My latest project is an M2 Bradley from a REFORGER exercise in Germany in the late 1980s. It will be very detailed and have a full interior. From my research and asking at Armorama, it looks as though most of the M2s from the time frame were overall Forest Green, like these.
To achieve this, I am starting with the original Tamiya M2 kit (35132) from 1985.
To this I will be adding interior parts from the Meng M3A3 Interior set. The mix will be mostly Meng, with some of the Tamiya M2 interior parts to backdate it.
For tracks, I will be using the Hobby Boss M2 chevron block indi-link track set.
I also have the Aber metal main and coax barrel set, and the port gun set. Additionally, I have the Eduard Interior, Exterior, and Turret Interior PE sets to ad some detail. I also have collected other bits and pieces over the years for it.
Here it is so far. The tan parts and grey parts are Tamiya. The green parts are Meng’s M3A3 interior.
I’m watching this one as well. I have the same Tamiya kit (sitting in the stash for years - not really an armor guy but will build anything). Should be fun. BTW - for those in the know (Stik), how legitimate was the move Pentagon Wars re: the Bradley
My unit, 2/30 Inf, 3rd ID had 100% forest green M2A0s. I was a M2 drive/gunner from 84-87. Best time of my life!! That M2 was great to drive an deasy to work on.
Thanks guys. I hope to get some more work done on it soon. I have been busy with work and chores lately.
As to “Pentagon Wars”, don’t use it as any form of reference on reality. It was a total joke. Bradley development was a methodical process and the requirements changed in response to lessons learned from experiences on Middle East battlefields from Israel and to a changing threat from developing Soviet equipment.
Ive never seen the movie. So I can’t comment in one way or another. As for Bradley’s, I never crewed them nor served in a Bradley equipped unit. I only crossed paths with them on occasion.
Gino - nice project, I’ll be watching, I believe it’s going to be nice!
As for the Pentagon Wars - the movie was fun, but I’ve also read the book - and it sounds very true. It also explains why the US Military usually goes to a new war without the right tools for it. It’s a book that’s funny and very sad at the same time.
Watching The Pentagon Wars was part of the Logistics Executive Development Course at the Army Logistics Management College at Fort Lee, Virginia. While it is a satiric comedy, there were parts that were based on truths. They dissected the movie quite well.
Living, as I did, then, right at half-way between Hood and Houston, if it wasn’t someone I knew busy in working up to go, it was seeing equipment rolling by on the railroad mainline heading one way or the other.
Work continues. I have completed most of the interior work. I added the weapons mounts from the Eduard set on the interior and a few other pieces. Most of the Eduard parts have been eclipsed by the better Meng parts. I also used the inside periscopes from the Eduard set. I will use the seat belts and some other small parts as I finish it up.
The turret interior is built up too. The Meng turret interior fits the Tamiya turret base and opening well. I back-dated the turret front wall to the bareness of the original M2 with just an entry door into the coax compartment. I also will add a breech for the 25mm Bushmaster that I had made from a previous Bradley project. The breech was nto covered as it is on later marks of the Bradley. I used the Eduard radio rack, with a wider shelf and I will use the Meng radios (cut off their shelf) here too.
Lastly, I added Eduard parts and a bit of scratch to detail the insides of the driver’s and TOW reload hatch on the roof.
Next up will be some paint and more interior detailing.
