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Scratchbuilders!
Built a model or part from your own materials lately?
Hosted by Mike Kirchoff
Scratch building an M-274 Mechanical Mule
Khollar
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South Carolina, United States
Member Since: August 17, 2015
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2015 - 03:54 AM UTC
I'm attempting to build an M-274 Mechanical Mule with a 106mm recoiless rifle mounted, in 1/16th scale. I have a number of good illustrations from tech manuals, but no decent scale plans. If you know of a good source for these, I'd appreciate you pointing me in their direction.
turtle65
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Dunedin, New Zealand
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2015 - 09:47 AM UTC

The route to take here is to grab Dragon's 1/35th kit and merely upscale. Thats all I did when I built a 1/24th scale version (albeit pre-interweb days ).
You'll find it a fun and fairly easy build - enjoy.
RLlockie
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2015 - 12:19 PM UTC
The only plan I have seen is the 1/35 one in Tankette 16/2. Copies available to members from the MAFVA information officer - see www.mafva.net for contact details.

I did measure and photograph a few details of one some years ago in an attempt to sort out the engine guard which Dragon simplified and made v diff to clean up but I never drew the results.
Khollar
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Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 02:39 AM UTC
Many members have viewed this post, but I've had no luck sourcing scale drawings for this vehicle. Surely they exist somewhere....

Kurt
RLlockie
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Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 04:52 AM UTC
Apart from the source provided in the post above, anyway. I guess that wasn't helpful enough, so apologies.
YellowHammer
#513
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Alabama, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 07:27 AM UTC
Kurt,
Have you thought about trying to find the 1/15 scale M274 kit that was originally made by ITC (as 1/16 scale) and was re-released by Glencoe models in the mid-2000s. The kit included the 106mm RR. There is a review of the kit at Cybermodeler Online by Michael Benolkin dated October 2005. The online review includes photos of the sprues.
Hope this helps.
John
YellowHammer
#513
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Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 07:52 AM UTC
Kurt,
Just noticed the kit is listed as In Stock on Hobbylinc. The kit review says it is kind of basic but may provide you with a starting point.
Thanks
John
Khollar
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Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 08:19 AM UTC
Thanks, Robert and John. I appreciate your help and didn't mean to sound ungrateful.

I attempted to contact the MAFVA Information Officer following Your post, Robert, but haven't heard anything from him. The issue that you reference appears to be unavailable based on their website.

John, I probably should have mentioned earlier that I have the old Glenco 1/15th scale kit. Based on the vehicle's dimensions from technical manuals, the kit appears to be badly under scale - closer to 1/18th scale by my estimates. It is also very crude, but I hope to be able to use a few bits from it.

I should probably also add that I have a number of very good photos from the example on display at the Virginia Armor Museum in Danville, VA. If I can just get my hands on a decent set of scale drawings that I can scale up to 1/16th, I'll be in business.

Hopefully someone who reads this can point me in their direction.

Thanks for your help,
Kurt
bat-213
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Canada
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 04:29 AM UTC
I have the glencoe kit .the kit num 05401 .hope you find the same kit .
YellowHammer
#513
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 12:35 PM UTC
Hi Kurt,
I had a little time so I thought I would have another look for you. I found an individual with member name "dowles" on diygokarts.com website who built a half scale operating model of a M-274. There is a 5 page blog on the site discussing his build. In the blog he stated he gathered all the dimensional details he could find and generated his own drawings for his build. He states in the blog that he created 35 engineering drawings and 3D CAD images for all the parts. I scanned through the blog but he did not attach the file(s). He did include two drawings during the discussion which may be of some use to you. They included a lot of dimensional data. I'm a noob and have been unsuccessful in trying to upload the images but you should be able to see them in the blog titled half scale mule on that website. You may be able to contact this individual if you find these first two drawings of some use.
Anyway, good luck with your project.
John

dendin54
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Ohio, United States
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Posted: Friday, December 18, 2015 - 01:26 PM UTC
I can't make any promises, but, I have an uncle who owns a mule and was a mechanic during 'Nam. I'm more than sure he has a set of plans (I remember them hanging up in his hobby room) as he was making a 1/6th scale radio control version for his pal.
When I return from my business trip I'll see of I can get a copy for you.

All the best,
D. Ball
Khollar
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Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 - 11:13 PM UTC
D. Ball,
Many thanks for the offer regarding the plans, but I'm past the point of needing them now.

I really do need to post some in progress photos of this build. The basic platform, engine and suspension are largely completed now. Once those are completed, I'll be on to the drivers seat and controls, and then the 106mm recoilless rifle.

Thanks for the offer however.
Kurt
Khollar
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Posted: Saturday, January 02, 2016 - 04:03 AM UTC
I've added four photos of the build in-progress under my photos tab.
SdAufKla
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Posted: Thursday, January 07, 2016 - 07:47 PM UTC
Kurt,

I've only just today seen this post. (I don't patronize this site too often anymore.)

However, seeing that you're in SC, I thought you might like to know that there are a couple examples of the Mule on display outside at the Ft. Jackson museum. These are readily available and accessible and you would have no trouble simply measuring the real thing for your project.

I'm not sure where in the state you live, but if you're in the midlands region, give some thought to coming to one of our local AMPS chapter meetings.

We have members that travel to the meetings from Sumter, Florence, Irmo / Lexington, Newberry and even a few who come down from the Hickory / Charlotte, NC area. It's possible if you live a out a ways from Columbia that there might be a few members that you could meet to share a ride with.

We meet every second Wednesday at 6:00 pm at the HobbyTown USA store in the Northpointe shopping center at the intersection of Two Notch and Sparkleberry roads. This is in the NE part of Columbia near the Village at Sandhills mall.

Our club website is http://www.ampscentralsouthcarolina.org/

You'll find contact info there to reach us by email or phone, and, of course, you can stop by the HobbyTown any time and the guys there will fill you in on our meetings (flyers and other info also available there).

Good luck with your Mule project and check out those museum examples if you get a change. No better reference than the real thing.

Happy modeling!
Khollar
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 02:48 AM UTC
Thanks, Mike

I'm in Greenville and Myrtle Beach (long story) so I come through Clumbia from time to time. I'm not sure about making it to club meetings, but I am planning to attend the AMPS Show in Sumter in April, and plan to have the Mule and figures completed by then. These will be featured in a Hue City vignette set during the Tet Offensive in 1968.

I'm primarily a figure painter, but have done an occasional vehicle or gun for a vignette in recent years. I plan to bring both to the AMPS show.

I appreciate the info on the Mules at Ft. Jackson, but I already have lots of good detail photos from the Mule in the collection at the armor museum in Danville, VA. A good set of detailed scale plans would have been a great help early on, but I'm well into the build now. The end result may not be perfect, but it should be a sizable improvement on the ancient Glenco kit.

Thanks again,
Kurt
SdAufKla
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 09:04 PM UTC
Good to go, Kurt.

If you're ever interested in trying to link up with some other armor modelers, let me know.

There's another AMPS chapter in the Greenville area (Piedmont Panzer Gruppen). There are also chapters near Charleston, SC and New Bern, NC.

I believe that I have some contact info for a couple of armor modelers that live in the Myrtle Beach area that have come and entered at some of our past local AMPS shows. Maybe an opportunity to start a formal or informal group in your area.

At any rate, hopefully well get to meet at the 2016 AMPS I-Con in Sumter. I'll be looking forward to seeing your Mule then.

Happy modeling!
Khollar
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 05:01 AM UTC
Thanks again, Mike.

I'll look forward to meeting you then as well.

Kurt
mother
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 05:51 AM UTC
m274

Khollar
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 05:55 PM UTC
I wonder if it comes with a mower attachment?
Khollar
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Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 - 06:42 AM UTC
More photos added to my gallery of the build in-progress.
Khollar
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Posted: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 - 07:16 PM UTC
New photos have been uploaded showing the nearly completed build. Up next: painting and final assembly.
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