1:35 US M727 MIM-23 Tracked Guided Missile Carrier

The loader that traveled with HAWK missiles

Besides its launchers, the MIM-23 HAWK system needed a machine to bring the missiles to the firing position and load them. That role was filled by the M727, built on the tracked chassis of the M548 cargo carrier from the M113 family. It carried three missiles on its platform and a hydraulic arm transferred them onto the launcher. The US Army introduced it in the 1960s and Israeli air defense units worked with it extensively as well, where it was part of the equipment of the batteries for a number of years.

The form of the model

This is a stand-alone model in 1:35 scale, supplied in the form of parts to be assembled and painted. In the box, then, you will not find a finished machine but a set of components from which you build one. The varied M548 body with its open platform lets both the tracked running gear and the load of missiles, which is the most conspicuous part of the whole scene, come into their own.

• The M727 tracked missile carrier and loader in 1:35 scale
• The chassis is based on the M548 carrier, meaning the M113 family
• Suitable as an addition to a diorama with an anti-aircraft battery
• Paints, glue and decal accessories are not included

Before building, wash the components in lukewarm water with detergent and let them dry completely. Assemble and level the running gear on a flat surface so that the machine does not sit crooked. Tracked vehicles of this type suit a dusty lower body and a matte varnish that emphasizes the sharp edges of the platform.

Ideas for setting it into a scene

The machine never moved on its own. It was accompanied by launchers, a target illumination radar and distribution boxes, and it is from such a group that a far more eloquent scene comes than from a single vehicle on a base. The three missiles on the platform also offer room for lettering and warning plates, which will enliven an otherwise uniform olive finish.