It’s usually attached to the armor, via bolts that are missing from the Tamiya kit. Simply don’t cement it and let it drop. I’m somewhat interested in that rack on the transmission cover.
And yes, I’d fill that slot in. It’s not there in real life - just there to facilitate install an overly thick Tamiya part.
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Thanks again!
When that platform is in the stowed position, it sits atop those tools shown below. Would those tools stay there? In the image of the real one in the previous post, I can’t see the tools but the platform looks like it is raised off the hull.
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No, they are the poles for the swim barrier. The barrier was deleted on M2A2 ODS Brads. There are poles on the rear sides that should also be left off.
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Those are supports for the swim barrier, which of course there is no need for. Sometimes there are folding cots stored there. The cylindrical hinge is going to raise it a bit as well.
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@HeavyArty and @18bravo, thanks again. Great info.
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Yeah, that rack seems to be made of angle iron. I have some Evergreen angle iron strips I will use to make the rack. In another image I found, that same M2A2 ODS sits alongside another one with the same rack. The second M2A2 has razor wire wrapped around the rack. There is something else inside the rack that I can’t make out what it is.
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Best I can do on short notice in regard to the platform, it’s actually and engine maintenance platform that mounts to the front of the vehicle when the “hood” is up, there are chains involved as well as latches to secure it to the top of the armor plate.
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Thanks for the TM images.
You can just make out the chains on the right of the platform in this image.
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And that “T” handle is the thingy that secures it to the side armor
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With the swim barrier not used on the M2A2 ODS, besides the parts under the maintenance platform, what other parts are to be left off the Tamiya kit?
Besides part E10, are these the other parts to be left off? Part B24, B28, B36, B22 and B23?
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Some of those are correct, while other still should be there.
The swim barrier support that should be left off are parts E10, B23, and B24.
The rest are still there and are mostly tools. B28 is a track tool. B36 is a tripod for the M60MG. B22 is a tanker’s bar used for breaking track and other tasks.
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Thanks! Would I leave off the ammo cans as well? Part A34 on the left rear of the hull.
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Not necessarily, they still could be carried there. They should be strapped down though, as opposed to just placed there.
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Worked on M2A2 ODS today. Got some of Jacques Duquette’s 3D printed suspension and turret parts on. I filled in the holes with some punched out plastic sheet, filled in with putty then sanded flush.
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Coming along very nicely.
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Thanks!
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Getting ready for primer but need to fill in those three notches on the front first. On the right side skirt, I lost one footman loop to the carpet monster and the two smaller ones were missing from the Meng sprue.
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The Tamiya M2A2 ODS kit represents a rebuilt to ODS standard M2A2 ODS. The squares on the hull front are where attachment points for the swim barrier used to go. The lower part should still be there.
You can still see them (in red) on the M2A2 ODS below. There should also be small hinges on each side (blue) and in the middle, but it can’t be seen.
Here is how I did them on my M2A2 ODS backdate from a Meng M3A3 a few years ago. I used pieces of styrene for the attachment points and left over PE (from a jeep I think??) for the hinges.
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Thanks for the tips. Yours look great!
I already filled in the holes but added some plastic strips to represent the hinges. The hinges are not shown yet. I only did the three center ones. Will show in next update.
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