Model Forum / General / Models / January 2006

Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 scale Armor Pro Kit No. 7298;
M2A2 with ERA; 173 parts (142 in grey styrene, 20 in DS plastic, 11
etched brass); price US $11.95

Advantages: first kit in any scale with the reactive armor array;
multiple parts permit any of several subvariants of Bradley to be built
from this kit

Disadvantages: another variant may confuse some buyers

Rating: Highly Rated

Recommendation: for all modern "small scale" fans

    More than 15 years ago the Army gave consideration to mounting
explosive reactive armor - ERA - on the Bradley series of armored
infantry fighting vehicles for self-protection. The Israelis had
demonstrated its effectiveness as well as the Soviets had adopted
"Kontakt" protection - which they dubbed "dynamic protection"
- for their own armored vehicles. But even though the M2A2 and M3A2
Bradley fighting vehicles went into production, proving themselves on
Operation Desert Storm, the decision to actually produce the suites of
armor was deferred.

    Fast forward to Operation Iraqi Freedom, where for the first time US
forces came up against massive numbers of hand-held antitank weapons
used at point-blank range. The results were a few knocked out M1A1
Abrams tanks as well as many Bradleys and lighter vehicles knocked out.
Due to the problems with catastrophic explosions in a Bradley (the
inside of the rear of the vehicle carries a great deal of 25mm, 7.62mm
and TOW ammunition, plus fuel) the US Army finally decided to field its
ERA protection for use in Iraq.

    The armor is quite effective, and prevents penetration of the interior
of the vehicle or at least minimizes it to prevent injuries to crew
members as well as denotation of stowed ammunition. For those not
familiar with reactive armor, it uses an explosion and moving steel
plates to deform the jet of molten metal formed by a cumulative effects
warhead (HEAT) to prevent it forming correctly and penetrating the
armor protection of a vehicle. Based on the vehicle and the munition,
it can be up to 100% effective.

    DML has now offered the latest version of the M2A2 with a reactive
armor fit. This is an improved version of their earlier M2A2 ODS kit
(number 7247) and provides more parts and better rendering. While they
have simplified the array down to only seven parts, due to close fits
and the conformal fit of the boxes on the actual vehicle this really
isn't objectionable, and does prevent the modeler from having to
mount 90 or so boxes of around 2 x 2 mm.

    The model can be built as either a straight M2A2 ODS (upgraded M2A2
with lessons learned from Desert Storm) or an M2A2 with ERA. Different
parts and components are provided for each one, so you will have to pay
close attention to the very busy direction sheet.

    This kit is one of the few where you do have to use the etched brass,
as the mounts are provided for the turret ERA array and no styrene
alternative comes with the kit.

    No interior is provided, but four of the six hatches may be positioned
either open or shut (driver's, commander's, missile reload, and
rear access ramp.)

    Tracks are DS plastic as are the keepers for the wheels, the mud
flaps, and the antiaircraft sight mount and arm on the turret roof.

    Cartograf decals are provided along with four recommended schemes:
1-18 Infantry, 1st ID, Tikrit 2004; 2-7 Infantry, 3rd ID, Baghdad 2004;
1-26 Infantry, 1st ID, Balad 2004; and 1-8 Infantry, 4th ID, Samarrah,
2003.

    Overall this is a very nice kit with more options, but it may provide
confusing to some modelers due to the plethora of other Bradley kits
DML has offered. That would be a shame, as this is the best of the
bunch.

    Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.

Cookie Sewell