The Commander Series Forum

Anybody got any ideas for modelling this, one suggestion was the new North Korean APC the VTT-323 which H&R do with a replacement turret. Any suggestions for the turret appreciated. Also need a model of an M48 76mm Mountain Gun. I believe they were nicknamed the Tito Gun.



Cheers

Richard P

That's the BTR60/70/80 turret, don't think there are any separate one for it. Chassis looks very like the Chinese YW231.

IanS

You might try a C&C BTR-70 turret (they're separate parts) with an C&C ACRV body.

Ian do you mean the 531?

It does very much look like an ACRV hull with a BTR-60 turret. The Chinese type 63 (YW531) with a BTR-60 turret would be close too. Depends on hull size, as the ACRV is big.

MLVM


Type 63


Cheers, Andy

The MLVM is 6750mm long compared to 7300mm long for ACRV.

Cheers

Richard P

Just under 2mm at 1/300, I suspect you wouldn't notice.

Cheers, Andy

BMP-1 has the right number/size of road wheels (key visible feature - other suggestions don't match) and the approximate correct shape, but is too long (by c3mm at 1/300) and the front end angles look wrong and the turret is wrong.
C-in-C BMP-1 comes (I believe) with a separate turret. So, C-in-C BMP-1 with filed back front (BMP projects well beyond running gear, MLVM doesn't. BMP has high/flattish front, MLVM more steeply angled) to reduce length/change appearance plus C-in-C BTR-70 turret. Surface detail from paper/fine card & green stuff.
Bit fiddly, but should produce a close match if you don't need too many of them.
Alternatively, chat up Andy Kirk & Ian Armstrong
Cheers,
MarkJ

Scotia BMP-1 has a removable turret.

H+R North Korean VTT-323 looks like it's closer still, being one of those Chinese APCs but stretched with an extra road wheel. The real thing has a very similar turret - I don't recall what the H+R one has.

VTT-323 does look pretty similar, but it has only 5 road wheels and the turret is mounted a long way back, whereas the MLVM has 6 road wheels and the turret looks to be mounted fairly centrally. I guess you could move the VTT-323 turret forward. Maybe it's my OCD, but I always see the number and approx. size of road wheels and any variation in this glares - like T-72/T-64.

Tbh I'm all for H+R doing the Romanians, I would love to redo my 20mm army in 6mm, but don't really want to start stretch T-55s to make TR-580s again, or doing rhinoplasty on a BTR-60 to make a TAB-71 either.

Thanks Chaps, I think I am going to order a few of the VTT-323s and also some of the Chinese Type 89 APC as they are both possibilities. Simon suggested press moulding the turrets so I might give that a go.

Cheers

Richard P

Mark J,

The first version on the MLVM had five road wheels. It was the mortar version and then the later version that had six. So for the period I could probably use a model with five road wheels. See the black and white pic above.

Cheers

Richard P

Aha, missed the change in road wheels! That will keep my OCD in order then!

Will it not spur it to check exactly which platoons in which units had older style MLVM's or newer to get them right

I like the look of this project - pronouncing "MVLM" in my head makes me call them "Mul-vums" which sounds really cute. Like some kind of cuddly Eastern vole...