Can AFV's 1/35 #35008 M88A1 Recovery Vehicle easily be converted to the current M88A2? Are there a lot of external differences? I've seen HeavyArty's but wanted to get some more info.

The exterior has add on armor plates giving the A2 a more angular shape to the hull. Additionally, there are side skirts added. The more difficult conversion would be building a new boom. The A2 uses a different boom with more squared components than the regular A1 boom.

Not impossible, but not as easy as slapping some sheet styrene on the hull sides.

I built an M88A1. The A2 version has a totally different upper hull, new front winch, new square boom, and side skirts over the running gear. There are a couple of M88A2 conversion sets out there in resin, they are quite pricey, about $75, and you still need to have the AFV Club kit to use the lower hull, running gear, front blade, and some other pieces from it. It could be done with sheet styrene, but would be difficult. Here are some pics to see the differances.

M88A1:



M88A2 Hercules:



More pics and info at globalsecurity.org.

Here are a couple size/shape ref pics side by side, actually, end to end. A1 on ther left and the A2 on the right.

http://www.totalmodel.com/cgi-bin/ppost/index.pl?photo=3755&size=big


One A2, end to end with an M1.

http://www.totalmodel.com/cgi-bin/ppost/index.pl?photo=3754&size=big

O, OK, never mind. I'll have to scratch that project.

I know of two conversions sets there might be more. 1 from A.E.F designs item #KA-82 price $65.00 and the other Real Models Kit # 35070 cost $89.95....I havent seen pictures of them can anyone post any?