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Hello everyone,
I wanted to share this with you. I was trying to field a predator the other day without side sponsons for my BA list at low points. I decided that a new model was needed for my army and it had to be an accurate representation of a 70pt troop munching pred. I did not want to spend a ton of money on something that I may never use again but, it had to be cool looking and very close to the size of a Rhino hull. I did a web search and it brought me to this site. I found a fellow's post that showed the scale of actual tanks and how to reduce them down at 1/35, 1/48 etc... I tried to go back and find him but, to no avail. Anyway, it was a superb post and he mentioned that GW got their design from the M113 for the Rhino so I got to work. I found the M113 Fire Support model by Tamiya online and purchased it on Amazon for around 25 bucks including shipping. I have been playing with 40k toys for close to 10 years and we have 4 armies here in the house and two are Marines so our bits box is a treasure trove. I cut the tip off of an Auto Cannon bit, glued it on along with a dozen other bits and cut a marine hatch size hole in the turret and came up with this. Hope this post helps someone.

The execution here is flawless and the paintjob is great too... overall it is a great looking model.

I do have to say, that one panel does look a little out of place being so bare, if only because the Space Marine tanks are so detailed and ornate naturally. If it had just even one raised panel with the BA chapter symbol on it or something I dunno.

Still a great looking model though. Thanks for sharing.

the sides need some random panels/built in ladder like the rhino, and some more rivets!

Thanks so much gentlemen, I appreciate the input. I will add the ladder and a BA sigil. Great ideas.

Ladder added. Thanks again.

Looks great! You could fairly easily scratch build some sponsons if you were so inclined.

Nice work. I made a couple of Rhino's from 1/35 m113's back in the day. Even made one from a bradely M3, but it was WAAY too big. The Tamiya line (what I used also) It's a neat kit and your's looks much better than my attempts. I think I want to go back and reapaint and detail mine up a bit too now after seeing your work.

The ladder actually looks a bit off, but only because it extends above the side of the hull. There's no practical reason it would, and it should really be flush with the top of the hull.

Thank you everyone for your input! I am glad I joined this community. I am confused about one thing however. When I reply, does everyone that has participated in this discussion see my comments? Or must I use the QUOTE tab to have my reply seen? Thanks again all. Oh about the ladder, I know it is not aesthetically pleasing sticking out over the hull. However, it is most definitely useful to have a ladder extend beyond the surface you are trying to climb on top of. Take it from a guy that has carried roofing shingles up a ladder on his shoulders for hours at a time.

Didn't see you were new, welcome aboard!

When you post a reply, anyone reading the thread can see your post, whether they have posted here or not. The 'Quote' button allows you to copy something another user has said into your post, for example to make it clear what you are replying to.

Thank you Paradigm, it is a pleasure to be a part of the community. Also thanks for the clarification. This site has a wealth of knowledge. Learning a lot.