Hello,
after having as Christmas present a BMP-2 from Revell i have decided build it as the one the Finnish Defence Forces are using.
After some research i founded that pictures:






then i i think that i will need the following aftermarket products:
- Sp designs early upper hull.
- Modelpoint early turret (anybody knows if Modelpoint still is working, everytime i enter the web page the BMP-2 turret is out of stock).
- Master club wheels and tracks.

Obviously from the photos i need to scratchbuild the white circles in the front lower hull (anybody knows the purpose of that circles?)
In another picture of a BMP-1 , so i guess also in the BMP-2,in the rear fenders there are 3 red circles. ( again anybody knows the purpose?)




When i was thinking that that was what i needed i founded that:




My lovely BMP-2 with new side skirts.
So i need help if anybody know where i can find pictures because i would like to scratchbuild that side skirts and doing what i guess is the last improvement of the BMP-2 in the finnish army.
Another thing is that i think that the periscope of the gunner is different, again anybody has pictures.
Thank a lot if anybody can help me, i will try to put pictures of my WIP.
Cheers.
PD: are not the new side skirts a little bit small to current standards, specially because would offer minimal protection against the dreaded RPG-7.

Thank You Mr. Owsley,
then anybody knows where to find Modelpoint products in Europe?.

Cheers.

Sounds like a great project. That Finnish camouflage will look fantastic.

I have checked my usual internet suppliers and none of them carry Modelpoint - sorry I could not help.

Looking forward to follow your project

I've put up my Finn BMP-2 photos on my Webshots page HERE . The red circles are just reflectors - used for safety reasons as the Finnish vehicles travel frequently on public roads. Sounds like you've got a good start for the project. Main thing is the turret and proper upper hull with the corrected rear hatches. Wheels and tracks are next important.

Cheers,
Jim

Thank you Jesper for your search and Jim ,I really apreciate the pictures, is exactly what i was needing.

So before i find a shop for the Modelpoint turret i will start tackling the side skirts. I hope i can do something at least with some resemblance because wil be my first scrachtbuilding, but anyway i want to be as accurate as posible. I will put pictures. Now i gonna star doing some drawings for the basic desing of these side skirts.
Cheers.

Hi Javier


The red circles at the rear look like as reflectors to me. That is what I think.
If the white ones on the front also be reflectors, I do not know.

I hope, that will help you.

Nils

Javier,

The white circles on the front are in fact reflectors and the red ones on the rear of the unit are lights. You can see the wiring that goes out of the body into the rear of the mounting plate, probably LED type. Have you checked out some of the super stores online for the upgrades, like Great Models, Hobby Buy or some of the others?


Hope this helps out.

If finding the Modelpoint turret is too hard or takes too long, there is also the turret option from SP Designs. SP Designs also has two BMP-1 conversions available.

I am currently working on the "Potok-2" command BMP, based on the BMP-1, and I would also recomend the Eduard PE set. While you may not use all of it, there is a lot in there that woudl help you make a great kit...especially after you have put so much other money into it.

I was considering also considering the SP Designs turret, the price is much better that Modelpoint but the pictures in the webpage are not close so i cannot judge about the level of details of the SP Designs turret. Anyway look hard to find the Modelpoint turret so SP designs turret is gaining points...
One last thing, Mr. Duquette you know if Mr.Paksjutov is planing to do in the far far future the side skirts of the finnish BMP-2(I know is not possible but i live with hope...) , I was all the day thinking how to do them and I'm afraid are too much for my scratchbuilding skills.
Cheers.

First, here is a close up shot of SP Designs kit #100, the BMP-2 turret w/o armor:



Hope that helps. In my opinion not as good the Modelpoint kit, but very close. Luxury over practicality. My opinion anyhow.

Second, the Finnish BMP-2 side skirts are cut down from normal side skirts. Check your refs, but it looks like they went to the second "rib" and cut there. Then some putty to fill the top "rib indention" and a little more work should get you what you want, but I will pass on the info to Sergej to see what he thinks.

Thanks Mr. Duquette,
the turret looks really good and with the Eduard PE i think will be really nice.
Concerning the side skirts i was already with a pencil marking them for cutting exactly at the point you sugested but the main problem is the front part of them and a chamfer alonside them. Also i would need to add some anti skid material on the top of the side skirts.
Thanks also for sending the request of the skirts to Mr.Paksjutov.

Cheers.

I'd say they're reflectors. Clear on the front, red on the back so you now what way the vehicle's facing when driving at night.

There's some more photos right at the source, the army website's gear database:
http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/kalustoesittely/index.dsp?level=101&equipment=68

You're in need of reference pics?
Well, I got a set of photos from last summer when the army held a veteran memorial event at the Senate Square in Helsinki. Among the gear and vehicles on display there was a BMP-2.
I got 17 pics, including close-ups of the headlights, side skirts, running gear and turret (best I could take with the ban on climbing on top of the vehicles).

Let me know you'd like to have a copy.