BMP-2D Afghanistan

Manufacturer: ACE (Kit No.72125)

ACE has been releasingseveral new kits each year for the past couple of years. Theyhave all been of [former] Warsaw Pact and modern Russianvehicles, which is definitely a good thing, since kits of suchvehicles have been lacking in the small scale community. This isone of their latest releases, and represents the version of theBMP-2 which saw action in Afghanistan. The distinguishingcharacters of this version is the addition of applique armor tothe turret and side skirts.

ACE kits are limited-run.This means that the molding quality is not going to be to thesame standards as with the large plastic model companies. Thereis plenty of flash, and some of the parts will need to becarefully sanded to fit with the others. However, unlike someother limited-run kits I have seen, the high quality of themaster parts for the ACE kits is readily apparent. The detail onthe plastic parts is abundant, and for the most part, fairlysharp, although some parts seem a little soft.

Most of the ACE kits aresimply variants of the basic BMP body plan, so many of the kitparts are the same from kit to kit. This is a benefit to ACE,because it keeps the cost of releasing new kits to a minimum.However, it seems obvious to me that some of the molds may begetting a little old (specifically, the wheel and tracks sprue),because the molding quality seems to be degrading with every newkit. The earliest BMP kits seem to have the sharpest moldings,with less flash.

I know that I havecriticized some limited-run kits in the past, but this line ofkits pleases me greatly. Considering what you get in the box, Ifeel that the model cost is very reasonable.

This particular releaseincludes a fret of photoetched brass, which includes some smallerhull details, the headlight guards, and the applique armor. ACEhas three kits currently available of the BMP-2: this currentlyreviewed kit; the basic BMP-2 kit (72112), which is the same asthis kit, but with no photoetched parts, and the BMP-2 LateVersion (72135), which again, is identical to this kit, but witha smaller fret of photoetched parts. So if you are looking to buyjust a simple BMP-2 kit, I recommend buying either this one, orthe BMP-2 Late Version (which is a couple of dollars cheaper), soyou get the brass details. You may not need the add-on armor, butthe other brass parts will improve the final model considerably.

Markings are included forfour different vehicles, all in Afghanistan. The decals are verythin and very well printed.