Hello All,

I'd like to ask your advice: until which year would be a US Army MPCV Buffalo appropriate without bar armor in Iraq or Afghanistan? Could it be paired with the AFV Club Husky?
I found the bar armor was in use already in 2007, and is standard 'now' (which year?), unfortunately not more...
The MkIII is used from 2010 based on the AFV Club inlet, so my guess it would be inaccurate to display them together.

Appreciate any info!
Denes

I was in Iraq in 2009, we had a buffalo without Bar armor, but it did have MEAP armor. The Husky MkIII were just coming online then, but I cant see why you couldnt pair them up. They would absolutely be together in part of a Route Clearance package of that era. The husky would be out front and the buff would probably be third vehicle. Bar armor is designed to defeat RPG threats, where as the MEAP kits (big boxes) were more for counter IED and EFP concerns.

Thanks Brian! I like the basic Buffalo without the bar and MEAP, but I'm just not sure, as I would expect by the time the MKIII came around, all the Buffalo's would be upgraded with one of those add-ons.

Perhaps are you interested for a french unit ?
You could use Husky (french name is SOUVIM 1). But tires are the Panda Hobby type, round mudguards

and Buffalo without bar armor but with anti-embedding bars under the floor on both sides.

We (1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division) had "naked" Buffalos and Huskys in our area of operations in the Salah Al Din Province Iraq in 2005. I am not sure if the Huskys were the same variant that AFV Club has produced in plastic.

John

Seems an MKII would suit better, the rounded fenders are not the only difference vs MKIII, still undecided..

Thanks for your answers!

As I recall, the major differences were in the fenders, the rear access steps (integrated air conditioning and spaces for radios I believe), and in the tires and rims. The Mk-II had a much narrower tire and rim with a more aggressive tread pattern than the Mk-III. Pretty sure the MK-III has low ground pressure tires that are 2 or 3 inches wider than the II.



You can clearly see the tires and fenders on this MK-II from 2009. The spaces for radios, a/c and Jammers were welded on to the rear frame structure as afterthoughts on these.



This is a MK-III. The tires are different, the fenders, and also worthy of note is that the GPR on the front and the scarrifier on the back are present (I believe these two items are add ons to the basic vehicle and use quick connect set ups). This picture is from 2014 in Afghanistan.

Thanks again Brian! As far as I know (?) the tires are for different conditions, doesn't identify the version. However, the earlier, round fender versions seem to have different front and rear bumper layout, might be other differences, haven't found a reliable reference yet. Maybe one day these will be released, along with GPR and debris blower, slat armor, 2G version.