1:35 M113 Footman Loops (Style 2)

M113 - footman loops, style 2, 1:35 Lithokraft

A 3D-printed detail set for the American M113 carrier and the vehicles derived from it, not a kit of the vehicle. It holds the small footman loops through which equipment was lashed to the panels. The manufacturer lists three styles and this is the second of them; according to the manufacturer it is meant for the hull surfaces outside and inside, while another style aims at the interior alone. In 1:35 scale a loop has a thickness that an injection mold will not produce.

The real subject

The M113 is an American tracked armored personnel carrier with an aluminum hull, introduced at the start of the 1960s and used in Vietnam and in dozens of other armies. Its flat roof and the walls of the troop compartment are scattered with small loops and brackets; in practice the crews used them to lash down crates, jerrycans and personal kit, so a vehicle in service looked nothing like one leaving the factory. It is these loops that give a model its sense of scale and its worn look.

Building and painting tips

The loops are tiny, so hold them on masking tape before cutting them off and mark their positions out beforehand, because their spacing on the flat roof draws the eye at once. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Apply filler primer before painting; once the base color is down, pick them out with a wash and add straps of your own from foil or tin strip.

Who the set is for

• For builders of the M113 and the vehicles derived from it in 1:35 scale.
• For builds with stowed equipment and for dioramas.
• For detailing the interior as well as the outer hull surfaces.

The set contains only the printed parts listed. The base kit, the glue and the paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.