_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Backdating The Bradley
armouredcharmer
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 670 posts
Armorama: 410 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 03:44 PM UTC
Hi Gang, Just recently I`ve been bitten by the Bradley bug (thanks to Meng`s fantastic 1/35th offerings).
What I`d really love to do is build an early version of an Armoured Calvary Fighting vehicle before they started to cover them in all the extra armour (Reforger Exercises ?).
To this end I`ve bought Academy`s M2 kit and an extra Meng interior and hope to then mix/match bits from both to make the interior for this.My problem is that no amount of "Googling" has produced any useable pictures of said vehicle ! - can anyone point me in the right direction or will I have to resort to the Shep Paine method of "Gizmology" ?
A little help please ?
Frenchy
Visit this Community
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 04:17 PM UTC
You'll find a walkaround of a "pre-ERA" M3A2 on Primeportal :

http://www.primeportal.net/apc/miloslav_hraban/m3a2_ods_cfv/index.php?Page=1

You can compare the interior views to Meng parts as some details differ, like the troop seats (Meng set is for the A3 variant, not the A2)

Don't forget you'll have to turn the Academy M2 kit (providing you're talking about the "M2A2 Bradley OIF" #13205 kit - not the old copy of the Tamiya M2 ) into a M3 as well : there are some external differences between the two (like the rear hull top vision blocks setup)

H.P.
tanknick22
Visit this Community
United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 04:31 PM UTC
that depends on what varient .
if you are building cav scout version of the bradly that would be the m3 version ( which is called the cavalry fighting vehicle) it has a completly different layout in the rear behind the turret there are only 2 seats for the 2 scouts and larger capacity racks for ammo and tow missiles,and you will have to reconfigure the rear hatch and add the vision blocks to that hatch and if you are doing the m2 bradly ( which is called infantry fighting vehicle) there were 2 different layouts for the troop comparments as well the first layout was for 6 to 7 infantry the seats faced the rear and sides to used the firing ports that were that were on the sides and rear of the M2A0 and M2A1 bradlyes that seating arrangement was carried over to the the early M2A2 then after operation desert storm the M2A2 was re configured with bench seating like in the M113 and the bench seating was carried over to the M2A2
armouredcharmer
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 670 posts
Armorama: 410 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 04:43 PM UTC

Quoted Text

that depends on what varient .
if you are building cav scout version of the bradly that would be the m3 version ( which is called the cavalry fighting vehicle) it has a completly different layout in the rear behind the turret there are only 2 seats for the 2 scouts and larger capacity racks for ammo and tow missiles,and you will have to reconfigure the rear hatch and add the vision blocks to that hatch and if you are doing the m2 bradly ( which is called infantry fighting vehicle) there were 2 different layouts for the troop comparments as well the first layout was for 6 to 7 infantry the seats faced the rear and sides to used the firing ports that were that were on the sides and rear of the M2A0 and M2A1 bradlyes that seating arrangement was carried over to the the early M2A2 then after operation desert storm the M2A2 was re configured with bench seating like in the M113 and the bench seating was carried over to the M2A2


The one I want to do is the one with the extra TOW rounds and ammunition (the Scout Version ?) I like the idea that these moved in support of the troop vehicles and backed up the Abrams in action.
Do you know where I can find any pictures ?.
tanknick22
Visit this Community
United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 05:26 PM UTC
www.primeportal.com
Frenchy
Visit this Community
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 06:14 PM UTC
Here are a few KFOR M3A2 CFV's in Bosnia (1996) :







and another one (from the 1st Squadron, 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment) training in Grafenwoehr, Germany in 2007 :



Full size

H.P.
18Bravo
Visit this Community
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 07:51 PM UTC
I've still got several Tamiya interiors still in the shrink wrap. Additionally part of my very extensive Bradlet walk around reference has a whole section devoted to the old M2A20+, taken from every conceivable angle in and out. It's worthwhile just to get the no slip pattern down, assuming you want to get that far into the weeds with it.
HeavyArty
Visit this Community
Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 10:00 PM UTC
Here is an M3A2 CFV interior. You really need the old Tamiya M2 interior as Rob points out for the flat floor and older seats. The rest can be taken from the Meng Interior Kit or scratch-built.




There are only two exterior difference for an M3A2 CFV; the TOW reload hatch on the rear roof and the firing ports on the rear ramp have been filled in. The hatch has the rear vision blocks moved to it as opposed to being on the roof above the rear ramp. The hatch is also rounded with pointed sides, as opposed to angular like the M2A2 hatch. This hatch can be found in the Meng M3A3 kit. You can also see the rounded hatch w/o the added armor in Frenchy's pic of the 1/1 CAV M3A2 above.

M3A2 TOW reload hatch (pics are from an M3A3, but it is the same, only w/o the added armor plates)



Interior of hatch (pics from an M3A3, delete the roof hand holds for an M3A2)



Rear Ramp w/filled-in firing ports.


That should do it for you.

Good luck.
armouredcharmer
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 670 posts
Armorama: 410 posts
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2014 - 11:53 PM UTC
Dear Gino,As always you`ve come through with the goods.
It looks like I`ll have to scratch that roof but luckily someone`s posted a way that they did it on the site using laminated plasticard.
Cheers mate
18Bravo
Visit this Community
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 13, 2014 - 01:15 AM UTC
I don't know if it's my build you're referring to, but I did make that hatch by laminating it.
There are photos here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/123326&page=1

Also, the hatch photos above come from the aforementioned walkaround.
 _GOTOTOP