M2A2 Bradley WIP #10

So, the Bradley is basically finished. All that's left to do to it is add the glass targeting disc, but that will be left until the end for safety. Now we onto the base for the model.


The base is made from a piece of routered MDF. Nothing fancy, this can even be made from leftover scraps. Once I had one in the size I needed, it was time to plan out what I wanted. My plan for this project is for it to be set at the end of the Desert Storm when all of the troops are heading home. The scene is the Bradley's commander patting the front of it say his goodbye to it. The figure came from the kit, so it is not too good compared to others available. The arms have been remodelled on the figure into new positions, the left patting the hull ans the right holding his M231 rifle barrel. The Alice Packs are from Tamiya's range of accessories.

Onto the base now. First some terrain needs to be created to break up the flat surface. I have had to use Plasticine this time, as the local model shop is closed for Christmas so I could not get any "Das" modelling clay. If I was doing a larger build up of terrain, then I would use car body filler. Using Plasticine is an experiment on this base, so I am not sure how it will turn out at the end.


I want a ridge of sandstone ballast behind the Bradley, so first the ridge has been built up with some Plasticine rolled out and then squashed into shape.

Next I added some smaller pieces around the rest of the base to break up the flatness of it. At this stage, I notice that the Plasticine would lift a little whilst pressing it down, so I'm hoping that the PVA glue and ballast will hold it in place.

As I know, PVA glue and Plasticine do not mix. So I decided to give the base a coat of car primer thinking this might solve the problem. Some masking tape was ran around the edge of the base, this is mainly to keep as much glue and ballast off the routered faces of the base.

Unfortunately, the primer method did not work! So a solution was needed to combat the PVA not sticking to the Plasticine! Answer to this, washing up liquid. I just put a few drops in to the glue and mixed it around on the base. It worked letting the glue cover the Plasticine without any trouble.

Once everything was covered with the PVA, I placed the base in a box (the lid of the Bradley kit in this case) and started to sprinkle the fine grade ballast all over the base. Make sure everything gets a good covering and if you see a damp patch starting to show, at some more ballast.

Now this will need to be left for several hours for the glue to dry. So this is the end of this update and the next stages of the base construction will continue later.