Slammer II

[rbaer]

The Slammer was an actual proposal by Soltam, Ltd. for a home-brew competitor to the M109 SPH. /soltam put a 155mm gun in a rotating fully enclosed turret and mounted it on a Merkava 1 hull. Two were built, it was too expensive and the IDF stayed with the M109. I have two pics of the thing, in an old Museum Ordnance from March of 96, and I've wanted to build a Slammer since about then. I was getting close to going ahead and trying to scratch the turret, but a closer look at the pics revealed some mods to the rear of the hull as well, so with only two pics, back to archives it went. Then Sprue Bros had a Meng sale, and the French AUF 1 TA 155 (pardon me) kits were $35. I jumped on it so fast I accidentally ordered two. Mythought was use a later Merkave hull and just marry the AUF turret to it, like a more cost-effective way to do an austerity version of the Slammer.
And yes, I thought it would be fun. So it was off to the races today while waiting for paint to dry, pulling out the Meng Merk 3 I have that's missing turret parts (perfect, right?) and in no time, or very little time, I had the Merk turret ring on the AUF turret base, which by the way has pic marks from HELL on it.....
IMG_1358 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Then a test fit, to make sure it clears as it rotates:
IMG_1357 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
So far, so good. I have a left-over set of Friuls for a Merk 1 that I'll use, but this should be relatively easy. All I really have to scratch is a humongous gun travel lock.

[joelsmith]

Interesting, Verrry Interesting!

[rbaer]

It's been a back-burner thing for me for quite a while, gotta do it.
Pics from the mag:
IMG_1359 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_1360 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The turret I'm using is pretty small by comparison, but you get the idea. The real deal was BIG.

[mustang1989]

You've got my attention!!!

[Tobi]

Is it just me or are the two turrets not identical?

[rbaer]

I think it's the lighting, makes the front corners of one look more angular, if we're looking at the same thing. There may also be a big triangle painted on the same area of the one in the background. Either way "#2" looks different at the front.

[sturmbird]

the idea of using a tank chassis for an SPG has been run thru the wash many times over, and the results end up the same. JUNK! Or even worse you kill friendlies down range. Good SPG's have an internal lock up of the drive train, and a suspension lookup (usually hydraulic pressure). Tanks don't work that way. When the chassis moves, you loose your three point suspension (perfect plain), and shoot like a scatter gun. This has already shown up on the new M109a7, and several fixes have been tried to give marginal help at best. Thank BAE for the latest boondoggle and costing the tax payer millions to prove the don't know squat.
gary

[rbaer]

Yikes. I was thinking soemthing that when I was looking at the AUF !, which is on the AMX 30 hull, that one or two rounds fired would probably break stuff in the suspension. Oh well, on with the model.

[rbaer]

This thing is starting to make me giggle.....
IMG_1361 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Just because I'm not always the most logical person around, I decided to show the back hull doors open, mainly because Meng supplies parts to do so. But (or Butt) there's no hull interior, so I figgered I'd mock up something that looks interiory.
IMG_1363 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
There's not much visible with the hull closed up, but why not, right? The view:
IMG_1362 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I just need to make it look plausible, and I'm having too much fun to stop now. BTW, it really looks like Meng intended to release a turret interior kit, kind of like they did with the Bradleys, as half of the stuff is there. That would have been all I needed.

[Tobi]

Jul 5, 2020 13:18:35 GMT -5 rbaer said:

I think it's the lighting, makes the front corners of one look more angular, if we're looking at the same thing. There may also be a big triangle painted on the same area of the one in the background. Either way "#2" looks different at the front.

Yes Russ, that was what I meant. You're probably right, it's hard to tell for me from the uploaded picture.

[mustang1989]

Wouldn't that be about right to release an interior detail kit well AFTER the release of the kit. lololol

[rbaer]

It would be about right.... I'd want to pass though, otherwise I'd never finish this thing.

[joelsmith]

Have big gun, go BOOM!

[rbaer]

Big gun, big boom.
Hull interior is ready, hull is actually closed up now, but here's the last shots I got before I closed it up.
IMG_1367 by Russel Baer, on FlickrIMG_1366 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The turret basket is done too, just enough fakery to look like a turret basket when I peek in through the back.
IMG_1365 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

[Tobi]

Very nice work.

Which references you're using for the Merkava hull interior?

[rbaer]

References? Ummmmm, my imagination? I actually have one pic from above of the driver's area, just what can be seen through the open hatch, and a couple of pics looking in the back,from a distance, both in Desert Eagle Merkava books. Keep in mind this is a "what-if", so I'm really just making it look interesting.

[Leon]

Looking good Russ!

[rbaer]

So, hull is closed up, bottom of the sponsons covered, I've started the anti-slip, and today I started the gun travel lock, one each, large.
IMG_1397 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_1398 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I'm maybe halfway done the the travel lock, and I've got it in my head that I want the actual barrel clamp to work, so I'm still pondering. I also dug out a couple of the old Academy cast road wheels that came in their Merk2 kits, mainly since all the pics I have of this thing show them on the first station and I wanted to see what it would look like.

[joelsmith]

Looking Fine!!

[rbaer]

Well, lots done since I last posted, but /I've been having fun with more stuff too, pics later. Right now, here's the Slammer ready for paint:
IMG_1601 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
It's actually all in tan as I type, still tacky. I had considered covering the turret sides with stowage and racks, like the IDF M109's, but the side doors on the turret made that kind of difficult, so I painted.
Anti-slip is AMMO in a tube, and I have to say I like it. It looks really good with paint on it, pics soon.

[rbaer]

Finished and done, moving on.
IMG_1873 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_1872 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_1871 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_1870 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
It looks really big next to any Magach.....

[rbaer]

Random thought: What can I do with the hull from the AUF 1 donor kit?

[Leon]

That looks really great Russ!

[joelsmith]

Make a APC like the IDF would have.

[rbaer]

Good idea. I'm also looking through my stash of Tamiya Merk 1 parts kits....

[joelsmith]

Move the engine deck to the center of the hull, and make a personnel compartment in the rear>

[mustang1989]

Totally missed the finish here!!! Great work Russ!!!

[rbaer]

Thanks Joe. It looks big in the display case.

[pt109]

Looks nice....