This M-113 APC is a beautiful handcrafted military vehicle model made from solid mahogany wood. All hand-made, hand etched, sanded, and polished to a high gloss finish to reveal the rich wood grains. The M113 was the first aluminum hull combat vehicle to be put into mass production, it introduced new aluminum armor that made the vehicle much lighter than earlier vehicles; it was thick enough to protect the crew and passengers against small arms fire but light enough that the vehicle was air transportable and moderately amphibious. In the U.S. Army, the M113 series have long been replaced as front-line combat vehicles by the M2 and M3 Bradleys, but large numbers are still used in support roles such as armored ambulance, mortar carrier, engineer vehicle, and command vehicle. The U.S. Army's heavy brigade combat teams are equipped with approximately 6,000 M113s and 4,000 Bradleys. This can be the centerpiece of conversation at your next gathering, and a must have for any military vehicle enthusiast.