Meng - BMR-3M Amoured Mine Clearing Vehicle - Construction

1
November 23, 2023
Tracks, tracks, tracks.... Decided to tackle the tracks first...
2
November 24, 2023
Right... 492 peices done... 800 left to go... And I haven't even started on the vehicle itself... Lol... These weren't too bad to be honest... About 6 to 8 hrs I had these altogether..
3
November 25, 2023
12 Road wheels 2 Idlers and 2 Sprockets... Boring..!! Lol
4
November 25, 2023
Boring part done...! Sprue nubs to the roadwheels were surprisingly easy to clean up... Not like Takom's heavy tread pattern... Mengs tread pattern is much more refined...
5
November 25, 2023
Lower suspension in... Roadwheels, idlers and sprockets on... Tracks wrapped around... Not too shabby for a day at the bench...
6
November 25, 2023
This is shaping up to be a great kit if the lower running gear is any sign... Clean up has been minimal... Fits perfectly...
7
November 25, 2023
Test fitting the fighting compartment panels to the hull...
8
November 25, 2023
This kit just falls together... Panels snap into place and without any bonding there's little to no gap all round...
9
November 26, 2023
Texturing the main Hull plates...
10
November 27, 2023
Additional weld detail added to the main hull plates...
11
November 27, 2023
More welds...
12
November 27, 2023
Over welding... Going cross eyed...
13
November 27, 2023
14
November 27, 2023
15
November 27, 2023
16
November 27, 2023
17
November 28, 2023
Took the time out to make a new welding tool... Definitely an improvement...
18
November 28, 2023
A little more done tonight... Upper and Lower Hulls bonded together with a few items added to the rear deck...
19
November 29, 2023
PE Grills fits like a glove...
20
November 30, 2023
Bit of detail to thenside walls...
21
November 30, 2023
22
November 30, 2023
23
November 30, 2023
Rear tanks added... Would've been nice if these were slide moulded... The usual 2 halves and lid approach... Difficult to get these looking seamless...
24
November 30, 2023
25
November 30, 2023
More welding, more bits, more texture...
26
November 30, 2023
27
December 1, 2023
It's going to be tight getting into places painting at the rear...
28
December 1, 2023
Frontal ERA Blocks going on...
29
December 1, 2023
Last components that require welds are now bonded in place...
30
December 1, 2023
Looking like something now...
31
December 2, 2023
Getting through all the small parts... There's quite a few... Some are just too fragile to put on till the end...
32
December 2, 2023
Rear Tanks and the large spreader bar for the crane are all loose for painting...
33
December 2, 2023
ERA looking quite cool..
34
December 2, 2023
Crane jib mounted... Very cool addition...
35
December 2, 2023
Tool box on this side is still loose... There's quite a tight region at the back of it which will be difficult to paint...
36
December 2, 2023
Smoke dischargers either side... Made up of 18 pieces... A little bit of welding added to their brackets also...
37
December 2, 2023
ERA blocks everywhere...! Side skirts really making an impact...
38
December 3, 2023
Crane done and dusted... Made up a rope to go with it...
39
December 3, 2023
Pretty much just got the main armament, a few more ERA blocks and last of the fragile peices to the roof to go on... Then onto the mine rollers...
40
December 4, 2023
41
December 4, 2023
Making a start on the mine rollers...
42
December 4, 2023
Putting his claws together... I'll take the, up to the point where I can do the welds to the arms rather than following the instructions...
43
December 4, 2023
Fair bit involved with these mine rollers... Plenty of opportunity to practice welds...
44
December 4, 2023
45
December 12, 2023
Almost there... Textured and prepped for welds before permanent bonds are made to the sub assemblies...
46
December 12, 2023
Texturing the mine roller elements...
47
December 21, 2023
Welds to the Mine Roler Frame members...
48
December 21, 2023
Tiny welds to the roller cradles...
49
December 21, 2023
Welds, welds, welds...
50
December 22, 2023
Rolling, rolling, rolling...
51
December 22, 2023
Rollers in their cradles...
52
December 22, 2023
53
December 23, 2023
Damn she look tough..!
54
December 23, 2023
55
December 23, 2023
Going to be fairly fiddly mounting the rollers... Just getting them to this stage has been a bit of an effort...
56
December 23, 2023
Russian Beastie..!!
57
December 23, 2023
Not far to go now...
58
December 23, 2023
Thats one roller attached to its arm... Gotta say this was super tedious and fiddly to do... The instructions say 5 links but the imagery shows only 4 links of chain on the front end... Its pretty darn tight getting the pin thru such a short chain... So best off going with 5 if you ever build it... I managed to correct things however...
59
December 27, 2023
60
December 27, 2023
Mine rollers almost done...
61
December 27, 2023
62
December 27, 2023
The supplied metal cable for the mine rollers felt a little underscale and their texture wasn't all that crash hot... Found some alternative cable to replace them although a little on the large side, but the texture looks much better...
63
December 28, 2023
Cables for the mine rollers added using 0.030" lead wire.
64
December 28, 2023
Considering leaving the long range tanks off...
65
December 28, 2023
Last few items being bonded.
66
December 28, 2023
67
December 28, 2023
Everything ready to go except the main gun...
68
December 28, 2023
69
December 28, 2023
So very close now...!
70
December 29, 2023
Main gun completed... Gotta say this is a model unto it's own... Quite a bit tedious but at this size therei dont think many manufacturers could've improved on it with this level of detai.. None the less I got there..
71
December 29, 2023
Main gun mounted...
72
December 29, 2023
73
December 29, 2023
74
December 29, 2023
Done..!
75
December 29, 2023
Noice..!!
76
December 29, 2023
77
December 29, 2023
A number of elements are still left loose till paint...
78
December 29, 2023
79
December 29, 2023
80
December 29, 2023
81
December 29, 2023
And she's done... This is a big kit with a lot going on... But being a Meng kit it goes together very well... There are some tedious areas but its to be expected on such a complex build... Solid 9 outta 10 on this one... Another top kit from Meng...! Go get one...

Comments

22 22 November 2023, 11:39

Jonathon Herring
Every one of the reviews I've read say that the tracks were the most tedious part of the build. So, looks like you're ahead of the game. Looking forward to more, Eddy. Enjoy it.🍻

24 November 2023, 13:16

Eddy Marshall
Cheers John... Honestly... As far as plastic workable tracks go, these are probably the easiest I've put together... No glue and click together... The tedious part is sanding the sprue nubs to all of them, not that theyre visible... It took about 6 hrs in total... Last night's session i managed 110 links in an assembly line fashion... Sharp sprue cutters do help though...

25 November 2023, 00:21

Rui S
I'm in 😎

1 December 2023, 00:56

Eddy Marshall
Cheers Rui..! Looking good so far...

1 December 2023, 11:44

Album info

Construction of the most beastie looking thing...And it not exactly a tank... But it is cool..!

Meng BMR-3M Amoured Mine Clearing Vehicle

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