Matt had asked me to post some pics of my Amtrac series. Here they are in order:

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This is the 1/35 kit by TRAKZ of the LVT1. I have finished the kit as "My Deloris" #49, of the 2nd Marine Amphibious Division - the first Marine Corps LVT to make it to the beach at Betio Island (Tarawa Atoll) on November 21, 1943. She got shot up as she reached the seawall and tried to climb over. The crew escaped despite the bottom of the hull being shredded by machine gun fire. The LVT1 was the first amtrac version put into service, and saw action first as a cargo transporter, and then pressed into duty as an assault vehicle. This vehicle was completely unarmored and thin skinned. The kit is mainly an all resin model that was an extremely limited production kit - mostly due to the molds for the track links disintegrating quite rapidly during production. I believe there were 100 kits made.

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The next model is an LVT2, built from the Italeri LVTA1 kit and a TRAKZ resin conversion set. Italeri has since released an LVT2 kit. This model also depicts a Marine Tarawa amtrac that is documented in some photos and a reference book by David Harper.

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Again, the only armor was a welded on front plate and a piece of steel on the front of the driver's cab. The LVT2 was an improved design that featured better range and performance, and a reduced sponson height to make it easier for troops to exit.

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The next amtrac in the series was an improved version of the LVT2 - the LVTA2 - "A" was for armored. The vehicle was built with higher strength steel, and included an armored cab with wing extensions on the sides to better protect the crew. Gun shields were also introduced to protect the gunners.

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This model depicts a Marine LVTA2 from the Marianas campaign.

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Next is an incomplete LVTA1 - the turret is by Verlinden, with a Jordi Rubio turned aluminum 37mm gun barrel, and the plastic is by Italeri.

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Here's a top view of the turret - hard to see the detail painted up flat white, but that's the base interior color.

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The next vehicle is an LVTA4 - still based on the same chassis as the LVT2, but with the addition of an armored power turret sporting a 75mm howitzer assault gun. The turret is almost identical to, and is based on the M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC).The Marines needed more firepower as they approached the beach, and this vehicle provided just what they needed.

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I opened this model up, and did a full interior using a Verlinden detail set. I used a Tamiya M8 turret. Italeri has since come out with their own version with this turret, but it is "dimensionally challenged"! This model still needs some more weathering and a 50cal in the turret mount.

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The next vehicle in the series was the LVTA5, which was really just a refined LVTA4. It was introduced during the Okinawa and Iwo Jima invasions. It added a gyro-stabilizer for the turret, turret top skirt armor, additional antenna mounts on each side, and grab/storage rails around the turret. I scratchbuilt these items and used a TRAKZ resin turret. This model also needs more weathering and a pintel on the top front of the turret for a 50cal. mount.

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Next is a Viet Nam era LVTP5A1 by AFV Club. It was nicknamed the "Battlefield Bus" by the Marines - who chose to sit on top of the vehicle rather than inside as it was prone to exploding the gas tanks if it hit a land mine! The kit is assembled and ready for painting. It's a great kit right from the box and is one big vehicle!

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Finally, Here's a shot of my Tamiya AAVP7 painted in desert colors as it would have looked during the first Iraq war:

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Still to be done are builds of an Italeri LVT4 "Water Buffalo", which is a completely different vehicle that features a rear loading ramp, a couple more modern AAVP's, and I am still impatiently waiting for a kit of the LVT3 "Bushmaster" - again a unique vehicle from the others - I know as soon as I start scratch building one - someone will release a kit!!
Thanks for looking - sorry for the length of this post....
Regards,
Kevin