I will make this announcement exclusive to Armorama for now. I have just completed the design/print work for major improvements of the Tamiya (Academy) M2A2 turret. Here is a list of what I have done, pictures to follow later this week:
New bustle rack (correct shape, panels, bolts, and attachment points)
new bustle rack brace
new ammo can holders for bustle rack
new gunners hatch (thick)
new “rain guard” metal bracket for rear of turret
new lift ring for rear of turret
new armor plate for turret side under commanders hatch
new left front armor plate with correctly sized hole for lift ring
new footmans loops
new Smoke Grenade Launcher reload boxes
new mantlet
new gun housing with ejection port and flapper
For late M2A2 ODS and Ukraine:
new dog house rear panel with box on right side and new setup for signal flag piping
new front of dog house with new sight doors and hinging
new Blue Force Tracker rack (empty) with correct shapes and holes
new lift rings/points for doghouse
For earlier/older Bradleys I also created a part to replace the signal flag piping with something easier to work with.
Teaser photo of the first print parts I am preparing to prime and paint.
That already looks like a greart improverment! I’m pretty sure a lot of those prodeucts are going to make their way onto my builds, if your footman loops are any indication.
I really like your idea of showing them painted up , it seems to me these printed parts have a translucency that doesn’t allow the detail to be shown to good advantage.
The lifting eyes for then doghouse are long overdue. The PE ones were tedious, and scratch building themeven more so. They’re a welcome item that can even be used to update the OG M2.
The bustle rack is also very welcome. Not only correctly shaped, but finally has the tie down brackets that were bolted on opposite the ammo stowage boxes. Until now you had to order a pretty expensice PE set just to get them,
I primed the parts, then painted them, and added a pinwash to show the detail. This was all done quickly, so it is not pretty but it shows the detail.
The Tamiya turret shell was minimally assembled (top and bottom halves) and primed black to contrast with the parts. Tamiya is black, my parts are Desert Sand.
