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Dragon Model Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro Kit No. 7333;
M3A2 ODS Bradley w/ERA
M3A2 ODS Bradley w/ERA
Reviewed by Cookie Sewell
Summary
Stock Number and Description
DML 1/72 scale Armor Pro Series Kit No.
7333; M3A2 ODS Bradley w/ERA
Scale:
1/72
Media and Contents:
172 parts (129 in grey styrene,
22 DS tan plastic, 16 etched brass, 5 clear styrene)
Price:
retail price estimated at US $13.98
Review Type:
First Look
Advantages:
State-of-the-art version of the Cavalry
(recon) version of the Bradley family
Disadvantages:
Some parts simplified, e.g. tools molded in
place, one or two bad seams may be hard to align, commander's windows
may be hard to install
Recommendation:
Highly Recommended for small-scale modern
American fans
FirstLook
When the US Army went into Iraq in 2003, not much thought was given
to the postwar activities. Unfortunately not only were the Iraqi
diehards fairly inventive, once Al-Qaeda got into the act things got
much worse.
One problem with Al-Qaeda when the hype is taken away is that one of
their functions is to provide "Dirtbags R Us" training to any group
of Islamic terrorists. Based on results from Chechnya and activities
against the Israelis by Hamas and Hezbollah, they taught a great
deal on how to use the humble RPG-7 rocket launcher to its greatest
effect. Shooting Bradleys in the side was guaranteed to cause damage
or even total destruction and unfortunately the terrorists in Iraq
got very good at this. It took some time before the US Army
reluctantly admitted this fact and began to retrofit its vehicles
with suitable protection.
The M1A1 and M1A2 were fitted with the TUSK urban survival kit, and
the Bradley – which in its A2 version had been designed to mount an
explosive reactive armor fit – were soon upgraded. Also, based on
Israeli experience with snipers, the commander received a
bulletproof glass enclosure to allow him to sit head out of the
hatch with a higher chance of survival.
This works, and a simple check of the internet shows vehicles like
this in action. One fo the better ones shows a sniper firing on a
Bradley with seeming immunity due to being higher than an escorting
M1A1 could shoot. The Bradley, under fire, backs up and with the
missile launcher elevating tells the sniper his time has come –
which it did seconds later with a big fireball. So, it works.
DML has now released a kit of the upgraded A2 version of the Bradley
(externally M2 and M3 Bradleys are nearly impossible to tell apart
by other than bumper codes) and it is a nicely done job. The ERA
blocks are molded in groups, which is fine unless the modeler wants
to show one that has been engaged and the single blocks have
detonated.
The kit is the same basic ODS Bradley kit which came out in June
2004, but it was a pretty nice kit then and still is. It comes with
a box literally filled with parts. In this scale, it does provide a
great deal of options: all wheels roll, the rear ramp operates, and
the gun can be made to move up or down. The latter comes at a price,
as it requires using the aerial gunsight connector arm and other
sight arm (parts E2 and E4) made out of DS plastic now, so one end
may have to be left loose.
The hatches and missile launcher box are poseable but not moveable.
Also this version comes with thermal ID panels and etched brass
mounts for some of the ERA assemblies. These are the bases (meaning
if desired the boxes may be left off) as well as the frames for the
commander's bulletproof glass shield. Five tiny sections of clear
styrene (pre-cut) are provided for installation in the frame. Note
that you may have to sand or scrape off some of the surface detail
to get a good fit with the styrene ERA assemblies on the hull sides
and glacis.
Only one marking option is given – bumper codes for C Troop, 2nd
Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (attached to 3rd Infantry
Division), Tall Afar 2005. Note that it shows a reddish color for
the outside of the various ports and viewers, which is an attempt to
replicate the anti-laser coating featured on many of them today.
In summary, this is a nice kit and covers a very busy modern US
vehicle.
Sprue Breakdown
A 3 Bradley hull and turret top
B 40 Bradley wheels
C 50 Bradley turret and A2 rear hull parts
C 29 Bradley hull and A1 rear hull parts
E 22 DS Plastic track runs and wheel keepers
G 7 Bradley ERA fit
MA 11 etched brass
MB 5 etched brass