Many years ago in the real world, the IDF wanted a replacement for their ageing M-113 APCs and trialed a few promising foreign designs like the West German Marder & the M2 Bradley. The Marder proved too expensive & too small while the Bradley fell short in its weak suspension & poor armour -- they stuck with the M-113 & designed their own (interim) Heavy APC, the Achzarit. An upgrade armour-package was designed for the Bradley in response to this trial but it was, much later, only used on US Bradleys for a short time.
After news of a possible IDF Bradley APC surfaced, I started this project with a Tamiya Bradley kit. I ditched the turret, intending to mount either a doghouse plus armoured window-shields at the back or just a remote OWS, leaving the rear top-hatch free for firing shoulder ATGWs if tanks were encountered. First I did some basic assembly then plated over the turret-hole using a trimmed lower floor-plate from an AFV Club M-548. The rear top-hatch, like the real development Bradleys, had Blazer armour panels added from an Esci IDF M-60 kit. I added twin fuel-cells (4 x Academy M-113 units) to the rear, detailing them with a Merkava bin & comms box. I then added a large set of folding armour-plate doors (upper floor from the same AFV Club M-548 kit) for the engine bay similar to the IDF's M-113 Zeldas.
I wondered about possible up-armour packages for the sides and initially considered the actual box-armour package later used by the US Army but no after-market was available then (now done by Blast). Something along the lines of the type fitted to other IDF vehicles would suit but found nothing available in my spares box that I considered good & didn't at that time have access to more of AEF's resin bits, so put the project aside pending further thoughts.
Move on 10 years .....
I recently got Trumpeter's BMP-3 with upgrade armour but decided to do it without the ERA as I couldn't find any real-life reference to it on any BMP-3 but the standard vehicle looked good, so that freed the armour package for this project. I found that the packages were a bit short for a Bradley but otherwise fitted well. After a few weeks contemplating the fit, I dove in & just stuck them on, hoping I'd find other suitable bits to fill the gaps. The BMP-3 front up-grade section (cut in half) was the correct length for the shortfall over the lower drive-sprocket area each side & I had various box shaped parts of the right size in the spares bin to fill out other areas. Coupled with the remains of Blazer armour from the old Esci IDF M-60 kit, this largely covered the vehicle in ERA.
For an extended IDF-style exhaust-pipe, I cut a length of straight sprue from one of the trees & very carefully bent it in three places using bull-nosed pliers with the jaws cushioned with rubber. I then added a small reinforcing patch to the top bend, drilled out the end of the pipe and added a spare heat-shield from an IDF Zelda kit.
I cancelled the dog-house & rear FN / shields idea as they were more a "patrol & security" thing & stuck with the pure Battle-field Taxi concept so I only robbed the rear OWS mg for the roof from a Marder kit for limited self-defence ....
This is my fourth build in 2 months and the first resurrection of one of my old, old projects -- two are presently stalled for paint so this may be the first to actually get finished ...
