Looking for the best OTB M2 or M3 Bradley, the base Cold War variant pre 1991.
A quick search only brings up Academy or Tamiya, Scalemates doesn’t show these as being the same moulds but I’ve heard in the past that they are the same kit. So opinions please, if needed I’ll replace the tracks and gun barrel.
You only have one real option, Tamiya.
The Academy ones are Tamiya copies with no real improvement and are softer on details in many areas.
More info here:
The tracks are all rubber band. If you want to replace them, you also have to replace the front sprockets too as they are totally wrong (wrong # of teeth and wrong shape/no holes, etc…) and no AM tracks will fit on them. The roadwheels are poor as well. I recommend Jacques’ suspension update set for them.
@HeavyArty Thanks Gino, I’ll look into the 3D printed stuff and a Tamiya M2.
Jacques is working on a few more detail parts that were missing on the OG version, having to do with the swim variant, Speaking of which, some of those pieces can be found cast on the underside of the floor of wither the Tamiya or Academy kits. A lot of the missing detail can b e scratchbuilt, but you really will want his 3D parts to do the old girl right.
This thread is by no means the be all end all, but it does cover some things not previously covered in any other threads, and some other folks have contributed some nice photos of their builds as well:
Not technically, in the sense that it’s not a straight rebox, but Academy clearly just copied the Tamiya parts and moved them around the sprue a little. I posted a quick sample comparison in another Bradley thread not that long ago.
Indeed. And the parts (other than what I noted in my blog) are absolutely identical. There is no difference in quality between the two kits. In fact, I often use them interchangeably. The only thing I’ve noticed on occasion is that the knock out pin marks may be a little deeper on some of the smaller Academy parts - sometimes. Even in that case the Tamiya parts still have the marks on the same location so you have to fill them in any case.
With either kit, there’s a lot of work to do, which means you’ll definitely get your money’s worth. 
