Academy 1/35 M2A2 OIF

[stikpusher]

I started this last March as part of a OIF 20th Anniversary GB over on SPAM. I am modifying and correcting some shortcomings on the kit using Vodnik’s website as a guide, plus whatever else I can turn up…



the kit



an example of the real deal



suspension completed



correction cuts to rear hull armor plate



ramp assembled, rear plate corrected, upper hull corrected at rear sides, and spaced armor plates for rear hull sides scratched up from sheet plastic ready for installation

[stikpusher]

After being repeatedly sidelined over the past year, I have this one going again. I followed Vodnik’s mods on the rear plate area, adding the spaced armor plates behind the stowage bins, and the angled spacers behind those onto the hull



Next I added some pipes (bilge pump drains?) onto each side of the ramp using some brass tubing



Lastly I glued the troop ramp into place



I’ve also been adding some of the small bits onto the upper hull



More to come in a few days…

[kyledehart5]

Wonderful!! I shall watch this one also

[stikpusher]

Thanks Kyle! I do hope that you like what happens with this project.

[Leon]

Like the added details your doing Carlos!

[stikpusher]

Thanks Leon. From what I can see, both Tamiya and Academy dropped the ball on the rear plate of their Bradley kits. They also goofed up on several of the turret features as well. I’m not gonna do a deep dive of corrections on this kit, but I am going to fix the most obvious ones. I’ll have to do the same thing with the Tamiya Bradley in my stash as well!

[deafpanzer]

Your Bradley will come out better at the end for sure!

[stikpusher]

Mar 15, 2024 13:46:40 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Your Bradley will come out better at the end for sure!

Thanks Andy! So far, so good, and I feel the mojo rising for this project  

[TJ]

I gotta watch this. The Bradley always intrigued me

[stikpusher]

Yeah it is a pretty wicked IFV. I’ll have another update tomorrow… l made some progress on it today, but I’m not home to take photos in my light box.

[406 Silverado]

I'm dialed in on this one Carlos. Looking forward to following along.....


Bookmarked.

[keavdog]

Very cool. Killed more armor in Iraq than the Abrams. I recall on story (vaguely) of a bradly inadvertently stopping just above an Iraqi tank and took it out with the TOW at close range.

[mrt51]

Looking good!

[stikpusher]

Joe, John, MrT, thanks for looking in and commenting. If any of you build this kit, I’ve found a few places where Acadmy dropped the ball on the instructions. There are a few parts to be added that are on the sprues, but not called out in the instructions. I’ll list them as I get to them in the next few days and show where they go… stay tuned 😉

[dupes]

I'm starting to think that you might have as many WIPs going as I do! 😂

[stikpusher]

Mar 16, 2024 21:26:52 GMT -5 dupes said:

I'm starting to think that you might have as many WIPs going as I do! 😂

🤨 Yeah right now I’ve got this, the LAV-AD, the FIST-V and an Oscar… plus a few figures in the paint shop… 

[stikpusher]

So here are a few more shots of what I had accomplished last week with the upper hull and ramp area





I also started filling in the motorization holes in the lower hull



And then yesterday, we had an IPMS Build & BS session where I started working on the turret. I cut up the mantlet to the proper fixed sides configuration that the A2 has



More progress to come in a few days…

[406 Silverado]

Great fix on the holes for the motorization and the mods on the turret. I really wish we had an IPMS chapter around here to have a build day with.

[stikpusher]

Thanks Joe. I’m having fun with this project now, and all the little changes that need to be done.

[kyledehart5]

Oh yeah. That’s some really nice work Carlos. Great job.

[stikpusher]

Thank you Kyle! This is starting to take shape now.

[Tojo72]

Another great project

[stikpusher]

Thanks Tony! Pretty soon I have to break out sheet plastic to make some more corrections.

[chromdome35]

This is a great-looking build you have going; the customizations and corrections are top-notch.

[stikpusher]

Thanks Brian. Sometimes the goofs that model companies make on their kits can lead to a bit of fun in making the corrections.