I'm getting confused...

I'm trying to knowck out a reasonably accurate M2a2, with interior. I have both Tamiya M2 kits (M2 & M2A2).

The seating arrangement is giving me problems! I am pretty sure it has changed from the old M2 standard.

I have snagged Sabot's images from the motorpool and the seating appears like below.



OK...Fine, until I open up the Concord Bradley book, "M2A2/ M3A2 Bradley, Backbone of U.S. Mechanized Infantry". I flip through and arrive at page (sorry mty scanner is out of commission for now or I'd have a picture) 40. There are a couple of shots of the Crew Compartment, and it looks like bench seats along the outer edges of the crew compartment. Also they are padded...

I realize that there are M2A2, M2A2ODS and M2A3 versions, but I am CONFUSED

Any help clearing this up would be a PLUS!

THANKS!

Jim/ Jaster

The bench seats replaced the original seating arrangement that you have pictured in the M2A2 ODS varient. This is the current M2A2/A3 in use today. It was changed after lessons learned in Operation Desert Storm (ODS). The seating arrangement was one of many changes made. Tamiya is supposed to come out with an ODS Bradley in the near future. However, it will probably be just as over priced and void of an interior as their M2A2 was. By the way, the Tamiya M2 and Acadaemy copy interiors drop straight into the M2A2 since it is the same hull and are a good starting place.

Here is a link to Tamiya's forthcoming ODS Bradley. Looks like no interior. Lots of extras though. Will have to see price.

The seating arrangement above would be appropriate for an M2A2 used during Operation Desert Storm or during REFORGER 88 Certain Challenge. The bench seating is an "ODS" upgrade and did not occur until after the lessons learned from combat operations during Desert Storm.

The upgrades did not occur immediately after DS/DS so this configuration will still be found in many M2A2s even today as evidenced by the photo that is less than a year old.

So if one makes a diorama of OIF the bradley must have the bench inside ?
Or are some Bradleys in IRAQ still equiped with the seats???
Because as the Tamya Bradley kits interiors are seats then it s impossible to use the M2A2 for an OIF dio unless the back door remains closed
I was told the new Bradely ODS from TAmya will have an Interior or is that false?