1/35 LAV-AD, 8 Wheeled Duck Hunter

[handiabled]

The non-slip surface looks excellent painted

[stikpusher]

May 6, 2024 1:44:51 GMT -5 handiabled said:

The non-slip surface looks excellent painted

Right?! That stuff sure does work! and thank you

[deafpanzer]

Agree with Handiabled that the anti-slip looks pretty good!

[stikpusher]

Yesterday during our monthly online So.Cal.AMPS Zoom meeting I made some progress on this.

I modified the kit muffler part into the correct configuration.



Its not an exact match to what photos show, but it's close enough for government work I also added the shover underneath as shown in photos

I also modified the radio antenna base to the proper size and installed it on the side, as well as adding a tow cable from my spares bin that Italeri neglected to include



and here is a photo of where it all stands now



I need to add a few small fittings to the right side, plus scratch up the jerry can racks on the rear troop doors. But not too much farther to go on this now...

[kyledehart5]

Excellent work on this one as well! Very cool vehicle.

[stikpusher]

Thanks again Kyle. Not too much more left to do before I get to painting…

[handiabled]

Coming together great Carlos!

[brandonk]

Somehow this one has slipped by the radar. Cool subject and I love the extra detail you're adding.

[stikpusher]

Brandon & Brent, thank you. I finally have some progress worth reporting here.

So I am just about done with construction on this. A couple of weeks ago I finished up the storage shelf for the fuel & water cans, and used some AM plastic cans in place of the metal type that came with the kit



Then today I finished adding the last of the brackets and thingamajigs on the right side of the hull that the kit neglected to include



Yesterday I did most of the painting on the turret, plus adding the smoke grenade launchers. Today I painted the Gatling gun and gave it a test fit



I also recently worked on some of the stowage painting, some covered rucksacks, using a combination of Vallejo acrylics and AK Paint Markers. The markers work great for doing the camo pattern over a solid base color





I still need to add a few more items to the turret and hull rear, then I can start main painting. More to come soon…

[handiabled]

Looks the business with the Gatlin gun in place. Great looking scratched racks for the jerry cans!

[kyledehart5]

Nice work Carlos!! Thats all looking great. I also love the gatling gun. Awesome.

[brandonk]

Wow! All that extra detail really makes the kit look so much better. Great work!

[rbaer]

"Four wheeled duck hunter"...... that's good, needs to be a cable show.

[stikpusher]

Sept 7, 2024 13:54:10 GMT -5 rbaer said:

"Four wheeled duck hunter"...... that's good, needs to be a cable show.

 I’d be surprised if there wasn’t one already on a local channel somewhere down south on the bayou… 

[Tojo72]

Looks great,the texture came out great

[stikpusher]

Sept 7, 2024 14:30:55 GMT -5 Tojo72 said:

Looks great,the texture came out great

Thanks Tony. It really looks the part under a coat of paint. I really like the stuff used for the texture. It will come in handy on future projects.

[rbaer]

Sept 7, 2024 14:00:55 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Sept 7, 2024 13:54:10 GMT -5 rbaer said:

"Four wheeled duck hunter"...... that's good, needs to be a cable show.

 I’d be surprised if there wasn’t one already on a local channel somewhere down south on the bayou… 

I can see a bearded Phil Robertson in the TC's hatch..... is there something wrong with me?

[406 Silverado]

I just going through this whole thread and am trying to figure out how I missed this. You’re sure putting in a fair amount of work and coming up with a LOT of things that Italeri left out which I’m still surprised to hear about. I always thought Italeri had thier act together in the details department.

[stikpusher]

Sept 8, 2024 16:36:40 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I just going through this whole thread and am trying to figure out how I missed this. You’re sure putting in a fair amount of work and coming up with a LOT of things that Italeri left out which I’m still surprised to hear about. I always thought Italeri had thier act together in the details department.

Thanks Joe. Yeah Italeri missed a bit, but it looks like they modeled this kit off of the prototype and not the production type. And Italeri can have their to together, but I don't think that they are as good as they were on most subjects. Once upon a time, they were better than Tamiya, but now, no. They still do make decent kits of their own, but most need help.

[brandonk]

Too bad Italari are so much more expensive that similar kits from better vendors. But, they have subjects you can't find elsewhere too, so there's that.

[Steve Zuleski]

Call me Johny come lately too, just caught this. Excellent work, Carlos. What is the no-skid coat, I didn't catch that?

[stikpusher]

Thanks Ski. The no skid is a putty/paste made by Mig or AK… I forget which

Well, today was a short day at work, so I was not wiped out when I got home and I was able to get some bench time in on this project in the early afternoon.

First up I added the brush guard to the rear lights. I also scratch built a missing foot step rail using some .020 music wire



Then I added the headlights and cut some brass screen to size for the engine grilles



I also selected an antenna base from my spares for the hull antenna mount and started prepping that for installation at final assembly after painting

Now I can get the base painting done finally

[kyledehart5]

This is coming together so nicely!! Really great stuff everywhere you look on it.

[406 Silverado]

Sept 8, 2024 20:28:30 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Sept 8, 2024 16:36:40 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I just going through this whole thread and am trying to figure out how I missed this. You’re sure putting in a fair amount of work and coming up with a LOT of things that Italeri left out which I’m still surprised to hear about. I always thought Italeri had thier act together in the details department.

Thanks Joe. Yeah Italeri missed a bit, but it looks like they modeled this kit off of the prototype and not the production type. And Italeri can have their to together, but I don't think that they are as good as they were on most subjects. Once upon a time, they were better than Tamiya, but now, no. They still do make decent kits of their own, but most need help.

  That's what I was thinking before you started this build with them having an edge on Tamiya but looks like you're right on target with your assessment of Italeri as of late Carlos. I will say that it looks like you're adding a perfect amount of "help" to this one as it is looking great so far bud. 

[stikpusher]

Thanks Joe. I hope that I can get this one wrapped up soon.

[stikpusher]

Over the past couple of days I finally made some good progress on this

On Sunday I was able to get most of a base coat of CARC Green on the hull and missile pods. Yesterday, I got the missile pods and Gatling gun glued into place on the turret.





Today after work I was able to get the final bits like the crew hatch wire cutter bars and antennas onto the turret rear and hull side glued into place.





I need to do some final areas of green, paint and add the wheels, then I can start the finishing such as stowage and weathering

[handiabled]

The missile pods really make this look the business! Looks great painted with details added!

[stikpusher]

Sept 18, 2024 3:09:45 GMT -5 handiabled said:

The missile pods really make this look the business! Looks great painted with details added!

Thanks Brent! Yes those weapons and antennas now sprouting out of the turret really make it look dangerous. Brought to you by Skynet and the USMC

[stuart]

Looking excellent Carlos. That's a very unusual off-centre turret arrangement.

[stikpusher]

Thanks Stuart! I think that the off center turret location adds to the menacing look of this beast.