Trumpeter 1/35 Soviet BMP-1 IV
By Joe Lotz
Overview
This is Trumpeter’s new release of the Soviet BMP-1 IFV.
The BMP-1 was the first true Infantry Fighting Vehicle and it went into service with the Soviet Army in 1966. While previous personnel carriers were just that, did the appearance of the BMP-1 change the modern battle field. For the first time personnel carrier just more than just a battle taxi that took the infantry to the front lines and just dropped them off. With its 73mm main gun, anti tank missiles and the ability of the infantry squad to fight from within the vehicle under NBC conditions it the first real IFV.
Even though Design of the German Marder IFV started before the BMP-1, it was the BMP-1 that went into service first. Another design feature of the BMP-1 was that it was fully amphibious.
But besides its advantages it also had some serious shortcomings. The driver and commander are seated in tandem on the left side of the vehicle and if the left track hit an anti-tank mine, usually both were either seriously injured or killed. Another serious flaw was that the fuel tank was placed between the two rows of outward facing crew seats, plus reserve fuel was carried in the rear troop compartment doors for road travel. Also to its low height the interior of the BMP-1 was very crammed.
Besides the Soviet Army, the BMP-1 was also used in many countries within the Warsaw pact and the Soviet sphere of influence.
Now let us take a look at the kit.
The Kit
When opening the box you will find ten light gray sprues, one clear sprue, a small bag with the track links, one PE fret, a turned brass barrel and a decal sheet as well as upper and lower hull and turret.
The parts are nicely molded and have crisp detail. There were no obvious signs of flash or mold parting lines. Ejector marks are either on the inside of parts in non-visible places or are on the sprues.
The clear parts provided are for the head light lenses and the periscopes for the commander and the troop compartment. The periscopes are in one piece and need to be mask of before painting.
The light brown tracks come with two links connected by a small piece of sprue. So, some cleaning up is in order. The tracks are workable and only need to be snapped together.
The PE-fret contains part or some brackets, engine grills, exhaust louvers and the search light mount as well as braces for the insides of the idler wheels.
Markings on the decal sheet are provided for a Soviet, an East German and a Czechoslovak vehicle.
The instructions contain 11 steps and follow your standard armored vehicle pattern, starting with the lower hull and suspension and working your way through the hull to the turret. The instructions also include a parts map.
The colored paint map shows all the 3 versions in the standard Soviet green color.
Conclusion
This new release of the BMP-1 is a major step forward from the Dragon kit of the late 80s. The parts look nice and the detail is crisp. I think this kit is a must have for any modeler of modern Soviet armor since it was a staple in the Soviet inventory during the cold war. I would like to give Trumpeter two thumps up.
My thanks to Stevens International for providing this review kit.
