WIP - Trumpeter Up-Armored BMP-3

I changed my mind and decided to do the interior.  I may still button it up; but I at least wanted to give it a try.

I'll paint the interior before I close everything up.  I guess I'm going to have to find some reference pics of a BMP-3 interior. 

Very cool. The standard Russian version of this kit is on my Christmas list so I'll be paying attention to how the majority of this build goes. Good luck!

Erik

Thanks Erik!

I'm still doing some research trying to find images of the interior.  I've found some with a grayish interior and others with white.  I'm also wondering just how much of it will be visible.

More pictures to come this evening.  I'm thinking I'll probably mask and prime the interior tonight.  I haven't done any white painting since I did a British "Scimitar" in U.N. White about 15 years ago.  White's not at all forgiving!

If I run into any snags along the way I'll let you know!

Ought to be a cool subject especially with showing off the interior Richard, look forward to the updates.

let me know how tis goes together...i have one and stare at it all the time just havent brought myself to put it together yet!

Keep an eye out here and on my blog.  I'll hopefully get to work on it some this weekend.

I'm happy that a company is now offering new molds of modern Russian vehicles.

Will be watching this one with interest. Truth be told, I'm still debating between picking up the standard 'late' BMP-3 or the ERA uparmoured one.

The up-armoed one has all the parts to build the regular one.

I painted the running gear area of the lower hull yesterday.  I'm going to see if I can get some time to detail the interior tonight.  Watch for pics!

RESlusher

Thanks Erik!

I'm still doing some research trying to find images of the interior.  I've found some with a grayish interior and others with white.  I'm also wondering just how much of it will be visible.

More pictures to come this evening.  I'm thinking I'll probably mask and prime the interior tonight.  I haven't done any white painting since I did a British "Scimitar" in U.N. White about 15 years ago.  White's not at all forgiving!

If I run into any snags along the way I'll let you know!

 

One trick to white is to use Flat White as a primer, then apply a top coat of Satin Semi Gloss, or Gloss White after the "primer" coat dries. Its an extra step, but the results are worth it.

I guess it's not really "hijacking" if it's my own thread; but here's my one U.N. White vehicle...

It's pretty primitive even by my mediocre standards.  I didn't know JACK about weathering or detailing back then (circa 1997).  I'm watching eBay and am gonna pick another one (AFV Club "Scimitar").  I just built models to keep from putting my now EX-wife's head in a gym bag!! 

Buddy, all that kit needs is some weathering... some mud and dust... washes and streaks... but yup... too clean And get those vision blocks and periscopes painted

Yeah, yeah...easy to say NOW!!  Where were you when I needed ya?!

After I built 'em I'd take 'em to the one contest that was nearby at the time.  After that I'd give them to the ex's demon possessed kids and they would promptly destroy them.

Here's the finished inside of the lower hull.

This afternoon I primed and painted the inside of the upper hull and the periscopes.  I'm not too sure how much of the interior is going to be visible; but at this point I might as well go all in.

Well now you have to leave some hatches open to show off that interior...

RESlusher

The up-armoed one has all the parts to build the regular one.

I painted the running gear area of the lower hull yesterday.  I'm going to see if I can get some time to detail the interior tonight.  Watch for pics!

 

I'm a bit of an AM junkie when it comes to Soviet equipment. I know the uparmoured vehicle uses the base Trumpeter kit; my concern is the overall accuracy and detail of the uparmoured kit, as opposed to one decked out with the full Voyager set.

From what I've read of the kit it's pretty accurate.  They both are, the early production and the up-armored.

I'm not much into AM parts; but on this kit I picked up the RB Models aftermarket barrels and the antennas and mounts.  I haven't gotten that far yet though.  I'm just getting finished with the interior.  I'll be painting the periscopes and adding them to the hull this weekend.  That will pretty much finish the inside.

This weekend I'm planning on sealing and washing the lower hull (less the tracks) and it got me wondering a couple things. 

(1)  Assuming I assemble the indy link tracks and put them on, how big of a nightmare is it going to be to take them back off once the glue has dried so they can be painted?

(2)  I've got an old Skif MTLB kit that I will probably never build.  Does anyone know if the two vehicles use the same tracks?  The Skif ones are rubber band tracks and since the only parts of the tracks that are going to be visible are the links at the very front where the go over the return wheels and the back once they pass through the drive sprocket. 

Forgive my laziness; but I hate indy link tracks! 

I'll post some pics once I get the running gear put on.  Those of you looking for an investment opportunity should look at 3M.  I'm going through their blue painter's tape like crazy!  :)

I don't actually know anything about this vehicle, but I may have a little insight into rubber tracks for you.

I have used rubber band tracks on a tank, specifically, since they really are used in certain situations. The local Sheriff in my county has an old M2 Bradley that they have given rubber tracks (yes, real, one-piece, rubber tracks). Why? To avoid tearing up perfectly useful roads. Seems to me, the U.N. would want to do something similar.

Just something to chew on. Keep up the great work.

Klik

I've got the upper hull built into major sub-assemblies ready for priming.  I've still got all those indy-link tracks (with their separate guide horns) to do.  Weather permitting I'm going to mask things off and possibly prime it this weekend. 

I ordered some Tamiya XF-57 "Buff" for the base color from SprueBrothers yesterday so I'm hoping to have the exterior of the turret done by Christmas and paint everything at one time while I'm off.

So I ended up getting the M version for Christmas. RESlusher, what scheme are you doing on your's? I look forward to more progress pics.

Erik

I'm looking at something like this one.  A guy on Armorama did it.

I'm hoping to get the base color, Tamiya XF-57 "Buff", put on Sunday or Monday.  Will post pics here and on my blog.

This weekend I was able to get the base color on the upper part of the lower hull, the side-mounted ERA and the slat armor

I've still got some work to do on the turret before I can prime and paint it.  Hopefully this weekend! 

OK, well the camo scheme went to heck in a handbasket so, basic russian green it is!

Anyway, building is done except for the tracks.  I've got quite a few of the smaller details to add; but ya gotta start somewhere!

Sorry to hear that the camo scheme is out Richard but the plain green looks pretty sharp as well.

Thanks Bill! 

Yeah, I think I just need to tweak my airbrush some.  I talked to a couple of my fellow club members at our last meeting at it sounds like I need to dial my airbrush in a little and thin my paints a lot more than what I do.

I've got a couple extra jars of Tamiya "NATO Brown" that I might use to practice with.

I'm trying to get all my little fiddly parts on tonight and tomorrow so once all this rain we've been having the past couple days is gone I can spray a couple coats of Future on everything.