Does this two kit have anything in common? I want the ODS one but it's not currently available. I have to wait for a few weeks wherein the IFV one is locally available. Will it be easy to convert the IFV to ODS one?

I assume you mean 35152 M2A2 Bradley IFV kit, not the much older 35132 M2 Bradley.

In ODS kit you get all the parts from older M2A2 kit, except for tracks. Instead of old tracks with chevron shape road blocks you get new one piece vinyl tracks with rectangular blocks. In addition to this you get additional sprue with ODS specific parts: some new armor plates, antenna mount, commander/gunner's sight covers, new fluted gun barrel, new exhaust box, some gear to hang on the vehicle, including CIP panels and new figure.

Actually new parts that you get in ODS kit allow you to build a M2A2 vehicle partially modified to ODS standard, but not factory built (or should I say factory "rebuilt") ODS vehicle. So even this new kit requires some extra work to make it factory built M2A2 ODS.

But even if you just want to achieve similar results from older Tamiya M2A2 kit as you can get from new ODS kit you will face a few problems. The biggest problem are tracks - the one you will get in older kit are no longer used on ODS vehicles. You can buy resin replacement set (including other suspension parts) from Blast Models but it is quite expensive. You don't need fluted barrel as many ODS vehicles in Iraq still use old style smooth barrel, but you will still need to scratch build CIP panels, new exhaust and turret sight covers - not very difficult if you have good reference photos.

So I would suggest waiting until ODS kit is available in your area - the new kit is worth buying just for new tracks.

Rgds,
Pawel

Hi
Maybe you could have a look at Terry Ashley's review on the PMMS website. It shows pics of the new ODS parts...
www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/tamiya/tam35264.htm

HTH
Frenchy

Wow! Thanks guys! Now wait till I get my hands on the ODS one! Hehehe

BTW, does the IFV one has an interior? My ODS version doesn't have one

Only the Bradley original M2 IFV has an interior (35132) and the Academy copy (1335). While the M2, M3, M2A2 and M2A2ODS are the same base kit and the interior will drop fit into any of the hulls, the older M2 IFV interior is much different from the later variant interiors. If you just want an interior and don't care if it is accurate or not, get the cheaper Academy kit and take the interior from it to add to the later Bradley.