The Honourable Lead Boiler Suit company had a range of 1/48 scale modern vehicles. They are now being made available by Empress, as an addition to their 1/50 scale modern vehicles.
The first I have started to assemble is the BMD-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The resin is different to that used on the other Empress models - it is more similar to the resin used on Warlord kits. The fit is not so good either, and there are a number of minor air holes. The suspension arms are poorly rendered and in one case missing.
Part of the track guard is broken.
The hull is just balanced on the track units. Reference to photographs show the track is not flush with the bottom of the hull sponsons. There are no indications as to how the track is to be attached to the hull. I do have some concerns that the track unit is too long for the hull.
Rubicon Models British flimsy fuel cans made a consistent gap between the track and the hull sponsons.
The BMD2 is armed with a 30mm auto cannon with an elevation capable of firing at helicopters. There is a sight linked to the gun on the left side of the turret which is not represented on the model. Three holes have been drilled in the turret (ignore the fourth, it will be filled). One takes the sight itself, the other two for a guard that protects the delicate sight. An additional hole has been drilled in the mantlet dust cover for the coax weapon. The mantlet design does not match photographs I have found on the internet but it is a bit too complex for me to make major changes.
A searchlight is mechanically linked to the main gun. Two holes were drilled in the turret top and a single hole drilled through the searchlight. A periscope is temporarily in place on the rear door. The track guards are supported by pieces of square section microstrip. They will be trimmed once the gaps have been filled.
The searchlight base and the AA gunsight base are faired in with Greenstuff.
The AA gunsight guard is checked - the ends need to be trimmed for length once the sight is in place.
View of the model with the gun barrel added. This will have a dust cover from Greenstuff at the mantlet.
William Killian for scale.
