1/35 Bushmaster PMV (Yes, the SMA one!)
Victoria, Australia
Joined: November 03, 2008
KitMaker: 294 posts
Armorama: 291 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 02:08 PM UTC
Hi all,
Its been AGES since I posted a blog up here - and i've picked a good one (well, I think so) to come back with - the 1/35 scale Bushmaster from Showcase Models Australia. I picked my pre-orders up this morning (Saturday 8th Oct) direct from their store in Melbourne.
Im not 100% whether this build will be a straight out of the box build, or whether i'll detail the kit up. Happy to hear people's opinions either way.
So, stay tuned, lots more to come!
Sam
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Joined: March 29, 2011
KitMaker: 15 posts
Armorama: 11 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 03:01 PM UTC
Just paid for mine , now to wait for the mailman.
Alberta, Canada
Joined: February 18, 2003
KitMaker: 1,728 posts
Armorama: 1,629 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 03:12 PM UTC
Hey Sam, nice to see you got an extra one for me!
.
Actually have 2 on pre-order, hope I hear from them soon! How do they look?
Jim
"Fire all weapons and open a hailing frequency for my victory yodel" - Zapp Brannigan
Victoria, Australia
Joined: November 03, 2008
KitMaker: 294 posts
Armorama: 291 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 03:34 PM UTC
Hi Guys,
Jim, i think they're sending out the preorders in the next couple of weeks.
In the box, the kit looks pretty good, specially for a limited run injection moulded thing. I also think there'll be lots of scope for improvement, as there is with everything.
Heres the box contents:
Clear parts, that will stay bagged till I'm ready to fit them
So, I can start building now!
Sam
South Australia, Australia
Joined: November 06, 2010
KitMaker: 537 posts
Armorama: 474 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 07:12 PM UTC
Awesome sam, saw this and rang SMA immeadiately - my 2 are in the mail on Monday!
The biggest 'missing" piece I guess is the winch but Im not sure. The winch is virtually manditory for deployed vehicles I think.
Im going to do the RAAF version OOB and hopefully have it ready for the SAPMA comp last weekend october.
Jason did the DUKE antennas for the ASLAV and im sure its not much to mount them on the Bushy. Armament will be interesting mod to think about - CROWS Aussie version will be on the cards Im sure!
What sort of things stand out as needing basic/manditory corrections? looks pretty good so far !
Maybe Jason will do a review of this kit in the same detail he did of the ASLAV trump kit (or you could!)
Im green with envy..
Adam
Aussies in Afghan diorama (PMV & T55)
Paris, France
Joined: August 30, 2005
KitMaker: 2,315 posts
Armorama: 2,158 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 08:53 PM UTC
REally good news
Great more modern vehicle
what else ??
Cheers
Seb
Victoria, Australia
Joined: November 03, 2008
KitMaker: 294 posts
Armorama: 291 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 09:51 PM UTC
Quoted Text
The biggest 'missing" piece I guess is the winch but Im not sure. The winch is virtually manditory for deployed vehicles I think.
What sort of things stand out as needing basic/manditory corrections? looks pretty good so far !
Adam
Hi Adam - yeah the winch, well its not included in the kit, but thats not a real drama, there are examples of Bushmaster's on deployment without it:
So, my first impressions of this kit are generally good. Its great to see this vehicle finally available in kit form.
Ive started construction this afternoon, and got the suspension done. Its overly complicated, and generally 'sloppy'. The lower A arms are held into the transaxles with tiny pins, which were next to useless. I used 30 thou evergreen rod instead. I had to chop the rear tie rods on one side to get the camber and caster right on the rear suspension.. not fun. Luckily one can't see much under there.
To the photos:
bit of misalignment, but the vehicle sits on all 4 wheels, and doesn't rock
Interior floor fits nicely (its just pressed in here at present) and has nice tread plate texture
Nice details overall
Hull rear
For a giggle i put some ACM ASLAV crew in the air guard hatches
Sam
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 10:30 PM UTC
I can tell you from first hand experience, one of the decal options in this kit U55A was my car in Iraq fir 8 and a half months that my vehicle did not have a which...from memory out of the 10 sneezing wombats (bushmasters) we had in country I blieve 4 had winches.....we akways travelled with ASLAV escort, so having a which wasn't a problem, as there was always at least 1 vehicle in the patrol or convoy that had a which, so if you decide to build my bushy, it will be correct without a which.....
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: June 21, 2011
KitMaker: 87 posts
Armorama: 83 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 10:37 PM UTC
I have ordered one should have it soon I hope it looks great do you get the bird with the kit as well as it's always been on the box art?
Not bothered if it's not in the kit but it would be nice.
Pete
If you have a question about having something etched please send me an E-mail through my web site. Click here to visit my site:
Thank you
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 10:41 PM UTC
I'm sure there will be aftermarket stuff available
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 10:58 PM UTC
And sorry to be pedantic, they are not " air guard hatches"..... They were hatches for " operators", the blokes who stood in the back hatches foe extra security, they had mounts on th back, but most of the operators, neve used t,hem as they fel they were too restricted snd preferred to use their own weapons holding them....I doubt they had a name, just rear hatches.....
I myself was in the supervisors hatch behind the mag58, but on a few occasions I stood as an operator in the rear and the mounted minimi was a pain in the arse, the two figures you have in the rear hatches show how the real operators would have positioned themselves
Al Qahirah, Egypt / لعربية
Joined: July 23, 2004
KitMaker: 6,856 posts
Armorama: 6,363 posts
Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011 - 11:09 PM UTC
That was a very quick build!! And it's looking very nice so far. Can't wait to get mine.
Who makes that ASLAV crew... ACM?
Hisham
Queensland, Australia
Joined: July 01, 2009
KitMaker: 278 posts
Armorama: 248 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 12:09 AM UTC
Hi Sam. Looks fairly good but something with the front just doesn't look right. Can't put my finger on it.
The photo with "Santa" standing on top was my Command Variant when I was there in 09. I wasn't Commanding her for that particular trip but she was mine.
As for the winch the SOP is one winch per four car section. As we lost vehicles some were replaced with winch fitted vehicles only by chance and not design. For example in the OMLT-D section none were fitted with a winch yet a section in Fox Squadron had all four fitted with a winch.
Can't wait for mine. I'll have to wait for payday though.
Cheers, John
I'm not a Tanker, I'm better than that. I'm Cavalry.
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 09:07 AM UTC
I think we had ours straight from the factory....but I'm pretty sure we had 4 whinch cars....all ours were the troop carrying variant....I reckon the front looks right, you gotta remeber it's a 1/35 scale model, and Im just pleased to be able to get a kit of the bushy in the first place !!!! Going by my photos I have of my car it looks pretty dam good!!
I think it's great someone has finally stuck their neck out and produced this....I'm not a rivet counter, I jut appreciate th fact this model is available and finally some real Aussie armour is available
England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: October 28, 2006
KitMaker: 203 posts
Armorama: 195 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 11:25 AM UTC
How many you need there......one will do me.
Love the photo with the fella stood on top , would like to have a go at that scene.All the best with it , safe in your hands I rekon.
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 02:28 PM UTC
I got two that I'm picking up, and will certainly be doing up my bushmaster U 55A, going to be weird to build a building a kit of something I actually used after years of building kits of other vehicles......and I got the best reference photos, the ones I took of her over there....the only other kit that I have half completed is the trumpeter ASLAV, one of the marking options on that kit is a 2 CAV vehicle that was over there with us......I also have the tamiya Japanese armoured car, again we used to escort those vehicles everywhere......nice little trio
Distrito Federal, Brazil
Joined: April 03, 2006
KitMaker: 284 posts
Armorama: 273 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 02:51 PM UTC
Please, how is detailing of interior of Bushmaster Kit?
Thanks
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 03:25 PM UTC
It's all there.....seats look good with decals for the cam pattern, shelving and radio stack shelving, nice drivers compartment and the correct angles inside of the hull...even PE seat belts and PE internal hull sides and PE fire extinguisher brackets
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Joined: March 29, 2011
KitMaker: 15 posts
Armorama: 11 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 04:53 PM UTC
Queensland, Australia
Joined: July 01, 2009
KitMaker: 278 posts
Armorama: 248 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 06:32 PM UTC
I'm not debating the shape as that is right and it looks pretty accurate but I finally pinged why it didn't look correct. It sits too low on the suspension.
Have a look at the pic of "Santa" and see where the centre of the wheel is then compare it to Sams built one. The centre of the wheel should be nearly in line with the bottom of the fuel cell where as Sam's is in line with the split ring. Not Sam's fault but something that we should be made aware of. Won't know how to correct that until I get my one.
Having said that I can't wait to get mine.. Even asked the Minister of Home Finance and she was happy for me to get one....or two...or three (what she doesn't know won't hurt).
I also know Jason has been working on some AM but has been waiting for the kit to be released. Can't wait to see what he has cooked up.
Cheers, John
I'm not a Tanker, I'm better than that. I'm Cavalry.
South Australia, Australia
Joined: November 06, 2010
KitMaker: 537 posts
Armorama: 474 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 07:28 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I also know Jason has been working on some AM but has been waiting for the kit to be released. Can't wait to see what he has cooked up.
without a doubt, theres a goodie list i would very much like to see !
If I had a wishlist though, it would go something like :
crew figures!
external stowage kit (combined ASLAV stowage)
crows with Aussie mods,
and winch pack!
a few other decal options wouldnt go astray either!
Im sure he wont dissapoint .,.. better go unfreeze the credit card..
oh please stop pointing out things that need to be fixed... I just wanna build it OOB !
Adam
Aussies in Afghan diorama (PMV & T55)
Removed by original poster on 10/09/11 - 06:35:22 (GMT).
Victoria, Australia
Joined: November 03, 2008
KitMaker: 294 posts
Armorama: 291 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 07:36 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
I also know Jason has been working on some AM but has been waiting for the kit to be released. Can't wait to see what he has cooked up.
without a doubt, theres a goodie list i would very much like to see !
If I had a wishlist though, it would go something like :
crew figures!
external stowage kit (combined ASLAV stowage)
crows with Aussie mods,
and winch pack!
a few other decal options wouldnt go astray either!
Im sure he wont dissapoint .,.. better go unfreeze the credit card..
oh please stop pointing out things that need to be fixed... I just wanna build it OOB !
Adam
Guys, two words:
Stay.
Tuned!
Sam
Queensland, Australia
Joined: July 01, 2009
KitMaker: 278 posts
Armorama: 248 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 08:17 PM UTC
Quoted Text
oh please stop pointing out things that need to be fixed... I just wanna build it OOB !
Sorry Adam. Bad habit so I promise to bite my tongue .
Nah, can't back that one up.
Cheers, John
I'm not a Tanker, I'm better than that. I'm Cavalry.
Victoria, Australia
Joined: October 08, 2011
KitMaker: 35 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 09:12 PM UTC
I reckon maybe you have modified the suspension too much....making it lower than it should be....I have seen this kit built and it sits just right on the one I have seen
