Preview: Takom's two new 35th scale M114's are on the way!

Never before made in injection plastic - the M114 is long-awaited by many modellers. Takom has taken up the challenge, presenting two variants of the CRV in 35th scale. We have some info on the real thing - and the kit in our preview...

Preview: Takom's twp new 35th scale M114's are on the way!

The Subject: the M114 A1 CRV & M114 A1E1 CRV
M114 Command and Reconnaissance Carrier was a Vietnam War-era tracked armoured fighting vehicle which was developed by the Cadillac Division of General Motors.

The M114 has a similar shape to the M113, and in a passing glance, the two could be confused for one another. But similarities in shape are where it ends. Designed and developed in the early 1960s as a lightweight, low-silhouette armoured vehicle to serve alongside the M113, instead of having an APC role the M114 was meant to be a command and reconnaissance role with a three-man crew. It was built for speed and concealment, and was powered by a Chevrolet V-8 engine, rated at 160 horsepower, and had a top speed of thirty-six mph.

Armored Command and Reconnaissance Carrier M114 in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Like the M113, it was constructed of aluminium and was light enough that it could be transported by cargo aircraft and even dropped by parachute. The M114 could be used in an amphibious role to cross water and thus it seemed ideal for deployment in Vietnam.

However, as an armoured reconnaissance vehicle, it proved to be mechanically unreliable, underpowered and most ominously couldn’t easily cross the rough ground. Its aluminium body was also no match for land mines, which could practically blow the vehicle apart. The vehicle also lacked any serious offensive weapon apart from a single M2 .50 calibre heavy machine gun, which was initially operated via the hydraulically-powered commander’s cupola. It did not take long for the Army to see that the M114 was far from the right platform for Vietnam, and by November of 1964, the Command and Reconnaissance Carrier was removed from service. For reconnaissance roles, the M114 was replaced by the M551 Sheridan light reconnaissance tank.

The M114 remained in use with U.S. Army units in Europe, Korea and the United States. After the Army retired the M114 many were provided to police departments through the federal 1033 grant program, and that included New York City’s SWAT team, which has since replaced the tracked vehicle with MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles. As of 2016, at least one remained in use with the Gwinnett County, Georgia sheriff’s office.

M114 A1

The M114A1 was armed with a new commander's weapon station, and the .50cal MG could be aimed and fired from within the vehicle. The new weapon station was lower than the M114's external machine gun mount, and M114A1 also featured a reinforced trim vane. The manual traverse for the cupola was superseded by hydraulic traverse from late 1963 with vehicle serial number 2520. The maximum powered traverse rate was 94°/second.

M114A2 (originally called the M114A1E1) with 20mm M139 Gun

M114 A1E1

In 1969 the 20mm automatic gun M139, which was the designation given to the Hispano-Suiza HS-820, replaced the .50cal MG on some M114A1s; these were designated M114A1E1 and weighed 15,678lb (7,111.5kg). Four hundred 20mm rounds were carried in 25-round containers. When armed with the 20mm gun, the M26 cupola was renamed M27.

Armored Command and Reconnaissance Carrier M114A1E1.

The two new kits from Takom:

The two kits of the M114 A1 CRV & M114 A1E1 CRV are very similar in breakdown. Obviously, the M114 A1E1 CRV version has the extra turret. Here is a short rundown on both of them in what we know so far...

M114 A1 CRV

From Takom

1/35th scale

Kit No #2145

Link & Length tracks included

Track making jig is included

All hatches can be posed opened or closed

Photo-etch & clear parts are included

4 marking choices included in the box

M114 A1E1 CRV

From Takom

1/35th scale

Kit No #2145

Link & Length tracks included

Track making jig is included

All hatches can be posed opened or closed

Photo-etch & clear parts are included

4 marking choices included in the box

That is all we know about this release for now. You can see more about Takom's kits on their website or on their Facebook page