M132 Armoured Flamethrower APC (Smart Kit)

Dragon has added another 1/35 scale kit to its growing M113-based family. This time the subject is the M132 which was a flamethrower version of the famous armoured personnel carrier (APC). The 10.58-ton vehicle looks similar to a regular APC but the cupola atop the hull features an M10-8 flamethrower alongside a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. This turret could traverse 360-degrees. Internally the rear compartment was taken up by an M10 fuel and pressure unit plus four spherical 50-gallon fuel tanks. This amount of fuel was enough to fire a jet of flame for 32 seconds out to a maximum distance of 200m. The vehicle often nicknamed the “Zippo” was widely used in the Vietnam War.

As would be expected this M132 Flamethrower is based on currently available M113 chassis accurately built to 1/35 scale. However the hull has been suitably modified with a set of new parts suitable for this specialist vehicle. This includes a brand new M10 turret containing the flamethrower and machine gun. Of course the interior has been completely refurbished too. The four tanks for the napalm fuel are all installed inside. New too are brackets to protect the antenna bases. This 1/35 scale kit of the M132 Flamethrower lights up numerous opportunities for modellers wishing to create a Vietnam War vehicle or to perhaps fit it into a dramatic combat diorama.

• Scale is 1:35
• Detailed tools mounted on upper hull top
• M132 rear details are accurately reproduced
• New tooled spherical 50-gallon fuel tanks with fuel and pressure unit
• Fuel tank inside troop compartment is fully represented
• Full details in driver's compartment are included
• Headlight clusters with brush guards are correctly reproduced
• Upper hull plate possesses crisp details
• Hull bottom has full detail
• Antenna mounts have accurate details
• All wheels are tooled with crisp detail
• Backpacks by DS
• Upper track run is injection moulded to reproduce realistic level of sag
• Plastic-injection NEO Track with pre-moulded lengths results in convenient assembly with minimum number of pieces but full detail
• Trackpads come as individual parts to ensure accurate details
• Includes decal sheet for added detail