Twilight 2000 BMP - Finished

[Buzzbomb]

Remember Twilight 2000, the great Post Apocalyptic game from the late 70's ?

Perusing the stash for a quick build I pulled out the old Dragon BMP2. Now this was average when it was first out, but given the latest releases, probably even more ordinary. I thought.. how would a BMP look with a different turret in a Post Apoc setting. The spares box had a Fox Armoured Car Turret (from the Accurate Armour FV432 IFV, which was used for another build)



Now this was a quick build, whipped up this afternoon at a club end of year build day.. gotta say this for the kit.. there is no angst during the build. Unlike the Bronco Airborne Jeep and 6 pdr with 9000 parts, which has been going for 6 months on and off and only now ready for paint.

Probably not a huge advance over the standard BMP2 turret/Gun combo.. but it does look different. Perhaps a Finnish hybrid experiment back story prior to the Nuclear Event that trigger the twilight 2000 era.

It could all get dumped and something else yet.. lets see what evolves.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

You crafty devil!  Very nice and plausible. 

Unlike the Bronco Airborne Jeep and 6 pdr with 9000 parts, which has been going for 6 months on and off and only now ready for paint.

A shame they do not offer a 6 pdr with a canvas tarpaulin covering the majority of the gun.  That would resolve the 9000 parts issue  :)

[Logan Hartke]

Probably not a huge advance over the standard BMP2 turret/Gun combo.. but it does look different. Perhaps a Finnish hybrid experiment back story prior to the Nuclear Event that trigger the twilight 2000 era.

Maybe a recce update of the BRM? that would be a definite firepower upgrade. I don't know what other details are different, but the turret location would be right then.

Cheers,

Logan

[raafif]

that exposed neck to the turret could be a weak point, maybe put a sloped collar around it ?

Other real-world BMP-2 conversions used the cannon-armed turrets from the LAV & Dutch YPR ..... I'll post pics when I find them.

[Kerick]

Since its in a post apocalyptic situation perhaps some scrounged materials for appique or hill billy armor would fit in?

[Weaver]

Nice one. The Chinese went through a phase of being interested in British turrets before Tianammen Square knocked it all on the head. There was a YW.534 prototype with a Warrior-ish RARDEN turret at one point. This would be a credible addition to that line of development: after all, the standard Chinese BMP clone only has a ring-mounted DShK.

BTW, Twilight 2000 was first published in 1984.

[Buzzbomb]

that exposed neck to the turret could be a weak point, maybe put a sloped collar around it ?

Agree with that. It was part of the fit for the FV432 kit, but after a bit of a further stare at it after the photo session, I too decided it had to go.
The turret flush on the deck works as well, but I think one more layer of card will be the answer.

[Buzzbomb]

BTW, Twilight 2000 was first published in 1984.

so it was..well there ya go. Must have had Traveller on the mind with the 70's time frame.
Anyhoooo.

Ok Plan 2. Ditched the Fox turret idea and I am going back to canon as far as the BMP goes and using the original turret. It just looks and feels better for what I am trying to achieve.
Still get to dress it up a bit for the Twilight 2000/Post Apocalyptic feel.
No pix yet as nothing outside of the standard turret has happened

[Buzzbomb]

Small progress.
Thinking about what to make this a tad different I looked at the left over bits of a non-whiff T-72 build I have going and used parts out of that, such as the Command Cupola, 12.7mm HMG and some turret bins. Stuff that would perhaps be around a base workshop and with a bit of engineering and gas axe work could be added on to improve the vehicle a bit.





More to follow. Wait out.

[Brian da Basher]

I think this is my favorite version yet!

Looking forward to your next update,
Brian da Basher

[Buzzbomb]

Ok, so I am procrastinating on the Group Build models.. but I have excuses. Flimsy but excuses.

But the BMP build bounds ahead.
So Stowage almost done

Stuff on the back

and sides

Final bit will be some spare track and roadwheels on racks on the front of the vehicle.
Still doing my "engineering drawings" on that to come up with a feasible method on the rails I have already put on.
But all in all.. almost there withe next stop after that, the paint shop and the final bits and bobs post paint like ration boxes.

[Frank3k]

You're making that BMP-2 look good. I like the field applied armor. Can the turret still traverse or will it be stuck in place?

[Brian da Basher]

I really like the details and the stowage. Especially that tarp-covered box.

Fantastic work!

Brian da Basher

[Claymore]

Definitely looks better with the original turret and I am really liking the personal adaptations and stowage.  Very in keeping with the post-war setting.  Looking forward to seeing the end result.  :)

[Buzzbomb]

So in what might be the last update for this week, preliminary painting of something approaching the Finn Splinter scheme


Next is detail painting, decals then load 'er up

[GTX_Admin]

Looking good.

[Buzzbomb]

some swift work over the holiday period and this is as good as it is going to get.
A couple of nice figures.. more Russiany than Finnish but given the Twilight 2000 scenario.. they set the scene





Now.. back to normal programming

Brian T :)

[finsrin]

Has that honest use wear-n-tear look even into details.
Like gear boxes with rope hold downs.  Red/white picnic cooler works well, never would thought of that :)

[Brian da Basher]

Has that honest use wear-n-tear look even into details.
Like gear boxes with rope hold downs.  Red/white picnic cooler works well, never would thought of that :)

I couldn't agree more! That red cooler adds nice contrast!

Outstanding detail work!

Brian da Basher

[Frank3k]

I love the weathering and all the gear! The figures look great, too. Are they from Tank?

[Feldmarschall Zod]

Great looking BMP.

[apophenia]

Very nice! I really like the side add-on armour  :)