06/24 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Well I enjoyed posting my first ever tank WIP with the Tamiya MkIV Male, even if the finished result wasn't quite good enough to go into Ready for Inspection.Having enjoyed building my first complete kit for years, I have been inspired to try something completely different, in the form of Meng's super detailed cavalry Bradley.Meng M3A3 BUSK III by jongwinnett, on FlickrInterior kit by jongwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 This is in a different league to my previous kit, with a massively higher parts count. You certainly get a lot for your money: A real box full! by jongwinnett, on Flickr Searching online so far has found relatively few photos of the real thing in this configuration, but I have learnt that the U.S. 8th Army Bradley's have been updated to this standard, although I haven't seen any photos with the large side reactive armour blocks. I'm undecided if I go for a sandy coloured one, or NATO three colour camo, perhaps with sand coloured reactive blocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Having separate instructions for the interior and the main hull is going to get confusing I think. If anyone has built the earlier M2A3 release and could share the instructions which combine the interior and exterior build I'd be very grateful - Although I think there is a scan online which I can refer to. Anyway, construction begins with the wheels. The road wheels are each formed of four parts, (5 including the polycap) which gives very crisp rim detail. The down side is the four sprue attachment points to clean up on each rim, and my cutters must be getting a bit done, as the plastic chewed up a bit as I snipped. Each wheel had multiple attachment points to clean up by jongwinnett, on Flickr Clever parts breakdown for the wheel rims by jongwinnett, on Flickr So far, fit is superb. by jongwinnett, on Flickr I forgot to take photos of the idler and drive wheels, the latter feature a separate outer tooth ring, which is very delicate and which I found difficult to clean up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz! Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 i have this kit marked as a future build' so you have my attention . regards oz!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Cheers Oz, good to know someone is watching! Not much progress today, as I was away on business. However, I did mange to shoot the idlers and drive sprockets I missed yesterday: Drive and idler by jongwinnett, on Flickr Slight damage repair needed by jongwinnett, on Flickr Done by jongwinnett, on Flickr And I've made a start on the suspension: "Working" shock absorbers by jongwinnett, on Flickr The suspension parts were slightly misaligned on my sprue, so needed some cleaning up, annoying when they'll be all but invisible on the finished model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Working suspension by jongwinnett, on Flickr Working torsion bars by jongwinnett, on Flickr Lower hull starting to come together by jongwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 (edited) Tonight's progress: Wheels and sprockets fitted by jongwinnett, on Flickr Front with shackles a clip fit by jongwinnett, on Flickr Interior work begins. Colour coded parts sound like a gimmick but make work easier and looks good even without paint! by jongwinnett, on Flickr Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr Edited October 31, 2014 by 06/24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 It's been enjoyable so far. Slightly surprised that there's been a bit of flash to clean up, more than I might have expected for what is regarded as a state of the art kit. Nonetheless it seems to be going together well so far and fit of parts has been generally good. Bracing myself to try some extra detailing inside, cable runs principally. Need to fill a couple of ejector pin holes first, and smooth out where there were some mouldings to remove inside the hull walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy1drop Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Nice start, definitely going to sit back and watch this build 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Interior fittings continue by jongwinnett, on Flickr Sub-assemblies coming together by jongwinnett, on Flickr Possible dismount figure? by jongwinnett, on Flickr Driver and scout seats by jongwinnett, on Flickr Engine components by jongwinnett, on Flickr Engine by jongwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 State of play by jongwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 An evening to myself has meant some more progress: Gearbox and radiator by jongwinnett, on Flickr Test fit by jongwinnett, on Flickr Driver's bulkhead by jongwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz! Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 this is looking really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Thank you. I'm enjoying it a lot. Looking at photos I've concluded that interior of the rear compartment, particularly the seats, isn't quite representative of what seems to be the current fit. The kit seats have a spring frame underneath, and the seat back is framed to the rest of the seat (pictures further up the page). However the real thing sems to have dispensed with the spring frame and the rear seat cushion is now fixed to the sidewall: M3A3-3 by Jaye_Wolfe, on Flickr I'll need to see what I can find to modify the kit parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 (edited) The amended parts lack the finesse of the kit parts, but should suffice, I hope? Amended crew seat 1 by jongwinnett, on Flickr Amended crew seat 2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr Crew seat by jongwinnett, on Flickr What do you think? I could perhaps refine it with brass strip instead of the plastic angle, but the plastic was to hand. Now I've posted the photos I can see the seat back needs to be lower - nothing is fixed in place yet so it should be simple enough to lower it. I'm going to add a representation of the hinges that seem to line the wall as well. Edited November 4, 2014 by 06/24 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Excellent progress and a mighty fine looking kit! Will be watching rest of the build with interest. Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 After my disappointment with the paint finish on the MKIV Male, I decided to shell out for an airbrush and am now going through a steep learning curve. However, in true stupid fashion, I'm practicing on the Bradley, not a scrap kit. Fingers crossed, so far it seems ok: First attempts at airbrushing by jongwinnett, on Flickr Even without detailing, the engine and transmission look good with a coat of paint by jongwinnett, on Flickr Fighting compartment starting to look busy by jongwinnett, on Flickr The modified rear seat by jongwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Splendid attention to detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 The credit goes to the kit designers. Rear seat aside, all I've done so far is stick bits together in roughly the order shown in the instructions. It's a very detailed kit, but so far has been one of the most straightforward builds I can remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverickbiff Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 how did you get on with this build. im literally started mine yesterday, but without the interior? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 4, 2016 Author Share Posted June 4, 2016 It stalled through lack of interest. Funnily enough I saw the bits yesterday and thought I really must do something with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverickbiff Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 you should do im 4 days into a build and though i am really enjoying it i am a little disappointed at the amount of extra flash and clipping required of the sprues. have to say made a few mistakes building it and its fiddly in places but im lease with the build to date. about to start the turret sections. But this is only the fourth model i have built. so not doing to bad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 And now, thanks to Duncan at BLack Mike Models I have an Abrams to build to, so this looks like it is jumping back up the queue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 So, to re-cap, the state of play when this build stalled was: Here's where we left off by jongwinnett, on Flickr On re-examining the build so far, the first thing that struck me was the Tamiya paint (XF-71?) I had used for the interior "Sea Foam Green" looked too dark and blue. So tonight’s progress consisted of a spray of Humbrol 90, which to my eyes gives a closer match. Compare the shot of the closed up hull with the real thing on the previous page. That's better by jongwinnett, on Flickr That's better by jongwinnett, on Flickr One pleasant surprise is that my bodged seat changes look better than I remembered, so much so that I’m happy to call them done and move on. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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