Slowly getting it done. I have the Transmission installed and some f the linkages hooked up. I also added some extra fuel and oil lines, and some wiring.


I have also been putting the Fruil tracks together.


Which brings up a question, how many track blocks per side on a Bradley?
Ken.

Engine looks good. As to the tracks, on the actual vehicle, it is like 88 on one side and 87 on the other. On the kit, however many fit. They should be close to the actual vehicle, but are not always the same.

Ken, great project. I'm slowly adding modern armor to my stash again and there will be several different Bradley's. So, I'll be follow this and pick up as many tricks as I can

anti sid-sand paper?

Awesome! I saw some Bradleys when I was in Desert Storm. Looking foward ro watching this one grow.

Gaz

No Gary, the anti-skid is likely a Krylon or Rustoleum product that is sold as a multi colored texture coat. Some use a terra cotta spray as well.

Regards,

Eric

After dealing with a few issues, both on the model and in real life, I have started to make some appreciable progress, at last!
Here is the drivers compartment:


And the fire extinguishers:

I also scratch built the arm for the ramp.

The Meng radios are garbage: to small and no detail, so I replaced them. The RT-524 is a Verlinden item, the PRC-77 is from the Academy M-113 kit.


I also added he electronics and other gear to the turret.


The controls at the front of the turret are also finished.


Unfortunately, much of this cannot be seen once everything is closed up, but that is why I have pictures.
Ken.

Looking good. The turret and radios look really nice. The driver's area came out nicely as well. You will be surprised how much can still be seen through the open hatches. Keep up the good work.

One of the things that I really wanted to do on this build was keep it simple! Only do the basic mods needed to upgrade it to the correct version, and a minimum of scratch building and after market stuff.

Yea right! Didn't happen!

One thing I had not planned on correcting was the TOW missile hatch.


However, after several people on this forum suggested that I try it, and since I was doing so much other stuff anyway, I figured I should give it a try. I pulled an old hatch from the parts box, added some periscopes, and reshaped it using some epoxy putty.


It may not be the best hatch ever made, but it is good enough for me.
Ken.

Nice. The M3A2 TOW hatch looks great. Now you need to do the interior of the hatch.



Looking forward to seeing it installed on the hull.

Yea, working on that.
Ken.

I got 2 detail sets for this. The Eduard PE set and a Legend detail set, no. LF1189. Both are nice, and they compliment each other quite well. Unfortunately, by the time I got the Legend set, I already had a lot done on the model, so I ended up having to remove some things to put the resin parts on.
The tail lights units ended up being a mix of parts from both sets. The light guards on the Legend set had fold lines etched in, but they ended up looking to boxy and angular. The Eduard parts were marked for bending a more curved corner, and they had surface detail etched into them. The Eduard inner brackets were nicely detailed, but very complicated to fold into the correct shape; too difficult for me. The Legend parts were easier to fold up right and install. I then added the detailed face from the Eduard brackets to the Legend parts (confused yet?). The Legend set has some very nice resin tail lights, the Eduard set just has you use the kit lights (how are you supposed to remove them from the rest of the part?).



On the front lights, there really is no choice, as Eduard does not supply them. So I had to use the Legend set. The resin parts are great, the PE guards not so much. Unlike the tail lights, there are no marks, lines or guides to show you where to make the bends in these pieces. It is simply a matter of guesswork and trial and error. A lot of error. I was not able to get them exactly right, but they are as close as I can get them; and they do look pretty good.

The Eduard set comes with a nice looking antenna guard, but it is too thin and has the same error as the kit part; it attaches flat to the turret roof. So I added the missing "feet" mounting points to the kit part and used that.

Here is the hull roof with all the parts and wiring in place.

Good deal. The hatch interior came out nicely as did the "Oh Sh*t!" handles.

Working on the stowage on the right side of the squad bay. The stowage racks are scratch built. The LAWs are from a Verlinden Vietnam detail set, with decals by Legend. The LAWs in the Legend set are too small. The 25mm boxes are by Djiti (I hope I spelled that right!).

Ken,
Some great detailing there!

Gaz

Thanks for the comments! I am trying my best at it.
Ken.

For the glass in the ISU I tried using the "Coated Optics" from Maus. Looking through all my photos, I could not find any shots of the front face of the ISU; so I used the photos in Verlinden's "Warmachines No. 5: M2/M3 Bradley."

Finished up the TOW missiles and ammo stowage on the right side of the squad bay.

The interior came out looking great. Good job on it.

I still have to do the left side.
Ken.