WIP - Tamiya M2A2 Bradley ODS - Lotsa Pics

Hi Richard. How did you apply  the non-skip surface? Mr. Surfacer with and AB?

Valspar brand Terra-Cotta paint from a rattle can.

Looking good so far.  The anti-slip looks great.  Gotta love that spray can method.  I wonder where you heard about that?

Heard RUMINT (rumor intelligence) about it from this old gun-bunny I watch here in the forums!  ;)

Only one step done tonight.  The Rangers are getting their butts handed to 'em by the Red Sox so I don't wanna throw my exacto knife at the TV. 

Tonight I did the headlight assemblies and the rear hatch.  Tomorrow night I'll be at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington.  I'll wave to ya!! 

Ok, how do you mask off the bolt heads prior to applying the non slip?

Looking good.  Keep up the good work.  Hey, who's an "Old Gun Bunny"???  :^)

Stik - Small pieces of masking tape, yup its a PITA.  Some also use liquid masking agent.

Hummm...if he is the old gun bunny, I must be the ancient bunny

If you don"t like liquid mask, you can punch blue tape circles. Either way it works. Love the Terra Cotta Spray

Rounds Complete!!

This is only my second attempt at applying the non-slip surface.  The first time, I did as Gino and Mike suggest, using little, teeny tiny pieces of 1/8" art tape, which is really just masking tape. 

After doing that on an AFV Club Stryker MGS I read about using plain, old Elmer's glue.  I used one of my smallest brushes to put just a tiny dab on each bolt head then let it dry for a couple hours.  With dots that small it won't take too long.  I sprayed on the Terra-Cotta, let it dry for about an hour then took off all the masking.  Use a toothpick and just pop the little glue dots off.  DO NOT use the tip of your exacto knife! 

I like the results I get with the Terra-Cotta.  One rattle can costs about $4 (either Rustoleum or Valspar) and ought to last until the non-slip texture is actually molded onto all future kits!  :)  Plus, Mr. Surfacer 1200 costs about $5 a jar; but doesn't last nearly as long and it's a uni-tasker.

I'm going to see about maybe presenting this as a seminar at SuperCon, September 10th.  You've pretty much read the whole story so I'm not sure if there's enough information to fill a half hour.  See my first post at the top for a shameless plug for my club's contest!

Gonna make every attempt ot be there on the 10th, get a look in person then!

BTW, where is it going to be? I haven't been to a show/contest in a couple of years.......

Great!  Hope to see you there!  I'm hoping to have the Bradley ready in time.  I won't be able to work on it tonight or Friday night since I'll be at the ballpark; but I should be able to make lots of forward progress over the weekend.

Look in the "Shameless Plug" link in the very first message in this thread after all the pictures.  There's a link to the SuperCon page on our club's site (where I'm also the web-meister)

Well, once again the Rangers are getting beat like red-headed stepkids so I was able to get some more work done on the Bradley.  There were a lot of small detail parts that I'll have to brush paint; but it's starting to come together.

The side skirts are on now.  Take a look...

If I'm lucky and the Honey-Do list isn't too long, I should be able to get the hull put together this weekend.  Nine steps for the turret?!  Really?! 

I've got the hull ready for priming!  As part of my own building style I'm leaving off the pioneer tools and other smaller detail parts until after I get the base color on.  Also, since I'm too cheap to buy an AM interior I glued the rear hatch closed and will do the same with the loading ramp.

There is one thing I'm wondering.  How do the Combat Identification Panels (CIP) work?  Are they made from dissimilar metals so they give off a different heat signature?  Forgive my ignorance on this.  I left active duty in December '91.  We didn't have these on our vehicles in ODS, at least 1st ID and 2nd ACR didn't.

Looking good.  Keep at it.

The CIPs work basically how you stated.  They are made out of aluminul and the louvering allows them to cool faster tham the vehicle.  They show up in thermals as a cool square.

Thanks for the confirmation, Gino! 

Since the forums have been down most of the day I was able to knock out some of the turret assembly.  I'm going to try to get some more done later; but for now...

I'm starting to get the hang of doing that non-slip stuff.  I'm definitely glad I decided to put it on before doing any serious detail work.  The masking is time comsuming, yes; but it's a lot easier to do it now than after I've put on grab handles, periscopes and such! 

Very nive work! Can't wait to see it with some paint on it!

I built a little Revell 1/72 M2A2 (too afraid to do a big boy one)

Thanks!  Those little 1/72s are too small for me!  My hat's off to you! 

I was able to get the turret itself done this evening (Sunday).  I'm going to get the turret basket and the TOW launcher done tomorrow night then I can start getting it ready to prime.  This one's been a pretty easy build.

I normally take a lot longer to get a model done; but if I'm gonna take this to my club's contest on the 10th then I can't waste a lot of time.

Coming along nicely Richard, the masking will be well worth the effort when it's all said and done I'm sure.

Very nice....looking very good

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks guys! 

I got the turret basket put together last night; but didn't feel like going to the trouble to set up my improvised photo studio just to shoot that! 

I'm going to do the TOW launcher tonight and finish detailing the turret and that will be it.  All major sub-assemblies will be done.  Then I can start another round of masking stuff off.  I've learned to mask off the torsion bars so I'm not getting primer and paint on them then snapping them off (and cursing like a sailor) when I try to put on the road wheels.  Experience is a cruel B**** sometimes! 

Looking good.  As you have discovered, it is best to do all the anti-slip before assembly so you don't have to wory about taping off fidley bits.  Can't wait to see some paint on it.  When is it going to represent?

I was going to backdate it to one of the Brads from 1st ID during ODS; but changed my mind.

It's gonna be one from 2 / 7 Infantry, 3rd ID from 2003.  Rock o' the Marne!

I finished the TOW launcher just a bit ago while watching my boys pull one out!  The beat the Rays 2-0.  Tomorow night I'll be in the stands! 

I'll see if I can get a picture up tomorrow when I get to work!

Night all! 

Good choice.  If you want it to be an OIF1 Brad, it is still missing a lot.  Check out this article by Pavel, it gives you some fixes and upgrades.

Thanks Gino!  I'll check it out.  Pavel writes some good stuff!  I've got his article on the Dragon M1A2 SEP kit.  That might be my next project.  That or maybe the Trumpy Uparmored BMP-3.  I've got the urge to get back to my Warsaw Pact roots!

Tomorrow night I'm going to start priming and hopefully be able to get the base coat on over the weekend.

WooHoo!!!  I got a break from the Honey-Dos today!  I fired up the compressor and got the base color put on the Bradley!  I normally go with "Army / Marine Gulf Armor Sand" from Testor's MM line; but this time I went with Tamiya's "Dark Yellow". 

I'm gonna let it all sit on the workbench until I get home from work Monday night then I'll start doing the detail work.  What do y'all think of the color??

Looking great so far.  I like how you simulated the anit-skid surface.  Keep up the good work. 

Thanks Kevin! 

This only the second time I've done the non-slip surface.  It's a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.  The only part of that's tough about it is masking everything off.  A real PITA to say the least!

RESlusher

The only part of that's tough about it is masking everything off.  A real PITA to say the least!

 

You're welcome.  I can imagine that masking being a PITA.  That's my least favorite part of a build. 

Looks like it is coming along pretty well.  The Tamiya Dark Yellow looks too dark and brown to me though.  It is actually designed for German WWII vehicles in N. Africa.  I prefer Testors Model Master Sand, FS33531.  To me, once weathered, it looks spot on to modern CARC Middlestone.