1/35 Modern Armour
It's a wet ,wet weekend down here,some local flooding so I have been poking around in the garage building kits,and I dug out this pair for Jeffry and Louis,both modern Military men,4X4 MRAP(Mine Resistant Armour Protected) it's a Kinetic kit and a very nice one to,lots of interior parts and just enough PE not to drive your crazy,and the other is a Meng Kit of the M3A3 Bradley w/Busk.III another nice kit,with lots of outside extras,you can go the whole hog and buy the interior kit,but it's dearer than the model so not having enough pennies I went for the locked down look,I had to take these pics inside so the lighting is a little light on contrast,have not included and statistic on the vehicles feel you people would know these ones,but if not just let me know,as I have some notes on both.Greg I remember you saying you would like to have a vehicle for shopping car parks well the MRAP would be just right.As I said it's pouring down here may have to dig out the canoe,My oldest Daughter lives in London and at this moment holidaying in Florida so I hope you are turning on good weather for her.Cheers.
I like 'em both, Jim...I've wanted one of those MRAP thingies ever since I first saw one (one of those gargantuan bulldozers, too - M9 maybe?). Back "in the day" - before the move to the Sunshine State - I had a cabinet with over 60 35th scale armor pieces, but it wasn't feasible to try and pack 'em up and take 'em with me. I also went through my NASCAR period with about the same amount of models, but gave that up as well because I got tired of trying to keep up with all the changes (numbers, drivers, colors, sponsors, etc., etc.). Now I stick to [mostly] airplanes - my first & true love - 40's thru present 48th scale usually. Enough about me, though - I really like what you've done with these. Good work, my friend.
Thanks Craig,I have the M9 Ace and the D9R both are a great build I'm sure you will enjoy building them,and I know what you mean about your models I have moved so many time over the years,I still have small parts missing and some in a box that I'm not sure what model they came from,a friend game me an idea the last time I moved was to put each model in a plastic bag so if any parts came off you knew what model it came from.I'm the opposite to you I used to build aircraft then went on to AFV and I guess I have built everything in between,I built a few Rally cars and NASCARS,room to display them is the thing,I once built a Large Diorama of a ww2 scene took me so long to build,I entered in a State Model Comp and won a silver medal for it,bit of a shock,first and last time I ever entered any thing.In the end I had to brake it up just not the room to keep,Any way I'm glad you said Sunshine State my daughter likes the sun,and I really enjoyed hearing about your models,thank you my friend.Cheers till next time.
Very nice Jim. The Bradley was just coming into service when I got out in 1985. Now 32 years later, it has changed so much it only bears a passing resemblance to the original.
32 years, how did that happen...yikes
Yes Rick you coined a phrase there were did the years go,Like the Bradley we all have gone through changes,way back in 1972 they started bidding to build the Bradleys and it has gone through so many changes I like the ERA on the outside,you could build up a nice collection of the Bradleys,thanks for your comments go well.
I was in the Old Black Boot, brass buckle and break starch Army, and this equipment looks like science fiction to little old me! M113s and the M-109 were about all I could grasp, in them days. Bogie fever! Geeze, wheeze!
Scary looking stuff, sez I.
They sure have changed Bernard,In reality its in a good way they are making them much safer for our soldiers to be safe and come back unharmed,but back to the kits they were both enjoyable to build and I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Nice work Jim. These look great. The Bradley wasn't in my last unit while I was still there. Our old M-151 Jeeps were starting to be replaced by Humvees. We still had the M-113 APC's. We even had the old Gama Goats which were used to haul 155 MM rounds for the M-109's we had in our Howitzer Battery in our Squadron. We did have the Oshkosh HEMMT haulers though. They were set up as cargo trucks or fuel trucks.
Your builds really looks nice my friend. I like how you captured the look ...
Thanks Louis for your comments,as Bernard said these new vehicles are in the realm of science fiction,when you read about their capabilities,with this age of computer Tech they can download information to help survivability,my earliest build was a M-113A2,also built the Gama Goat in ambulance form,as well as the Hemtt Gun Truck,one would think I love building these things,even have the jeep and the Humvee(look who's bragging now)My dream is one day having a ride inside a tank,of any kind,can take lots of joy rides in aircraft,but alas no tanks.(old man raving here)I was only a young boy when they had conscription in this country and they drew you out of a lottery by birth date,I think it was the only lottery I did not want to win.Thanks again for your kind words and inspiring comments,Your friend all be it OLD one!
Thank God you didn't win that lottery...
It's hard to find a place that offers tank rides. There are probably some places listed online that do military re enactments that may be able to help you on your quest. There are also some people who collect Military vehicles and they may also be able to point you in the right direction for a "tank" ride.
There's nothing like it... You would really have a blast. Driving one makes a person feel unstoppable. They just have so much raw power. I have driven tanks into and over huge trees and not even felt as much as a little bump while inside the tank. Sure you can feel the chassis raise up a little, but the sheer weight of the vehicle crushes pretty much anything under it.
Firing the main gun and the crew served weapons is another adrenalin rush... If I could go back in time I would have done several things differently. I would have stayed in the Army a whole lot longer. Hindsight.
Yes Hindsight,only if I would have GUNNA would have DUNNA,my accent again!Now you made me dribble with excitement about your escapades in the tank(not a nice sight to see and old man dribble)thanks for the insight.Mate.
A couple of cool builds there Jim, nicely done.
Some nice builds Jim!
Thanks Richard and Greg for your comments
Awesome armour!
Thanks Robert coming from you thats Awesome