OT - Right Hand Drive Bradley????

[Gibsonm]

I was having some down time last night (waiting for a certain manual to be posted) and watched a "realisitic" drama on Showtime (a cable movie channel here in Aust) called "Over There" about a squad of grunts in Iraq.

During this episode the grunts were talking in front of a Bradley when suddenly the driver's hatch opens on the front right hand side! OK I'm not a mech crunchie, but I was certain that the Bradley (along with all US AFV's was Left Hand Drive).

Have they suddenly developed a Right Hand Drive variant for the export market ??????

[TankHunter]

Another piece of bollocks by Over There it seems.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m2.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m-2-bfv-dvic338.jpg

[Gibsonm]

The bit that gets me is that the hatch opened (it wasn't some static backdrop that might have been reversed).

Just seems daft that if you go the effort and expense of building a replica prop, that you'd get that sort of thing right (or maybe borrow the real thing for a static shot).

[DrDevice]

(along with all US AFV's was Left Hand Drive).

The M1 is center-line for the driver, rather than left, but I see your point: you build a big-ass prop and someone goofs the layout! :roll:

[AllenInWV]

Possibly a case of the film/video being "reversed"?

[stuart666]

Possibly a Centurion based prop? Their driver hatch opens on the right hand side, and at least one company in California uses them to mount props on, though I suppose it would be a wee bit big for a Bradley.

[Gibsonm]

No. We have a Cent at the Barracks and it didn’t look like that.

Will post a still a little later today (if I get a chance).

[Gibsonm]

Alright, I’ve done some video editing and now have some stills and a short clip showing:

1. The Drivers’ Hatch on the Right hand side but the Turret behind it clear of any TOW equipment.
2. A view looking at the vehicle from 11 O’Clock showing the TOW launcher on the correct side of the Turret (indicating that it isn’t some sort of editing reversal).
3. A brief QuickTime video showing the hatch working and the “clean” Turret behind it.

Stills slide show:

http://homepage.mac.com/gibsonm1/PhotoAlbum11.html

Downloadable images and video:

http://homepage.mac.com/gibsonm1/FileSharing12.html

[stuart666]

As a guess, Id say they made a fully accurate Bradley prop, and ruined it by floping the film in the wrong direction during editing. Whilst that sounds unlikely, on the Discovery channel you see it countless time with a Tiger II with the machine gun on the wrong side of the hull, and the numbers back to front. :roll:

[3Star]

FV-432 modified?

I've seen FV-432s used in the US instead of M113s, due to US policy it's a lot easier to own a foreign vehicle than a US one.

Other than the hatch, they did a damned good job.

NTM

[SFViper19D]

Not a bad prop but that was definately not a real brad.

[Gibsonm]

As a guess, Id say they made a fully accurate Bradley prop, and ruined it by floping the film in the wrong direction during editing. Whilst that sounds unlikely, on the Discovery channel you see it countless time with a Tiger II with the machine gun on the wrong side of the hull, and the numbers back to front. :roll:

Except (as I did mention) the TOW equipment is on the correct side of the Turret. If it had been reversed, the TOW equipment would have been still behind the driver’s hatch but on the Right hand side too.

Given that the driver’s hatch is on one side and the TOW equipment on the other it can’t be reversed (unless maybe its a CGI Turret on top of a “real” hull).

Anyway I should let it go, I guess and look forward to the next “interpretation” of reality that it has in store for us.

[Kessler]

As a Bradley BC, I can tell you that the Drivers Hatch opens up on the LEFT Side of the Hull. Not the right.

[3Star]

What do you know? Are you a Hollywood Advisor? Hmm? You're just a grunt. You're not qualified to make that sort of statement... :-)

You still a Bradley BC? Not many Mech units in the Bay Area.

NTM

[3Star]

http://www.armytrucks.com/image/015.jpg

Roadwheels and track type match the M113, but the driver's hatch is where the engine should be.

I have no clue.

NTM

[RENEGADE-623]

thaT IS DEFINAtely on a m113 type body. I looked at the other ones and could tell right away it wasnt a real bradley. First off, the gun tube is too thick and short, number two, wheres the coax???????? among other things that a bradley god like myself would notice :) Nice try tho.

[3Star]

The catch though is that unless they made RHD M113s, it's not likely to be one of them either. The M113's hatch is on the left. Given that in the clip a chap opens the 'bradley' hatch and gets out, it implies that there's no engine in the front right like a real M113, and why wouldn't they just build the hatch on top of the real driver's hatch anyway?

There's more to it than just 'M113' I think.

NTM

[PaleRider]

I believe the Bradley is a facade made of plywood or some similiar material placed over the chassis of a M113. If you look at the tow hooks up front the body of the Bradley is cut out around them. Considering all the obvious differences already mentioned, it doesn't look too bad. A majority of civilians wouldn't know the difference anyway, to them its a "tank".

[3Star]

We have an answer. M1015A1 vismod. (Version of M548)

Makes a lot of sense, completely forgot about that M113 variant.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/Bruce%20M1015A1/front%20right.jpg

NTM

[Gibsonm]

Not sure how that helps as it too is Left Hand Drive.

The M548’s used here and called TLC’s (Tracked Load Carriers) have the driver on the left, Crew Commander in the centre and operator on the right.

Also you’d have to remove the entire “cab” area and install the backward sloping glacis plate to replicate the M2.

Forgot to add that the loggies in the Ech get my undying appreciation for keeping up with us and coming forward with replenishment protected only by ballistically tolerant glass.

[3Star]

According to the owners, there is still some mechanical component on the left that prohibited the installation of a working driver's hatch. I have no idea what it is.

NTM

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

And Seasons Greetings, ref the appearent conversion of a 548 to a VIS Bradly? Cutting the front off and moving everything back to where the original image shows would put the normal drivers position ..smack dab in the side of the engine, where it's showing now (drivers area) is normally the location of the blower and filter pack. Now those items can be moved around as their not location critical as long as you can get the belt drives to reach or custom install alternate drive/power for the blower.

Now with all the cutting and mods that appears to have been done... it would have been easerier and cheaper to customize a regular M113 as the drivers area is on the correct side to start and the vehicles already a similar shape.

"Kit bashing gone horrorably wrong!"

I'm done ..... 9erRed

[Kessler]

Hey 3Star,

Yeah, I'm fully qualified to talk about the Bradley especially the M2A2 and the ODS and not some Hollywood prop where the drivers hatch opens up on the "Right Side"....and no, I'm not just a grunt as you put it Sir. I'm cert'd from the MG course as well as a BCE and SIO.

[3Star]

Jaysus, Kessler, have you never watched 'Aliens'?

NTM

[Kessler]

Fricken pogue......I shouldn't bother replying to you 3Star. Tankers......your all the same. LOL.

[3Star]

Oh, fine.. Just because I found time somwhere to watch Aliens, I'm a pogue.. :-P

NTM

[Maj.Hans]

Fricken pogue......I shouldn't bother replying to you 3Star. Tankers......your all the same. LOL.

You know i'm gonna think that when your little M2A2 is surrounded by 20 T-80's and im in the only M1 Abrams left, right? :wink:

OK, seriously now guys, your big and little brother here, save the fight for the Reds :twisted: