Hello , I’m new to the forum but not new to model building . I picked up a meng m2a3 a while back and want to complete it . I want to paint it in a scheme that is as current as possible. I have been seeing some videos lately of Bradley’s being painted in solid green? is that fairly wide spread ? do they still equip Bradley’s with the desert sand ERA blocks , are they painting those green now ? so just could use some current painting options. Thanks for all the suggestions
The two standard colors are still overall sand and 3-color NATO camo. The green ones are painted temporarily with a water-based green paint when on rotational deployments to Europe if they are overall sand.
The Meng M2A3 is decidedly a combat Bradley from Iraq in about 2008-2010. The ERA blocks are only used in combat, so no current ones use them. You may see some being installed as part of training, but they are not kept on. There are other parts on the kit that are not used in peacetime either, such as the A/C units on the rear and the A/C box inside.
Check out this thread for more info on current (and the history of) Bradleys.
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thanks mate
you know your stuff
For what its worth I’m doing the Tamiya Bradley w interior right now. I did the base in the overall green, hairspray then desert tan and then chipping to show the green underneath. Came out pretty nice, mostly using it as a test bed for hairspray for some whitewash WW2 winter builds I’m thinking of. This was one build that I wasnt basing off of any particular vehicle and actually working it backwards color wise from what HeavyArty detailed but hey, maybe it “redeployed”. In the end its all about fun in the end.
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Sounds like a nice model. The way you have painted it is exactly what was done to M2s that deployed to Saudi Arabia for Op Desert Shield/Storm in '90-'91. Most were either forest green or NATO camo and were repainted with cheap, locally bought Saudi sand paint that peeled easily, leaving them looking really rough.
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I’m guessing touch ups would vary accordingly then if it was local sourced which ought to be an excuse for some fun with weathering and picking out various panels. Would I be right in assuming there was no real FS standard then in ODS? I’m thinking on a dio possibly with another vehicle or two so I’m guessing I could be fairly flexible with any sort of desert tan and weathering.
I painted mine sand. I think i used the 2003 Iraq option so makes sense but I also very much like the sand but the green reactive armour.
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I’m building the Meng M2A3 Bradley BUSK III with the full interior. I’m painting the exterior in a shaded version of Tamiya Desert Sand with several coats progressively lighter with white added. Today I finally got the hull painted. The kit came with the “Q” sprue missing and it took a while to get a new one from Meng. Here’s a couple of WIP pictures.
The turret was done a while ago, but I had to wait for those parts to finish the commander’s shield.
Here’re some more shots.
This image shows the Friulmodel metal tracks. I wasn’t happy with the kit’s snap-together links. They were easy enough to build, but weren’t holding together well enough for my liking. The metal tracks have pins that run entirely through the track as in the real ones, so they’re very secure.
Tracks are painted,
- Tamiya Dark Iron
- Vallejo Dark Flesh (a nice rusty red)
- Light coat of Tamiya Buff
- Hand paint rubber track pads with a lightened Tamiya Rubber Black
- Dusting with light tan pastel powders
- Sraping off paint on center guide lugs and the little horizontal ridges at the track hinge.
The instructions call out that the radiator over the engine is painted blue. I decided to make it look like anodized aluminum with a coat of silver covered by Tamiya Clear Blue.
Finding some good photos of the interior help in the painting of the driver’s space. I added the seat-lift lever next to the driver’s seat and changed the shift lever.
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Hello Gino,
Thank you for pointing the time frame for the M2A3 from Meng Models.
It seems their instructions are wrong concerning time frame:
Is a M2A3 made with Tamiya kit and Legend Productions conversion good for Iraqi freedom 2003 ?
Meng may be sort of correct on their timeframe. The M2A3 was fielded in about 2000. I believe the first ones in Iraq were with 1CAV Div in '04, but could have been 4ID in late '03. I don’t think any of them had the A/C units though as they were later mods.
Without the A/C units on the rear, yes. It would have to be from 4ID though. 3ID had M2A2 ODSs and M3A2 ODSs for the initial invasion. They did not get A3s until later. I was back at 3ID in '09 and they were just getting M2A3s at that time, along w/M1A2 SEP v2s.
Ok thank you and with the Legend conversion used entirely, what would be the time frame for OIF ?
Without the side ERA blocks, it would be good for late '03 (4ID) to about late '04. With ERA blocks on the sides, from about '04 to '10. Your best bet is to find a pic of a vehicle you like and model it after that.
Who makes the best 1/35 metal gun barrel and muzzle brake/extractor for a Bradley model?
The plastic barrel in the Tamiya kits, is very fiddly to hollow out.
Thank you.
I prefer Aber Barrel sets for Brads. They make an early, smooth barrel set and a later, ribbed barrel set, both with M240 coax barrels.
They also do a set for the M231 firing port gun barrels on early M2s.
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RB makes a nice one, but only the main gun, no coax.
Ken
Thank you for your detailling answers Gino. I will make one with camouflage net above the turret.