Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier
Jan 13, 2007
 

This kit was waiting for a decent set of decals. It's from Trumpeter and it's a very competent offering. You can read a review at PMMS (Perth Military Modeling Site).

Just after I bought this kit I saw that Echelon was planning to release a set of decals for it. So I waited...

Finally it's out. And I ordered a set from their site. I was quite impressed with the speed of delivery. It arrived in 4 days!!! From Singapore to my house in 4 days. Not even the National Post Office can do that.

With the Bradley I had ordered a couple of Barrel Depot metal barrels. At that time I had already planned to buy this kit and since both share the same gun I got two.

The barrel is excellent. It's the fluted version and it's very well done and detailed. On top of that it has a very decent price when compared with other offers.

I'm going to make the desert version and the Lion Roar  etched set is also ready to use.

The only problem with that set is the rear basket for which they include wire and PE parts to build it. I guess soldering has to be done. I wouldn't consider building the turret metal basket with ciano glue.

Again, I'll keep you posted about further developments.

What will be used in this kit

Trumpeter USMC LAV-25 Piranha
Lion Roar PE Set
Barrel Depot metal barrel
Echelon Decals


Lion Roar
Echelon Decals


LAV-25 is an eight-wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) based on the Mowag Piranha family of armoured fighting vehicles used by the United States Marine Corps.

Powered by a Detroit Diesel Turbo-Charged engine, they are 4 wheel drive (rear wheels) transferable to 8-wheel drive. These vehicles are also amphibious, meaning they have the ability to "swim", but are limited to non-surf bodies of water (No oceans). While engaged in amphibious operations, the maximum speed is approximately 12 km/h.
Typical land speeds are approximately 85 km/h in either 4 or 8-wheel drive, however fuel economy decreases in 8-wheel drive.
The vehicles operate on diesel fuel (JP-8), and require 3 weights of lubricants to remain in running condition. They are equipped with a M242 Bushmaster 25 mm cannon, two M240 7.62 mm machine guns, and 2 4-barrel launchers usually loaded with smoke canisters.
The crew is three, and four passengers with combat gear. The vehicle has been through many changes through the late 90s. The new modification or SLEP (Service Life Extension Program) has changed the LAV-25 to the LAV-25A1 standard and has been completely fielded. Funding has been approved for continued upgrades to the LAV family to bring them up to the LAV-25A2 standard.
Phase I improvements include increased external and internal ballistic armor upgrades, improved fire supression equipment, and upgrading the vehicle's suspension to the Generation II standard.
Phase II upgrades include replacing the turret hydraulics with an electric drive system and replacing the thermal sight with an improved model incorporating a laser range finder.


* LAV-25

Standard LAV fitted with a turret with 360° traverse, armed with an M242 25 mm chain gun with 420 rounds of 25 mm ammunition both M791 APDS-T(Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot-Tracer) and M792 HEI-T(High Explosive Incendiary-Tracer), of which half is ready for use, 150 rounds are ready for use from one stowage bin, 60 from another stowage bin, the other 210 rounds are stowed elsewhere in the vehicle. A coaxial M240C machine gun is mounted alongside the M242, and a pintle mounted M240G machine gun, with 1,320 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.

* LAV-AT (Anti-Tank)

LAV fitted with an Emerson 901A1 TOW 2 ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) launcher (Same turret that was fitted on the M901 ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle). It is also armed with a pintle mounted M240E1 machine gun. It carries a total of 16 TOW missiles, and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.

* LAV-M (Mortar)

LAV fitted with opening doors on the top, inside it is fitted with an 81 mm M252 mortar, with 360° traverse, and a pintle mounted M240E1 machine gun. It carries 99 81 mm mortar shells, and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammuniton.

* LAV-AD (Air Defence)

LAV fitted with an electric turret mounting a 25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer gattling cannon, and two, four missile pods, which contain FIM-92 Stinger SAM (Surface-To-Air Missiles). It carries 990 rounds of 25 mm ammunition, and 16 FIM-92 Stinger missiles. This variant has been removed from service. A variant using the Mistral missile in place of Stingers was developed for the export market.[2]

* LAV-R (Recovery)

LAV fitted with a boom crane, and recovery winch, for use in recovery of vehicles, specifically other LAVs. It is armed with a pintle mounted M240E1 machine gun, and carries 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammuniton.

* LAV-C2 (Command & Control)

LAV with a raised roof to accommodate extra radio communication equipment. It is armed with a pintle mounted M240E1 machine gun, and carries 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammuniton.

* LAV-MEWSS (Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System)

LAV modified for use in electronic warfare role.

* LAV-EFSS (Expeditionary Fire Support System)

Proposed replacement for LAV-M, LAV fitted with provisions to use a 120mm recoil mortar system.


 

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