He Guys !

Here some good news ... M1A2 V2 and Bradley A3s are stationed in Germany.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq3Sx5Lf580


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLb9e6lSCzI

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strykers-Rose-Barracks-Vilseck-Germany/420836127968953

http://www.stripes.com/news/american-tanks-return-to-europe-after-brief-leave-1.264910

Cheers
Christopher

And this means a lot SEP V2s and Bradley A3s in NATO 3-color camo

Good thing that I still have around 5 Dragon M1A2 kits stacked in my basement
And now I know exactly what my MENG Bradley is gonna look like

Cheers
Christopher

Christopher, t'anks for the news.

Here ya go!
















cheers

Makes my heart skip a beat!
Many thanks

I saw some pics of the Bradley's , Looks like they are wearing new tracks similar to the bigfoot tracks on the Abrams ..

You are right !
Look a little like the DIEHL tracks from the MARDER.
Any Input on this ?

Cheers
Chridtopher

They must be going to PrePo stocks as there are no longer any Armor units in Germany. All that is left there is a Stryker BDE.

Hi Gino !

The Stars & Stripes indicate that this outfit will be used for stateside units to train in Europe...
An upcoming EX in France is even mentioned somewhere ... that'll be interesting ... M1s & Leclerc and all rest..
... Leo2s

Made some fon calls yesterday ... looks like these tracks will see extensive use in Hohenfels JMTC together with other NATO partners.

From a modelling perspective this is great news for me ...

Would you know anything about the Bradley tracks Gino ?

Cheers
Christopher

Really cool, I grew up at Graf. And just last September we found out about the Stryker units moving in.

Draw vehicles at JMTC makes sense. As to the tracks, this is the first time I have seen them on Brads. They look to be the same as on the M109A6 Paladin PIM, which has a Bradley-based hull.



They do look like the same as Marder tracks. I wonder if a Marder sprocket would work too?

Knowing this:
1. The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, formerly United Defense as part of the Bradley Fighting Vehiclefamily.
2. The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin. The M109 family is the most common Western indirect-fire support weapon of maneuver brigades of armored and mechanized infantry divisions. The M109 was developed by the Ground System Division of United Defense LP (now BAE Systems Land and Armaments)
Interesting statement: the m109 is based on the bradley design. Not the other way round?
Just curious to read more

He Gino !

Thankx for the fast Input !
Already have some one this side seeing if DIEHL has anything to do with the new tracks.
Read something on a upgrade option for the M1 (diesel engine/suspension/ road wheels) which would involve a new DIEHL/Leo2 set of tracks.
BTW how "serious" is the US mil on introducing the M109A6 PIM ?
Sure looks goods !

Thankx
Christopher

No, the new M109A6 PIM has an all-new hull that is based on Bradley running gear and other components. The M109 and Bradley share nothing up through the current M109A6. Only the new M109A6 PIM hull is related to the Bradley.

M109A6 Paladin (same basic hull on all M109 versions)


M109A6 Paladin PIM (notice the new hull)






Very. Initial fielding is to begin this year with full fielding by FY 16.

Now what would be really very nice of Uncle Sam if he would send some M1 ABVs and M104 Wolverines to joins these new arrivals here in Germany ...

And AFV Club should get started making a new hull for the PALADIN.

Cheers
Christopher

I was thinking might be cool to drop an AFV Palidin top on a Meng Bradley w/ interior...

If you want a totally fictional vehicle. The PIM hull doesn't look like a Brad hull at all. It just has Bradley running gear and drive components. The Paladin turret is way too big to fit on a Brad as well.

Gino,
I believe a Brigade is going to be rotating through on a Germany tour.

I wonder if these will be the folks we send to the Tank Competition in Russia.

Per Stars and Stripes:


“The EAS is a pre-positioned, battalion-plus-size equipment set with headquarters pieces and command-and-control elements,” said Col. Thomas Matsel, operations officer with the JMTC. “Units that utilize the EAS will have access to the entire breadth of military operations they may have to conduct.”

The Abrams tanks will join 33 M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and dozens of other heavy support vehicles that will be positioned at Grafenwöhr to be used at the training facilities there, at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels and at other training areas across Europe.

The concept of the EAS envisions units using the equipment in short stints before turning it over to the next group of troops.

JMTC officials hope the EAS will fill a gap in the capabilities of the training facilities that became apparent when the tanks departed last April.

“We have the best light infantry training facilities, the best medium training area with the Strykers,” Matsel said. “The only thing missing was the heavy piece.”

Several units are already scheduled to use the EAS. The 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, is first and will take temporary ownership of the vehicles, which will accompany them as they take part in three major exercises spanning from France to Latvia later this year.

Well, there is some dirt being moved in Elgin OK, the site of the plant that will build/assemble the PIM hull... Initial Fielding this year (FY14) doubtful, IMHO, based on facility construction, FY15 would be more likely.

The M109A6 PIM was also on display this morning at 0715, as I drove by. Nice looking piece of kit, for being a SP howitzer.

John

Cool - any pics of the NATO-flage M2A3?

Maybe Meng can rework their M2A3 BUSK III into one of these straight M2A3s. All they would need to change would be the side skirts to delete the ERA rails and all the era tiles, add step ropes, add regular rear stowage lockers, and add new track and sprockets. A pretty easy conversion and I think it would sell great. Keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks Gino.

Tracks, holy crap, look at the tracks on that Bradley???!!!

I still have a few tamiya M2A2 Bradley's that can be used for in Germany. Or are there M2A3 Bradley's only now.

Happy modeling