I have the dragon russion motor rifle troops (?) its the guys with the heavy coats and hats. I think one is posed sitting on a fender. If your familiar with this set, what would be the perfect apc to complement them? Or should I be looking at a ural truck?
Also theres ICM and another, eastern express? of chechnia era guys. What would be a good vehicle to comliment that?
thanks, Gary

A few options for any of the above troops. BTR-70 or BTR-80, BMP-2 or BMP-3, Ural 4320, Zil-157K, BRDM, etc. They could even go with T-72s. Basically, Motorized Rifle Troops were/are equivelant to US Mech Infantry. They work in a simmilar fasion as well, along side tanks and Brads for us, BMPs and BTRs and T-72s for the Soviets.

Hi
I second what Gino writes. IIRC the boxart depicts them with a BTR-70 or 80.
However they would match any Soviet era vehicles from BMP-1 to the latest BMP-3 or BTR-80A.

olivier

If you want to build something easy and fun, I recomend a Esci BMP-2...it has link and length tracks.

Anything else is going to be a bit more work or require a bit more detailing. The BTR-70/80 kits have problems with their rubber wheels falling apart...although current theory is that using arylic paint on the hubs will keep them from "melting".

DML tank kits are old in the tooth and would require a bit of work just to make them look ok. The SMT m1989 T-80U would only require a new main gun barrel to get a fair kit, and you could do it just with evergreen tube, rod, and strip. Just a bit more work. DML BMP kits have individual track links, so more work but essentially the same detail as the esci kits.

The Skif T-80 and T-64 series need a bit of detailing to keep them from looking too toylike. Same with the MTLB and other kits.

Zvezda kits are re-pops of DML kits, with their BTR-80A being partially new. The BTR-80A kit would be ok as well, with the same wheel problem.

A different set of figures would give you different options, obviously, as Eastern Express, Zvezda, and SKIF all make BMD vehicles and Eastern Express makes a PT-76.

The Tamiya T-55 could also be modified for a naval infantry scene, but that involves different figure and some scratchbuilding.

And on it goes...!

Hi Jacques,
can you tell me if the troop compartment roof hatches are correctly molded unlike DML ones? I could have one for not too much.

olivier

Nope, the troop hatches are incorrectly canted just like the DML ones....those kits are so similar in design I believe the rumor that the molds were designed/made by one company and esci bought one set, DML the other, with slight modifications.

So you still have to deal with those rear deck hatches if you want accuracy.

Im really leaning toward a Ural. But I cant tell if any have the canvas top for the rear

So God bless Sergej ! :-)

olivier

I'll second the God bless...he has made it MUCH easier for me to model what I want.

Hey Gary, sorry I jumped off of the softskins. The URAL is a accurate kit, for the most part, but the model is difficult to build. I have been working on one for a number of years...take out the box, look at what I have done, test fit a few parts, then back on the shelf until I feel the desire to really put my effort into it. You may love working on it, but just be warned it will take some work. Otherwise it will be a good kit when built.

For the tarp, no, it does not come with one...at least not in any of the kits I have. It is easy enough to make your own using white glue and kleenex. Make the "tarp bows" on the truck bed from evergreen strip, add the kleenex with white glue, let it dry, add tie down ropes and presto! a neat tarp.

You know what, I will try my darndest to get a article up for Armorama this weekend...really , I will try.