Royal Australian Marines Rapid Airborne Deployment Battalion M1128 MGS - DONE

[Frank3k]

Recently watched these on the M1128:

Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: M1128 Stryker MGS Pt 1
Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: M1128 Stryker MGS Pt 2

Those were great, as usual.

[Kerick]

Looking good! I will have to correct the lack of Strykers in my stash.

This is true!

[Buzzbomb]

Is a hunky looking vehicle. going along well

[Kerick]

I have an LAV I need to finish from 2003!

[Old Wombat]

Thank you all very much, gent's!



All the Stryker family are big bricks of vehicles (maybe not quite as much so as the Boxer(s), though) but the MGS is slightly less so, given that it's been cut down a bit to get the gun on ...


... But then, that does mean that it has that stonking great gun stuck on top.


To give them due credit, though, they're all C-130 transportable. Obviously, this creates limitations to what they can carry & do, but it also means they can be landed on minimally-prepared & (possibly) even unprepared airstrips/roads, where other armoured vehicles can't. And a highly mobile, effective (light) armoured unit in an unexpected place can play havoc with an enemy's operations.


Swings & round-abouts! Everything's a compromise! You may not get what you want but sometimes you just might get what you need!

[Old Wombat]

In the meantime: I've been working at fixing a minor issue with the Real World M1128 MGS (as pointed out by Nick Moran in one of his videos - the first, I think).

Namely; the gunner has no way of closing the armoured shutter over their sight block optics from within the vehicle &, in order to do so, the gunner needs to open their hatch & lean over, outside the vehicle, to manually close the shutter.

I have added a solenoid-activated bar to open the shutter & a torsion-spring to close it, as a RAMs mod to the system. Thereby saving the gunner from having to potentially expose themselves to enemy fire in order to protect their gun sights.

[Claymore]

I can just hear the RW M1128 MGS gunner’s comments, “I have to do what?  What f#@k#@g numb-nuts designed that?” 

[Old Wombat]

Civilian engineers designed it! Army Generals approved it! Australian Marines improved it!

The CPV (Commander's Periscope Viewer), to the right rear of the armoured gun housing, is also manually operated on the real vehicles. The RAMs fixed this, too, but I don't have to model that because it's all hidden away inside the box.

[Kerick]

I’m just wondering why you would close the sights when under fire? You’re going to need them to fire back. Unless they feel the need to protect against say artillery shrapnel? I’ve no idea as I was never around AFVs just light infantry.

[Frank3k]

I think the covers are there to protect the optics from dirt and debris during non-battle periods. If you know you're going to come up against bad guys in a few minutes, you uncover the optics, but if they surprise you, then some poor guy has to go out and take the cover off.

I'm surprised they didn't do some field mods.

[Old Wombat]

Artillery & surprise attacks or ambushes are my thoughts.

The M1128, as is, has only 18 rounds aboard but has space for 5 dismounts ... Another invisible RAMs mod will be to increase the ammo capacity & nix the dismounts.

Still, I probably can't expect it to carry more than about 24-26 rounds in an expanded carousel.

Therefore, like the real deal, ammunition will be at a premium & only available for suitable targets for the 105mm.

So, unless there are concentrations of enemy foot-mobiles or light vehicles, the big gun is for AFVs, bunkers & loosening up barriers for the ESV. They have the 30mm's on the M1296s for the lighter stuff.



PS: I guess the Stryker teams never had to deal with much in the way of artillery in Iraq or Afghanistan, & there was no real need for serious anti-AFV work, so they could fire off their ammo, retire & re-arm, & return. Something which may not be possible in a peer/near-peer conflict.

[Frank3k]

PS: I guess the Stryker teams never had to deal with much in the way of artillery in Iraq or Afghanistan, & there was no real need for serious anti-AFV work, so they could fire off their ammo, retire & re-arm, & return. Something which may not be possible in a peer/near-peer conflict.

In the first Gulf War, Bradleys and M1s were cutting through Iraqi tanks and BMPs like butter. A Stryker might have similar results with T-whatevers, especially with Javelins and modern TOWs.

[Buzzbomb]

Great discussion. You have inspired me.. well this build and re-watching Civil War. Dug out a Stryker yesterday and got most of it done OOB. Thinking Western Forces (since they are the only vehicles you really see)

I like the idea of the expanded carousel and no dismounts. This scenario covers off the extreme compromise of the original vehicle, where either gun ammo or dismounts have not enough of either.

[Old Wombat]

Getting very close to commencing painting. 

My only issue is that I don't have one of the colour-shift paints I want for the optics.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Have to say my enthusiasm for the M1128 MGS really waned after viewing the two videos on the subject.  The idea really did look like a good thing externally but damn, so little room inside to even scratch your nose to address an itch is really disappointing. 

[Old Wombat]

I think some of the ergonomic issues & the lack of ammunition storage could have been rectified if the US Army hadn't been so focussed on the "interim" part of the Stryker program.

My idea is that the RAMs & BAE Australia understand that in Australian service there is, pretty-much, no such thing as "interim" anything, & they work to either fix or minimise any issues with the design.

The main issues are;

1. Lack of ready ammunition - remove dismount capacity & install larger, modified carousel(s) system.
2. Exposure to enemy fire when closing optics systems - install remote opening/closing systems.
3. Commanders position - install folding foot rests for improved ingress/egress, miniaturise anything that can be, move imaging displays forward to give better frontal space.
4. Gunners position - install M1 gun sight optics for improved sighting options.

It would never be perfect (or even all that good) but it could be made more functional & less uncomfortable. Remembering that the MGS is not a tank & the crew are unlikely to need to be locked down as often or for as long.

[Claymore]

I think some of the ergonomic issues & the lack of ammunition storage could have been rectified if the US Army hadn't been so focussed on the "interim" part of the Stryker program.

My idea is that the RAMs & BAE Australia understand that in Australian service there is, pretty-much, no such thing as "interim" anything, & they work to either fix or minimise any issues with the design.

The main issues are;

1. Lack of ready ammunition - remove dismount capacity & install larger, modified carousel(s) system.
2. Exposure to enemy fire when closing optics systems - install remote opening/closing systems.
3. Commanders position - install folding foot rests for improved ingress/egress, miniaturise anything that can be, move imaging displays forward to give better frontal space.
4. Gunners position - install M1 gun sight optics for improved sighting options.

It would never be perfect (or even all that good) but it could be made more functional & less uncomfortable. Remembering that the MGS is not a tank & the crew are unlikely to need to be locked down as often or for as long.

Sounds like a pragmatic way forward! 

[Kerick]

If the mission is scouting or infantry support consider a 90mm gun. You can carry more ammunition and keep several modern sabot or HEAT rounds if you come up against a real tank. Then shoot and scoot!

[Old Wombat]

Tamiya Light Grey Fine Primer has gone over everything (I may have missed a piece or two, we'll find out later) over the last couple of days.

Still need to do some black on certain parts & green (Aussie Camo Green) on the undersides & some sub-assemblies.

Then it will be construction-time, again, followed shortly thereafter by camo-time.

 ..... So about a month at my speed. 

[Kerick]

Progress is progress! This is looking great!

[Old Wombat]

Basic camo green applied to various bits & pieces, which will allow for the continuation of construction ... Tomorrow ... If I'm lucky. 

[Old Wombat]

Bet you all thought this had died an untimely death!


Nope! She's still alive & photo-worthy progress has happened.

Pic's to prove it;



1st pic, not so good, so I put a sheet of white paper behind the model ... But you can see the Paint B!tch in the background in the test colours.



















Paint colours are: Desert Pink (British AFV WW2), British Silver Grey, Pilbara (AusCam), Camo Green (AusCam).

All paints are SMS (The Scale Modellers Supply) Premium ... Poor application is all my fault.

Scheme is loosely based on the Australian 3-tone AFV camouflage used on RAAF & Army vehicles since somewhere in the late-1980s/early-1990s.

I think the colours are quite good for coastal/near-coastal environments, where one would expect Marines to be operating.

Still lots more to do, especially adding all the fiddly little bits & weathering


Comments & constructive criticism welcome.

 

[GTX_Admin]

Looking good

[LemonJello]

That camo is striking. I like it. A lot.

[Ramba]

Cool camo scheme. Looks great!