M6A3 Linebacker, Bradley M-SHORAD build

An interesting use of leftover parts.
Two small suggestions if I may:

  1. a hold and fold for those barckets
  2. I assume you’re cutting off those bolts to apply the brackets. I save them and reuse them as the same bolts hold the brackets on.

And I’ve always wondered about those welds. (not your fault obviously) Was there ever a version of the Bradley where those side plates were welded together. Of the scores of Bradleys I’ve photographed I’ve never seen that feature. I wonder where they got it. If you know, please do share! From a maintenance/replacement standpoint it would seem like a nightmare.

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Thanks gents. I hope tio get some paint on it tonight.

They are not that bad once you get going on them and get into a rhythm. There are only about 20 per side. :frowning_face:

Nope, Tamiya got that part wrong and Academy carried it forward. Magic Factory got it right.
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I always scribe them out as they annoy me.

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Looking great as usual.

Cheers,
Ralph

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Thanks, Ralph. I hope to get some more done on it tonight.

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Progress continues. I have painted it in the temporary green scheme and added decals. The decals are all home-made by me on computer decal paper. I marked it as a fictional “Assassin 32” from A Battery, 1-3 ADA, 3ID. This unit did have M6A2 Linebackers when they were in use, so I assume they would be one of the M6A3 Linebacker units as well. The symbol on the sides and front are Linebacker ADA Unit map symbols. As seen above on the actual pic, these are used as unit ID symbols in the temp paint scheme.

I used Model Master Sand (FS 33531) as the base and taped off the areas that would remain sand. I used Tamiya NATO Green for the temp green paint over top. I then sealed it all with dullcoat and retouched the gloss for the lights and optics.

Here it is so far.






Next up, adding some gear on it and weathering.

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Looks great, Gino! It’s a really unique SHORAD M2 Bradley that you really pulled off! :grin:

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I’m speechless.

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Thanks gents. I really like how it is turning out.

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Looks really great, good job made!

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Stunning build I hope to be this good one day.

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Thanks guys. I’m sure any of you could do just as well.

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Not me. I am still a padawan learner compared to all these Jedi Masters! :grin:

:beer: :cowboy_hat_face:

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I am going to get a morale patch made that says mediocre model builder and I’ll wear it with pride

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I’ll buy one! :grin:

:beer: :cowboy_hat_face:

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Thank God I married a speech pathologist. My speech has been restored.

That said, these days I rarely critique your work, although I obviously am quite adept at critiquing others. Mainly it’s because in the past you haven’t been very receptive to my comments. But then I thought, “That’s not really fair to you or the other modelers.” You and others might really learn something from what I have to say.
So I’ll get to the BLUF – this ain’t your best work. And we haven’t seen it for a while. That’s not to be snarky or rude, it’s based on several factors. But if you’ll bear with me, I think I know why.
I used to have better than 20/20 vision. When I had eye exams they’d tell me to read the bottom most line on the chart and I’d say, “Printed in USA. Patent Pending.”
Then one night when I was 42 I was driving to Camp Bullis and was trying to read some information on Tylenol bottle. I couldn’t understand why they made something so important so hard to read. The next night on land nav I really had to squint to see the lines on the protractor. I was baffled. Then I finally realized my eyesight was going. It was quick too. Even then I was in denial for many years. Mister “Better than 20/20 vision” couldn’t possibly be going blind. My wife’s cousin, an optometrist, verified it. That was 2004. It was not until 2017 when none other than General Enzenauer, the State Surgeon of Colorado, ordered me to get, and then wrote me a prescription for glasses. It changed my life. My shooting got back to where it was. My model building improved. My wife got better looking. In fact, I can look at one of my builds and know if it was from one of those “dark” years.
So why do I think it’s your vision? I’ll point out some examples from your latest build. I don’t want to point out too many. The purpose here isn’t to pile on, it’s to offer constructive criticism.
First off, what I said earlier in the thread. The brackets look mangled. And when my vision was bad I could look at a thing and absolutely not see anything wrong with it. They probably looked fine to you. And the weld lines -
I wondered why you left them, after I tactfully pointed it out. Again, maybe you just don’t trust your eyesight to eliminate them.
And then there are the markings. First is the decal film. Now I know you wouldn’t normally let that go, but again, I did the same thing. I could simply not see my mistakes.

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Also possibly toueched up by hand?

And then the sand backgrounds - I know you said you sprayed sand first, then masked it off and painted the vehicle green. And if you say that then I believe you. But it looks for all the world like the sand is hand painted , which makes me think you had a tiny flaw you wanted to fix, and touched it up. But there are brush strokes in the touch up. Nothing wrong with touching up, but again I think you just don’t see it.

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And trust me. I’ve done the same. For decades I thought my markings were perfect, only to discover they weren’t. Case in point:

I am my own biggest critic.

The final thing I think you didn’t catch is where you removed details. To the naked eye, I’m sure you can’t see it. Hell, I can’t even read what I’m typing without glasses. Normally you’d fix something like this.

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Just know that the point of all this isn’t to belittle your (possibly) failing eyesight. I fought it a long time - I still won’t even have a photo taken wearing glasses if I can help it. I love to see models as good as they can be made. That’s why we do this.
As an aside - I have advocated for the Opti-visor many times on this site, so it’s something I recommend for anyone, including myself.

I do look forward to seeing it weathered.

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I knew you couldn’t stay speechless for long.

You could be partially right. I have had to start wearing reading glasses when modeling over the last year, or so. Maybe I need to get stronger ones. I will contend that most of the issues you show are blown up way larger than they are in actuality and are not as noticeable at actual size, even with glasses.

As to the weld lines on the side armor, they just didn’t bother me enough to tackle them at the time. Maybe on the next one.

who would have thought a 30MM gun would fir in the Bradly turret a longer barrel version of tha 30MM gun that is used in the Apache would be a great firepower upgrade for the Bradley

There was a proposed 30mm unmanned turret Bradley, but it was not bought. The manned turret was preferred.


I think it is the same or a similar turret as what the Stryker Dragoon uses.


image

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Has anybody started a topic where you can post your pics for honest reviews and discussions?