If you want to add the side racks on them, they would need to be from 3-15 IN, 2 BDE, 3 ID in OIF 1 (invasion, March '03). These vehicles were drawn from Pre-Positioned (PrePo) stocks in Kuwait and had locally made side storage racks. They were also older M2A2s that had been updated to ODS standards. As such, they had a lot of older features, along with the new ones.

Your Bradley is an older version that was used in Desert Storm, '90-'91 and shortly after though. It would need to be updated to an M2A2 ODS, which was the version used in the early years in Iraq.

Tamiya makes an M2A2 ODS kit that has all that you need to make an updated one. It also has correct decals for an OIF vehicle w/out the side racks.


If you want to update it yourself, follow the tips in Vodnik's article, Accurizing and detailing
the Tamiya M2A2 IFV kit. The last section is adding the ODS features.

You could also check out my build where I backdated the Meng M2A3 to an M2A2 ODS. I built is as a Brad from 3-15 IN.

Concerning markings, could you please explain me where these numbers go? Also, do the same numbers apply to the M113?

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Concerning markings, could you please explain me where these numbers go? Also, do the same numbers apply to the M113?

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When looking at the front and rear of the vehicle, the left side will have the DIV and Bn markings, for example 3I 1-15I.

The right side will have a company and vehicle number, for example A 12. HQ PLT vehicles will be 1-9, 1st PLT 11-14, 2nd PLT 21-24. The first number denotes the PLT, the second the vehicle.

There will also be a Bn ID on the sides and the rear of the turret on a board. 3-15 IN used the 40 series for Bn ID #s. The HQ Co was 40, A Co 41, B Co 42, C Co 43. There would also be a Platoon Chevron; 1st PLT faced up ^, 2nd PLT right >, 3rd PLT down V

Here is a chart that shows the 3ID unit marking standards for OIF I.


There would also be draw numbers on the vehicles on all four sides. The front would have the following on the lower glacis.

QTX XXX

X 1458 MECH

THE Bradley would have a QTB and 3 digit number.

The M113 would have a QTC and a 3 digit number.

The X on the second line is for the Company letter, so A for A Co, B for B Co, etc.

The QTX and XXX would also be on each side and on the rear.

The M113 would be pretty much the same. A good number for it is the Co letter and 9. This would be the 1st SGT's vehicle; A 9 for example.

Also, take a look at my M2A2 ODS backdate built above to see how they look. Pg 3 shows the decals.

Hope that helps.