Greetings everyone!
I am currently working on an Academy Bradley that was thrashed by a fellow modeller years ago. I managed to get it together and painted, but I need some help now.
1. The Big Problem: Unfortunately, eventhough my friend gave me most of the pieces, the large top hatch is missing. I am talking about the large hatch over the crew quarters, on the top back of the vehicle. I do not have proper tools & equipment nor the courage to scratchbuild the hatch with its angular shape, so I covered the empt slot with plastic card and painted it.
Question is... Can I hide it with equipment? Must this hatch be kept clear at all times or is it possible to be covered in bags, equipment, camo netting, tarps or other stuff?
2. The smaller problem.
I looked around for Bradley pics, in none of the references could I see any clear pictures of the pioneer tools on the vehicle. For example, what color should be the shovel handles, are they wood or metal? The Academy kit instructions are non-existent about these, any help will be much appreciated...
Thanks in advance!
Hosted by Darren Baker
M2 Bradley Tools and Hatch Question
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 07:47 AM UTC
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 08:30 AM UTC
Hi Emre
If it's not too late another way to solve your Big Problem could be sending you the missing hatch
Just PM me your snail mail adress if you're interested...
HTH
Frenchy
If it's not too late another way to solve your Big Problem could be sending you the missing hatch
Just PM me your snail mail adress if you're interested...HTH
Frenchy
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 09:08 AM UTC
Wow Frenchy, if you can do that it would be a bliss! I'll PM you right away!
Ric_Cody
Joined: May 22, 2005
KitMaker: 299 posts
Armorama: 294 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 09:37 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Greetings everyone!
I am currently working on an Academy Bradley that was thrashed by a fellow modeller years ago. I managed to get it together and painted, but I need some help now.
1. The Big Problem: Unfortunately, eventhough my friend gave me most of the pieces, the large top hatch is missing. I am talking about the large hatch over the crew quarters, on the top back of the vehicle. I do not have proper tools & equipment nor the courage to scratchbuild the hatch with its angular shape, so I covered the empt slot with plastic card and painted it.
Question is... Can I hide it with equipment? Must this hatch be kept clear at all times or is it possible to be covered in bags, equipment, camo netting, tarps or other stuff?
2. The smaller problem.
I looked around for Bradley pics, in none of the references could I see any clear pictures of the pioneer tools on the vehicle. For example, what color should be the shovel handles, are they wood or metal? The Academy kit instructions are non-existent about these, any help will be much appreciated...
Thanks in advance!
The cargo hatch has to be kept clear because if it needs to be open it cannot, and also when the turret traverses around and if the crew is not paying attention the gun can hit it and knock off the items, or damage the turret.
As far as the tools go, the shovel, matock handle, axe, and sledgehammer all have wooden handles, but some people paint them some keep them wood color using lindseed oil to keep the wood from rotting.
Ric
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 10:31 AM UTC
Thanks a lot Richard! I will paint the handles wood colored then, it looks good creating contrast with camouflage colors. With a replacement hatch I should be good to go.
By the way, here's how the kit reached my hands... (The owner, dissatisfied with the result, flung the kit to the wall, kept it around for some years, tried his airbrush on it, you name it, total wreck)
And here's the current situation. The decals were given to my by the previous owner, yes they are Tamiya decals and are probably very, very wrong for this particular vehicle. But this is a rescue operation after all
And here's my solution to the missing hatch. There's a cover at least
Pioneer tools, replacement hatch or something to cover the shameful part... and a kit rescued
By the way, here's how the kit reached my hands... (The owner, dissatisfied with the result, flung the kit to the wall, kept it around for some years, tried his airbrush on it, you name it, total wreck)
And here's the current situation. The decals were given to my by the previous owner, yes they are Tamiya decals and are probably very, very wrong for this particular vehicle. But this is a rescue operation after all
And here's my solution to the missing hatch. There's a cover at least
Pioneer tools, replacement hatch or something to cover the shameful part... and a kit rescued
Phil_H
Joined: November 10, 2005
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 442 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 02:28 PM UTC
Nice save considering what you had to start with... 
Erik67
Joined: July 31, 2005
KitMaker: 1,871 posts
Armorama: 1,423 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 04:21 PM UTC
I have to agree with Phil. That is a good rescue job. With the missing hatch from Frenchy in place it will be a really nice build.
Erik
Erik
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 05:37 PM UTC
Good save. The mantlet on the main gun doesn't look right, it is too high or something. The tracks are on backwards too. They should point down in the front in a "V" shape. The Gunner's Sight Unit (GSU) is missing its visor/cover. Maybe someone has an extra one of them too.
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 08:58 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Good save. The mantlet on the main gun doesn't look right, it is too high or something. The tracks are on backwards too. They should point down in the front in a "V" shape. The Gunner's Sight Unit (GSU) is missing its visor/cover. Maybe someone has an extra one of them too.
Backwards tracks, my mistake, didn't realize it until it was too late. I can't correct that without breaking off the sideskirts, but maybe I'll try.
GSU cover is among the missing pieces so I left it as it is. If someone has a spare I'll be further grateful.
The periscopes look too unnatural, I tried painting clear colors over silver, they don't look good. I'll paint over and try something else.
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 10:44 PM UTC
OK, here's a lesson on how to botch and ruin a rescue attempt...
After Gino's warning, I decided to correct the tracks, so much effort should not be in vain because of backwards tracks, right?
The right side was so easy that I should have been suspicious... I little pressure and the sideskirts gave way. It was even "moveable" for my pleasure. 30 seconds to change the tracks!
I was overcome by joy at this point.
Of course, the real world is cruel to the modeller. If something goes nice, you have to pay. When I made the same attempt at the left sideskirt... It didn't even budge. Somehow I glued in on so well that it refused to give an inch. I tried to weaken the connection point by cutting with an Xacto blade, I tried pushing, shoving... and then the entire hull broke in several places, the sideskirt still intact.
I decided to remove the tracks and reattach them by liftting the hull and working through, since I couldn't entirely remove the hull or the sideskirt without inflicting too much damage, the plastic was beginning to crack.
And THIS is what happened... the track just broke due to the strain. Now I have a broken hull, a broken track, broken morale. Guess I need a rescue attempt myself, eh?
After Gino's warning, I decided to correct the tracks, so much effort should not be in vain because of backwards tracks, right?
The right side was so easy that I should have been suspicious... I little pressure and the sideskirts gave way. It was even "moveable" for my pleasure. 30 seconds to change the tracks!
I was overcome by joy at this point.
Of course, the real world is cruel to the modeller. If something goes nice, you have to pay. When I made the same attempt at the left sideskirt... It didn't even budge. Somehow I glued in on so well that it refused to give an inch. I tried to weaken the connection point by cutting with an Xacto blade, I tried pushing, shoving... and then the entire hull broke in several places, the sideskirt still intact.
I decided to remove the tracks and reattach them by liftting the hull and working through, since I couldn't entirely remove the hull or the sideskirt without inflicting too much damage, the plastic was beginning to crack.
And THIS is what happened... the track just broke due to the strain. Now I have a broken hull, a broken track, broken morale. Guess I need a rescue attempt myself, eh?
afv_rob
Joined: October 09, 2005
KitMaker: 2,556 posts
Armorama: 2,199 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 01:37 AM UTC
Hey Emre, drop me a pm with your postal address and i'll get a new set of tracks in the post to you, ive got some spare from an old academy M2. I believe also that the gun mantlet is on upside down, thats why it looks too high, should be simple to correct. You've done a super job so far on what looked like a total wreck!
Phil_H
Joined: November 10, 2005
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 442 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 03:27 AM UTC
Oh dear...
This is the Academy kit isn't it? The track pads on the Academy tracks were moulded reversed on the track shoes, so although the chevrons pointed the wrong way, the track shoes themselves were oriented correctly in the original photos..
As far as the mantlet goes, it's oriented correctly but looks like it simply hasn't been mounted deep enough. From the rear looking forward, the coax mg should be to the right of the main gun barrel.
This is the Academy kit isn't it? The track pads on the Academy tracks were moulded reversed on the track shoes, so although the chevrons pointed the wrong way, the track shoes themselves were oriented correctly in the original photos..
As far as the mantlet goes, it's oriented correctly but looks like it simply hasn't been mounted deep enough. From the rear looking forward, the coax mg should be to the right of the main gun barrel.
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 07:57 AM UTC
I don't think I'll be correcting anymore stuff as the kit started falling apart in my hands
Thanks for the offer Rob! My tracks issue is resolved as Frenchy has saved the day, he's sending me all my missing parts and tracks. My many thanks to him again.
If and when my stash is somewhat reduced, I might buy a Tamiya Bradley and try my hand at that after this mess.
I will update when Frenchy's parts arrive.
Thanks for the offer Rob! My tracks issue is resolved as Frenchy has saved the day, he's sending me all my missing parts and tracks. My many thanks to him again.
If and when my stash is somewhat reduced, I might buy a Tamiya Bradley and try my hand at that after this mess.
I will update when Frenchy's parts arrive.
emroglan
Joined: December 16, 2004
KitMaker: 1,163 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 11:16 AM UTC
Hello again,
Sorry it has been 6 months... but finally I managed to complete repairs. School's been taking too much time. I found out being a Graduate and returning to school, especially after two years of working time, is hard. No one pays you for all the trouble and getting grades is hard .
Well, the Academy Bradley is refurbished with the parts I received from Frenchy, my many thanks to him once again. I tried some weathering with Mig pigments and Gunze pastels. I think there's something still "missing", but I can't see what. I'm still not satisfied.
Any constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome. I know it might have been much better, but this was a rescue operation on a thrashed kit, so this is the best I could give it. If you can spot what is missing, I will do my best. Maybe some dust on the turret? Hmmm?
Here it is:
Sorry it has been 6 months... but finally I managed to complete repairs. School's been taking too much time. I found out being a Graduate and returning to school, especially after two years of working time, is hard. No one pays you for all the trouble and getting grades is hard
.Well, the Academy Bradley is refurbished with the parts I received from Frenchy, my many thanks to him once again. I tried some weathering with Mig pigments and Gunze pastels. I think there's something still "missing", but I can't see what. I'm still not satisfied.
Any constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome. I know it might have been much better, but this was a rescue operation on a thrashed kit, so this is the best I could give it. If you can spot what is missing, I will do my best. Maybe some dust on the turret? Hmmm?
Here it is:
cyclones6
Joined: June 30, 2008
KitMaker: 1,199 posts
Armorama: 821 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 01:52 PM UTC
NICE
man I wish I could paint that 3 tone camo
Evan
man I wish I could paint that 3 tone camo
Evan
DeskJockey
Joined: July 17, 2006
KitMaker: 1,558 posts
Armorama: 1,159 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 01:55 PM UTC
Emre--you've done a good job rescuing this kit. I like the way the pigments came out.
I agree with you, though--I think it needs a little dust on the turret. You could also give it a pin wash to highlight recesses or apply filters to it to tie together the cammo.
I agree with you, though--I think it needs a little dust on the turret. You could also give it a pin wash to highlight recesses or apply filters to it to tie together the cammo.
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 06:01 PM UTC
Nice work Emre ! I was sure you would make good use of the hatch
Frenchy
Frenchy
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