Whoops.  Double-tap.

Thanks est.1961.  Glad you found the tips useful.

What is everyones opinion on adding a RAWL (Rotating Amber Warning Light) to the left rear?  It looks like about 50-50 on having them or not in pics.  I'm not sure when the lights started showing up or were required.  Opinions?

Interesting build useful tips and a great finish. 

Thanks Gamera.  I do like them to look lived-in and in use.

She turned out great! As usual I love the storage and the 'lived-in' look!

Stik, thanks, one of the best compliments I can get.

John, thanks.  It was a fun build.

Looks great!

It sure looks as I remember them in REFORGER ‘84. Very well done sir! 

It is finally complete.  I added some bags and gear from the spares bin and drybrushed it using a few different muddy brown colors.  

Let me know what you think.  I am very pleased with the way it came out.

Thanks Gamera.

Looks good!!!  Nice to see her almost done. 

Thanks Rob.  The decal is a hex, w/green tape on the edges.  It looks pretty convincing.  One was a pain to apply, just like the 1/1 markings.  I had to use one from another left-over decal set as the first one ripped and broke into a bunch of pieces, similar to the actual markings.  

I can't tell from your photo, but the actual Reforger marking was a circle and the 100 mph tape used to secure the edges gave it the look of a hexagon. Those big vinyl stickers didn't stick too well.

Looks really good so far.

I have been able to paint and decal it.  I painted it Testors Model Master Dark Green (FS34079), which is the same as Forest Green.  I used the decals from the Tamiya kit.  They went down fine over a coat of gloss and with a little decal set.  I then dull-coated it and painted all the periscopes with clear green and a couple coats of gloss. 

I had to change plans on the tracks.  The Hobby Boss triangle block track didn't fit onto the Dragon MLRS sprockets.  The pitch of the holes and teeth were off and didn't line up.  So I used a set of tracks from the Dragon MLRS instead.  They are just as nice indi-links and longer link-and-length sections for the flat top and bottom runs.  They went together well and look pretty good to me.

Next up is some gear and weathering, then it will be done. 

Rob Gronovius

 

 

laskdjn

add AAVs to the list of sea foam green interiors.

 

 

 

 

It's basically a sea going APC

 

 

Yessir.  I can count on one hand how many times we had troops in the back, though.

Rob- I'll do a little, sometimes just a suggestion of what's visible through an open turret or driver's hatch, but full interiors like Gino's work is beyond me.

Gino- Really nice work here, I'm going to bookmark this and use it as reference for the old Tamiya kit I have in the stash.

Thanks Gamera and Rob.  I think it is coming out nicely and I am enjoying the build.

RBaer

Excellent work here. I will publicly admit that interiors give me hives, hats off here.

 

Now the interior of an AFV like a Bradley with cargo ramp down, does need to be displayed.

The hand-holds look good and the Aber barrels are a huge improvement. 

So the build is really done this time.  

I made the hand holds/foot loops from florist wire, wrapped around a home-made jig to get them all the same shape and size.  They look pretty good to me, but might be a little thick.

I then added them to the top and bottom of the armored side skirts.  From my reference pics, there were quite a few different ways they were configured.  This setup seemed to be the most common.

I also added the securing loops for the various tools.  I will be going with the molded-on bungi rubber hold-down straps since they look better to me than the flat strips in the PE set.

Lastly, I added the Aber barrels to the M231 firing port guns.  They look pretty nice to me.  Much better than the kit barrels.

Next up is paint, but probably not until next week as I will be on a business trip all this week.

HeavyArty

Thanks guys.  It has been fun so far and I am liking how it is turning out.  The PE adds a lot to this old kit, originally from 1983. 

 

 

Tojo72

Looks great,makes me want to move my AFV Club version up in my queue.

 

 

Not sure which kit you are talking about as AFV Club doesn't make any Bradley models.

 

Yes you are right,I was thinking about my Vietnam era M113  with the interior.My kits are in storage so I got confused.

Thanks guys.  It has been fun so far and I am liking how it is turning out.  The PE adds a lot to this old kit, originally from 1983. 

Tojo72

Looks great,makes me want to move my AFV Club version up in my queue.

Not sure which kit you are talking about as AFV Club doesn't make any Bradley models.

This is really looking amazing, Gino. I love all the details on the outside right now.

Oh wow, that looks so good. Love the PE, it makes a real difference. 

SP: Sorry I missed your post. Guess it's something else I'll have to check on a individual vehicle basis.  

I have finished the major construction.  I still need to add all the handholds and steps along the side skirts.  I also need to add some tool clips and such from the Exterior PE set too.

I used most of the Eduard Exterior PE set.  It gives you all the nice mesh screens and other bits and bobbles that make the exterior really nice.  

I started on the lower hull by adding four shock absorbers (left over from Dragon's M270 MLRS) to each side of the hull at the 1, 2, 3, and 6th (last) roadwheel position.  I also used the sprockets and idlers from the MLRS.

I also added the arm and mount that raises and lowers the ramp from sheet styrene and a left over lifting eye base.

One the upper hull, I used quite a bit of PE.  It is mainly in the front glacis area.  There are the very nice screens and intake covers, exhaust box, and a few lifting points.  I made the front swim barrier cover out of metal foil from a wine bottle neck.  I think it looks much better than the tube provided by Tamiya.

On the turret, the PE is much finer and provides smaller details such as the ammo can racks, small parts on teh rear of teh TOW launcher, and the doors and front of the GPS doghouse.

Hopefully I can get some paint on it this weekend.  If not I will be out of town all next week on business and not be able to work on it any.

Gamera

 

 

Rob Gronovius

A basic rule of thumb when it comes to the color of modern US armor, is that if the interior of the vehicle won't be seen from the outside, it is normally gloss white.

If the vehicle operates with a large hatch open, like an armored personnel carrier, for troops to egress, then it is sea foam green, more of a satin finish.

So tanks tend to be white and APC, IFV, CFV are sea foam green.

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm, so AFVs and IFVs are basically like a Second World War open-top TD like an M10, M18, or M36 with olive drab interiors to their turrets? 

 

Yes and no. Mortar tracks, the M106, had a Forest Green weapons compartment. Troop compartments on most M113 types was Sea Foam Green. Only the driver’s area forward of the engine compartment rear bulkhead was in Sea Foam Green on the M106. On the 113 family of tracks the engine compartment was also in Sea Foam Green. Interior surfaces of hatches was Forest Green. 

Gamera

Hmm, so AFVs and IFVs are basically like a Second World War open-top TD like an M10, M18, or M36 with olive drab interiors to their turrets? 

Basically, just with seafoam green.

Rob Gronovius

A basic rule of thumb when it comes to the color of modern US armor, is that if the interior of the vehicle won't be seen from the outside, it is normally gloss white.

If the vehicle operates with a large hatch open, like an armored personnel carrier, for troops to egress, then it is sea foam green, more of a satin finish.

So tanks tend to be white and APC, IFV, CFV are sea foam green.

 

Hmm, so AFVs and IFVs are basically like a Second World War open-top TD like an M10, M18, or M36 with olive drab interiors to their turrets?