i just got this expensive kit(it is to me). I want to make it perfect. i want to put it in a diorama. My question is has anyone done this kit. It looks like a great kit(as is all tamiya kits). If anyone has could they give me tips to make it better. Another question i wanna make a dio with the back open and having one figure siting on the seats and have another runing out. is this a good idea. If you have any suggestions please tell me

LittleNick,
This is a can of worms that is about to be open!!!! If you go to the Armor forum and search for threads on the Bradley, M2/M3, or even the ODS Bradley, you'll see what I am talking about.
I work on the TOW system of the Bradley, so I like to add my 2 cents worth from time to time. By all means, I dont consider myself an expert, I just like to help out with info.
Now on to the kit. Its a great kit!!! The only thing I can say is, if you really want to turn out a nice Bradley, I recommend getting the new photo etch sets from Eduard. There are 3 of them, Interior, exterior, and a turret interior set.
The only advice I can give on this kit is Research, Research. If you want to build out of the box, go for it. If you want to do something different, figure out what unit you want to represent first!!!!!! All these different versions are still fielded today. As a matter of fact, I just posted a picture of one of the Bradley's I work on in the Armor Forum.
Also, ROB(SABOT) has great shots of a couple of Bradley's in his Motor Pool Gallery.

Happy Modeling!!!!

I've been doing this kit all along. What I can say it's a superb kit. No flashes, nice fit and great details. As Epi said, research is the key to building it perfectly. I have two of those here and the second one would probably look better once I finished this first one OOB. Enjoy!

Hi. As mentioned, this is a really nice kit, and well worth the money spent for it. Have you seen the newest issue of Fine Scale Modeler? This has an excellent article on the Bradley done up very, very nicely, and well worth checking out. Lots of pointers here for anybody building this kit. Also check out some of the photos on any OIF sites for additional combat pictures that show quite a bit on the real vehicles as well.

I did mine OOTB, with the addtion of some of the modern infantry gear, also by Tamiya, and it looks really good (for my modeling skill level anyway).

Take care and good luck, Sgirty

I must admit that I was a bit disappointed after reading this article. I don't like when someone does such a "half-way" job as this modeler who built this Bradley for FSM. I know that someone will attack me for being a rivet counter (again... ) after this, but I think that if someone writes an article for the internationally acclaimed magazine about detailing the kit to improve its accuracy, one cannot ignore so many inaccuracies of the model as this guy did

I don't have this FSM with me now to point to all his omissions, but from what I remember the author of the article spent a lot of time to correct the back of the vehicle and modify the interior (but what is this blue color?... ), but missed many of inaccuracies that are way more visible: on front armor, on the turret etc.. I don't want to get into many more detail without the magazine in front of me, as I don't trust my memory, but if anyone is interested I can list errors in this Bradley model later.

BTW: I'm working on my own M3A2 Bradley model (yes, M3 - I modified my model to cavalry version) now and will soon start to publish some photos and information about modifications here and on my webpage.

LittleNick,
Which Bradley model did you actually bought? There are three Tamiya Bradleys: M2, M2A2 and M2A2ODS. There was also fourth: M3, but it is out of production for quite some time.
The most accurate of all those Bradley models is the first M2 kit with interior, and I guess this is the one you have as you mention soldiers seating on the back seats. This model is quite accurate built OOTB - all later Tamiya Bradleys are based on parts from this kit, but unfortunately this makes them inaccurate as this way Tamiya omitted many features implemented in later variants of Bradley.

Remember that old M2's are no longer in service, so you cannot build it as OIF vehicle. But it is OK for Desert Storm.

Rgds,
Pawel

He seems like a nice guy. I have conversed with him on FSM's armor forum and he was surprised and happy that his article was chosen. He's not a Bradley expert, just a regular modeler who tried to build a kit as best he could. Seems a shame to take away that fact from the individual.

Besides, I enjoy seeing "real" people's work. If all we saw were pros it would be really depressing for those of us who just build for fun.

LittleNick,
Get a copy of the Squadron in Action for the Bradley. It has some great detail shots of the interior of the kit you have. You have plenty of stuff to go from oob, but there's also room for improvment, everything from as simpole as drilling out the pre-sunk "holes on the seat supports to scratchbuilding the turret interior. I added some 200 parts of plastic, metal, wire. etc to mine when I did it a few years ago and did not include ANY aftermarket parts bought for the kit. Anything added was from the spares box or scratchbuilt. It was good enough to take at least one first place in armor.

Little Nick, don't be put off by the sheer mass of information available on the Bradley. Build it up as much as you want, if you want to build it OOB, great, I for one will look forward to seeing your pictures. Don't feel that you have to over-reach yourself on this project, do what you are happy doing. No-one here is going to shoot you down in flames if there are a couple of mistakes, if you have questions, ask them... The main advice I would give is simple, do it and enjoy it. Don't get into the paranoia I have about the Bradley, two built and 4 in boxes... Bradleyphobia anyone? Jim

I've just posted up some Bradley pics...hope these can be of some use....Jim

Bradley Pics

Ouch Pawel!

Just because a modeler chooses not to try and add every single thing known to the subject - does not mean their effort is poor or cheapened!

I look at many subjects - including yours - and have differing opinions on them. For some accomplished modelers, it is simply fun to model. NO ONE ever gets everything modeled correctly - that's not what the hobby is about. If you think you do - you'll quickly find someone to take you to task about it. Nor do accomplished modelers try to model everything they see in photos or on the real thing. Again, inspiring AMS is not what the hobby is about. If that becomes your take on the scale modeling scene, you risk finding yourself alone in an already solitary activity.

I think the value of a magazine like FSM is to help modelers in their efforts to put kits together better. It's about the fundamentals of the hobby of scale modeling - not a treatise on every esoteric fact known to Man about a particular subject. It showcases modelers - modeling.

Not an attack - but a reply. I felt for that modeler's effort in your comments, especially in light of a new member to our Site who sincerely commented that he thought his efforts would never reach the level of some shown here. Sad to think, but true, that some quickly get the impression that the only route to "acceptance" from their modeling peers is through endless AMS-driven efforts.

Like Sabot wrote above, he was happy that FSM selected his thoughts to be printed in their magazine. I hope he doesn't receive commentary like that in reply.

Gunnie

C'mon Pavel, this thread was started by someone wanting some basic info and a bit of encouragement in building a Bradley, what was put in FSM is neither here nor there... I also don't think it is fair to attack someone else's work in that way. The normal thing would be head to head. These kind of comments just don't help...Jim

Nick,
Sorry that my earlier post started discussion here... Don't worry at all about my comments about the FSM article and other Bradley models. The one you have is the most accurate of all, so you can build it OOTB or add some details - it is your choice, but any way you can easily get a good replica of the early Bradley.

Now if you don't mind I will add a few more comments about FSM article.

Sabot, Gunnie, Jim,
Guys, I'm sorry for causing such a controversy again. Let me explain it a bit more - I don't really mind if someone chooses to build his models OOTB or correct just some errors and add just some details he finds worth it. But while reading the article I found following expressions: "Ron combined components... to build accurate ... Bradley" and "The finished piece is an accurate replica of a front-line in-service Bradley". Also on the index page of the magazine you find information: "page 24: Building an Iraq Freedom Bradley. Combine two kits to fully detail desert M2A2... inside and out". So I was expecting to see a reference article that will really show what is wrong with the kit and what is needed to make it accurate. I just realized that all quoted above lines were probably added by FSM editor, not written by Ron Poniatowski (I wonder who this guy is, and what is the history of his family - he carries the last name of kings of Poland ). I re-read the article with this in mind and indeed it looks that it is all FSM people's fault that they put Ron's article in such a context, that suggested it to be a reference article, while it was defenitely not Ron's intent! Once I "mentally deleted" those lines from the article all that is left is indeed a description of a good attempt to improve the Tamiya kit to some extent, chosen by the modeler.

I guess Ron was not even aware that FSM will try to show his model as a "fully detailed and accurate" replica. With such a "label" attached it doesn't look convincing at all, but without it, it is a display of good modeling skills and an effort worth respect! In my first post in this thread I complained about a modeler, who wrote "an article for the internationally acclaimed magazine about detailing the kit to improve its accuracy" - now I believe it was not a Ron's idea at all and FSM staff got it all wrong... He probably never tried to write a reference artice, just show his personal approach to the subject, and it should be published and received in this context.

Regads,
Pawel, now rushing back to his modeling table to show that he can actually build models, not just complain about other's work... (++)

Although Im no expert in modern armor (or any armor for that matter) it was great to hear that the older bradley with interior is such a good kit. I bought this second hand with airwaves PE for $20 before christmas. Now I can look forward to building it. The one question I had was answered ..... it is Ok for a desert strom vehicle.

Looing forward to your progress reports little Nick. I fancy something modern again for a change!

Id like to make one point on the above discussion. Fair play to you all. A difference of opinion was had. But all parties expressed their opinion in a "gentalmanly" way and cleared up which could have become another sticky issue. Nice to see this happening again.

Thnakz all of yall for your help