I’ve only been an occasional lurker on the site, and haven’t built a model for a few years. Work has finally settled me in one area for a few years without deployments, so I got back into building.
I started with Tamiya’s 1/35 M2A2, bought a Legend conversion kit to make it an A3, and a Verlinden reactive armor kit. I never worked with resin before, so some of the Legend’s parts were replaced with OOB parts when the brittle resin cracked on me. I also never worked with photo-etched parts, so things like the headlights are mostly OOB. I wasn’t too impressed with the fit and finish of the reactive armor.
Paint is Testor’s Modern Desert Sand from a spray can, a wash with Italian Brown from Testor’s, and then my “ground-up-pencil-graphite-on-my-fingertip” dry brush technique I made up. Eventually it’ll receive a Dull Cote finish.
Two years ago, they weren’t big on “identifiable markings” such as bumper numbers on the vehicles that went out on patrol, so I’m not sure if I’ll do much with decals. It won’t be over-accesorized with a bunch of packs either, since it’s not supposed to be like the Brads that took part in the initial invasion; just a few bags, MRE boxes, water cans, etc. I’m an artillery officer, so I haven’t been up close to Bradleys very much. Any tips on details would be nice.
When I go to the monthly IPMS meeting in a couple weeks, I can get some really good photos of the completed model. We have a guy with a real professional photo setup.
Hi TheSchoenman, welcome. Nice looking build. I can’t help much with suggestions for details, but I’m sure you will get some soon enough from other members.
Hello TheSchoenman, welcome to the forums! Looking at your model I’d say you’re one of ours[:D].
I like your model a lot, nice, not overdone in any way. I like the sight optics a lot, what did you use for this ‘pink’ effect? If you ask for a detail tip, the first thin that cought my eye were the 'scopes of the driver and TC - they look painted-over to me, shouldn’t they be at least dark, or sport the same fancy coating as the sight? Keep 'em coming and have a nice day
Well, it’s not completely finished. I’ll finish the periscopes after everything else is done and received the dullcote. I had to do the CITV and the gunner’s window/ sight because they’re behind other parts, and I’ve kept them masked when I was painting. I cut these Next Style Beaded Fringe sequins to the right size for the gunner’s sight and CITV. I found the sequins at Hobby Lobby while the wife was looking for sewing supplies. On the driver and TC hatches, I’ll alternate with purple and “harlequin” orange for the periscopes.
Welcome fellow Redleg. Always good to have another cannon-cocker on the site.
It looks pretty good from what I can see in the so-so pics. They are too far away to see most details. I agree with Pawel though, the driver’s and TC’s periscopes should have the red anti-laser coating as the other optics. The tracks look way too rusty too. In desert environs, tracks get hardly any rust at all. They end up mostly as poloshed metal from the sand. Good start. I would have to see some better pics of it to give a better assesment and more tips.
Alright, I’m calling it done. The wife hasn’t seen me all day either…
I tried to lighten-up and “polish” the tracks with a dry brush of silver, but I’m not sure how well that worked. I only used purple for the periscopes since the orange sequins were too light and looked tan on the vehicle. I also decided to put platoon markings/ bumper numbers on it after seeing them on most reference photos. I’m a bit disappointed with the wash and weathering on the left side skirt; I’ll see if I can even it out a bit.
So here are some final pics. Sorry, but my camera isn’t the greatest and a bit shake-y. I couldn’t get very clear close-ups even with the camera in macro mode.
Like I previously wrote, I like your build a lot, now it even got better. You found a really good fix on the optics.
Now for the fotos - my humble experience shows, that you can do a lot even with a poor camera if the lighting is good. What we are looking for is a ligh source with biggest possible dimensions - the bigger the light source, the softer the shadows. So the number 1 candidate would be the sky - it doesn’t get bigger than that[:)]. Other ideas - light from the window, reflected from some kind of light surface or - and it works for me - fluorescent tube. I have one mounted on a “arm” type lamp. Then you sometimes just have to increase the exposition time, that’s where a tripod - even a cheap one - comes in very handy.
Hope this helps. I vote for the Abrams! Keep 'em coming and have a nice day
Glad you came down from the FO position…it’s more fun in the firing battery.
First the guys here are alway helpful…second, never apologize we all started somewhere and if you keep at it as long as some of us, you will learn a bunch of tricks and get better.
Here is on for the tail lights…instead of using red paint, I follow the same path as the real deal…first a paint the lens a silver metallic, then I used clear red paint which dries gloss like the lens and gices the look of the tail lights. The same can be done for turn signals with clear orange and reflectors.
Head lights are a horse of another color…the are varios methods or after market item you can get to make them better.
You are in the AF mode…before you know it every build will be a FFE!
I don’t know enough about the Bradley to comment on what the details should look like but the overall build looks good to me. Google, books, and forum members are wonderful resources for your research.
If you stay in the hobby for a while I suggest an airbrush. Spray cans are goob for the beginner and offer reasonable value. They are however called “spray bombs” for a reason. You can put a whole lotta paint out before you realize it.
Get a reasonably priced airbrush to start, and a compressor with a pressure regulator. Lots of package deals online. If you spray acrylic, weather with oil and enamel, and vice versa. Unless you’re Wbill then the laws of physics don’t apply!
Also I am the last guy to use for advice on airbrushing. Even now , after years and years, I still say a prayer, and request an old priest and a young priest to be in attendence at every painting session. (keep in mind, I’m Jewish!)
For the first one in a while this came out very nice.
BTW what’s holding the spare wheel on the fender (besides glue)? [:D]
