INTERMEDIATE BUILD
Academy’s re-issue of its fearsome 1/35 M163 Vulcan Air Defense System is built as a NATO warrior by Huw Morgan
With more than 80,000 examples built, the M113 Armoured Transport has arguably been produced in greater numbers than any military vehicle since World War Two Jeeps and Universal Carriers.
Among this number, a bewildering array of special-purpose types has demonstrated the type’s extraordinary flexibility and development potential. One of the most radical of these is the M163 Vulcan Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG), armed with a M61 SIX-barrelled 20mm cannon similar to those used in contemporary US fighter aircraft. This was an interim type – while its radar rangefinder was an improvement over purely optical-sighting systems, it wasn’t really capable of dealing with fast-moving jets over the battlefield. Despite this, the Vulcan Air Defense System – known as ‘VADS’ – was used on limited deployments in Europe, but its true baptism was as a ground-attack weapon in Israeli service.
Above and below: This iteration of Academy’s kit included many parts for alternate versions of M113 family vehicles, including armoured fuel tanks and distinct covers for different engine types.
Above: The option …
