Olivier Carneau provides an In-Box Review of the BMP-2 Interior by A.E.F. Designs in 1/35.

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Thanks!

frankly the interior is very poor, very poor

Pretty typical AEF product.

Poor would be an understatement. Why is it cast like short-run plastic?

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All Tony's stuff is cast this way. He claims to use a pressurized system but I have also heard he'll use day laborers to cast his stuff.........

I can't figure out why he's still around. I have bought many sets in the past and I like his T72 turrets and some of the smaller sets, just not complete sets or conversions.

Flame on

I'd rather spend my money on a few big burgers than..............

I have seen first hand how Tony manufacturers these sets. Several years back I called and asked about coming by and picking up a set as I was going to be in the area that day. Not a problem he said. This was probably two weeks prior and I did contact him again the day I was coming up and spoke with him. The comment about him using day laborers is true, or at least at that time was as there was a guy and girl there (Early 20ish) working on mold boxes. Now comes the interesting part....
The basement they were working in was a complete and total disaster. Small dogs and their related "piles" were cause to watch where I was walking. Add to that food wrappers, and just trash in general. My basement has gotten messy and disorganized on occasion, but this was like nothing I have ever seen before or since. He showed me a couple of on going projects which looked pretty cool in their "master" state. I asked about mine and he hands me this box. I crack it open and the damn resin is still warm and still soft!! I'm glad I did as the parts were already beyond being warped and I asked for some replacement ones. He looks, says ok, and walks over to a 2 gallon pressure pot encrusted in gray resin and opens it up. Pours some resin into a mold, inserts said mold into the pressure pot, adds some air and continues to show me a few items he is working on while my parts are curing. Ding..a timer goes off and he pulls the parts out....and guess what? They are just like the others, still soft and warm. I had had enough, so I took them and laid them flat in the bottom of the box andhoped they would cure out and stay flat. The only thing that I will give Tony is that he has some of the coolest subjects out there, but his quality control and customer service practices suck a** big time. The fact that I got thru to him on the phone both times was an absolute fluke in my book. I had written to AEF on more than one occassion with no response at all. The only way I will use any of his products any more is if I get them for free, or if I am going to use them as a pattern to scratch build something. Anyway, that was my experience with AEF and Tony. Buyer beware, and you bette have some serious modeling skills and patience.
"Q"

I have his BMP3 Interior w/lower hull. It sits partially completed and most likely will remain that way. I threw down some serious cash for 3 different T-72 Turrets, his T-90S conversion, the BMP3 set, and the T-55AM2B conversion. Not one of them was "clean". The BMP lower hull is badly warped, the interior benches do not fit the lower hull and the list goes on.

The turrets are ok, but again very sloppy casting, and I bought them without knowing if they are even accurate. They sit in the basement un-touched. The T-55 conversion seemed the best of all of them. I completed that kit, but realized towards the end that he never shipped the side skirts. I called him, and he told me "no problem I'll ship them immediately". I never received them. I will never buy another AEF product again.

Not to add fuel to the fire, but none of my experiences with AEF have been positive. Like Q said, he has some cool subjects (that look OK on the website), but I've personally never seen an AEF product that was good to go out of the box.

It's truly a wonder that he manages to stay in business.

-YL

What puzzles me are built up models I have seen of his. They really are nice looking. If the masters are this nice, why can't he get the castings to come at least somewhere close to them? I think if Tony were to get his quality control and customer service issues straightened out he would have a ton of sales. I have said that for years, but nothing has changed. He has got to know by now that folks aren't happy. Yep, wonder he's still in business. And on a side note... I beat him in a contest with one of his own kits. Granted it took me more time replacing parts with my own scratch built items, than what I used from his kit, but it put a smile on my face to watch his disappointment that he didn't stomp me in the category. Its the little victory's that count. lol
"Q"

I have to say that AEF is one of those sweet/sour subjects that alwasy comes up. Tony's stuff was GREAT...for the late 1980's and very early 1990's. Kinda like DML's soviet vehicle kits.

BUT...

Tony has not seemed to keep up with the times. The entire reason I pushed Sergej of SP Designs to do the BMP-2 upper hulls and turrets was because I KNEW he could do a better job with the master and the casting...for a cheaper price. Seems I was correct.

Tony makes most of his money off of IDF conversions and such. That is the bulk. The Soviet stuff is his personal interest, prodded more by his interest than by the market. I think his sales are very slow and product is produced on order. I think most sales of his Soviet stuff come from people who do not know the story or business' who are filling orders.

In the end, I do think there is something worthwhile to be taken from AEF Designs kits, but not at the prices charged. I have the BMD interior that I was able to get for $10. At that price it is worth it...yes, lots of pieces will be scratch built or replaced, but it provides a pattern. I would not pay more than $10 for it though...same with all the other AEF stuff I have.'

So if you want a kit you have to work with, and it is of a subject you just have to have, it is your choice. But understand going in what you are paying for.

On a last note, I really appreciate that he has, through his business, kept a lot of interest in Soviet/Russian armor alive. He kept me interested back in my very lean, no $$$ years and he has also inspired me to try to get better products on the market. That is worth a thank you if nothing else.