suspension. In this case, 2 is enough on each of the 4 suspension units. Notice the metal suspension holder on the axle for the leaf springs, It help keeping things strait. Sold on eBay.
I earlier made a mistake with the hatch model for the V-150 with 90mm turret. The Verlinden model is wrong and should not be used as reference with the hinges on the sides and hatch going up like with the V-100.
On the V-150 with 90mm turret, the front hatches need to open horizontally, as seen here on the Hobby Boss kit.
This is the new front hatches arrangement, allowing the driver and passenger to exit with the 90mm gun over them.
Continuing on following post

Louis,

Another Fantastic build!

Barry

This is a final walk around of the model before painting.

Weld lines at the front and rear, as seen in reference pictures, were replicated. Then the hooks, horn, mirrors, pistol ports and fuel caps wee added.
Back of the model, with scratch built Jerrycan holder, Shapeways US tool rack and Dioramaparts M-48 tow hook.
Overview of the V-150 before painting. I am now thinking of an African style camo.
The V-150 is a very good looking vehicle, specially with a 90mm gun turret.
Next time you see it, it will be painted.

Regards, Louis

Outstanding - excellent!