The BMR-3 is a Russian mine clearing vehicle based on the T-72. In Afghanistan the Soviets felt the need of such a vehicle to clear the mined roads. Thus the BMR-1 based on the SU-122 followed by the BMR-2 based on the T-55 entered service. In 1995, the BMR-3 entered service

The turret is replaced by an armored casemate which protects the crew including the driver and can accommodate a squad of 3 engineers. At the back of the casemate a superstructure enables the transport of a payload up to 5 tons. A manual crane is fitted to the right side of the casemate.

The mine clearing process in ensured by the KMT-7 system which combines rollers and side plows. Each set of rollers can clear a 80 cm large lane by exploding the mines. The plows dig up the mines and expel them on the sides. The speed in working mode can reach 12 km/h.

The vehicle is protected against mines by a belly armor running from the front to the entire casemate. It is also protected against anti tank weapons by Kontakt-3 ERA tiles or integrated Kontakt-5 ERA plates. In addition the BMR-3 is fitted with a NBC protection system.

For its self-protection the vehicle is fitted with a 0.50 cal NSVT MG which is remotely controlled from the same cupola as the T-72 one. The MG can also be used to destroy mines spotted on the surface of the soil. The BMR-3 is also fitted with 2x6 smoke grenades launchers.

In the early 2000s the BMR-3 has been replaced by an advanced version, the BMR-3M based on the T-90 and fitted with additional systems.

The kit

Coming in a sturdy box which protects the various sprues well, it is composed of more than 1000 parts of which many come from other Trumpeter references. In the box you get 20 light grey plastic sprues, 2 hull halves, 1 casemate, 7 green plastic sprues for the tracks, 1 clear parts sprue, 1 sheet of photoetched parts, 2 lengths of metal chain, 1 bit of vinyl tubing, 1 length of twisted brass and polycaps. In addition there is a 24 page instructions booklet and 1 color sheet for the decoration. Among the sprues only 9 are new as well as the upper hull and the casemate.

The cast is good with a high level of detail. The fit is correct except for the rear superstructure which requires a thorough cleaning of the contact surfaces and some putty. The instructions usually are clear. However some parts are omitted or ill-numbered and there is a side inversion for some parts.

The build

It starts with the assembly of the running gear until the step 3. The roadwheels are not definitely installed yet. At step 4 you need to choose between the versions of ERA because this generates different operations on the front glacis. I chose the Kontakt-5 version. Unlike what states Trumpeter I first glued the upper half to the lower one before adding the details.

At step 5 you have to assemble the headlights and their protection. The protections do not have any specific marks to place the headlights and the electric connectors. The installation is a bit tricky.

Steps 6 and 7 concern the version I did not choose.

At step 8 you have to add the final details to the engine deck.

Steps 9, 10, 11 and 14 are dedicated to the KMT. At stpe 9 Trumpeter inverted the position of the levers L28, L30 and L29, L31. On the left side plow, the central tooth is L12 and not L15. Trumpeter does not give any indication to glue the plow extensions. So I glued them with an angle toward the front. At step 9 again you have to assemble the chains using the both types provided by Trumpeter. This comes with no issue. However to fix the parts J15 which secure the large links against parts J18, you have to thin the inner axis otherwise the link will not move any more.

At step 10 there is no difficulty. However you have to fill the gaps under the rollers push arms O-O and P-P. I did not install the chain linking the both arms in order to handle them later on.

At step 11 you have to attach to the arms the connectors to the tank lower glacis. Take care to keep the parts mobile. The plows finally are added taking care not to glue them. At step 14 Trumpeter asks you to attach the KMT to the tank which I have not made to facilitate the painting and the weathering. However the rollers have been linked to the push arms.

At step 12 you need to fit the rear plate with the fuel tanks brackets and the unditching log ones. I first glued the plate P3 to the hull before adding the brackets. To change I decided not to install the fuel tanks which obliged to modify the brackets A1-32 by sanding the upper part and drilling the hole for the latch securing axis. The spare track links have been replaced by Friul ones I had in the spare parts box. I did not use the unditching log.

At step 13 you can spot a part Trumpeter omitted to number. It is part C33.

Step 15 deals with the tracks assembly. As I had many Friul links left I decided to use them even if I had not enough for the both tracks. So I assembled the upper run with Trumpeter links. The end links have been drilled out to be attached to the Friul ones which comes with no issue as their dimensions are identical.

Steps 16 and 17 deal with the fenders. You have to clean numerous small parts which is time consuming. For the rearmost hinge B5 Trumpeter asks you drill the skirt. It is not necessary, you have just to remove the pin at the back of B5. PE parts PE-24 are very thin and fragile. You have to take care of their direction. The latches for the bins and the fuel tanks must be shaped without any template but the most annoying is that Trumpeter forgot to open the end of half of them with is mandatory. The fenders are not glued at stpe 18 but after the painting and the basic weathering of the running gear.

At step 20 the assembly of the casemate begins. The spare track links again are replaced by Friul ones. Unlike what state the instructions the power lines of the smoke grenades launchers are glued after the latter are in place.

At step 21 many parts are added to the casemate. The episcopes being glued from inside, you have to paint their rear face black and add a bit of masking tap to the front glass.

Steps 22 and 23 deal with the vehicle commander cupola and the MG. The latter is not glued to avoid any breakage. Trumpeter gives an optional foul weather shield for the commander.

At step 24 you assemble the superstructure at the back of the casemate. It requires a thorough sanding of the parts and some putty to fill the gaps between the junctions. Once assembled the structure is fixed to the casemate before gluing it to the hull. You have to shorten the large pins of sub-assemblies AB-AB and AC-AC otherwise it is impossible to install the structure. The short cables which link the KMT and the glacis are not fully assembled. Trumpeter asks to use 4 cm of brass twisted thread. From experience I know Trumpeter always gives excessive dimensions that is why I did not glue the front eyes but only the rear ones. The cables will be attached when the KMT is weathered.

At step 25 the casemate is fitted and at step 26 the last operation is the fitting of the crane extension. The front part is glued to the main crane bracket. Trumpeter does not give any indication about the location of the rear part. In fact it rests on the bin and not on the transversal beam at the rear of the superstructure.

The assembly is over. What remains to be glued will be after the painting and the weathering.

The decoration

As mentioned in the introduction Trumpeter does not give any markings and the both vehicles on the color sheet are painted plain green. I decided t ouse Hataka NATO Green. Some highlights have been made with an airbrush and a paintbrush. A coat of Klir seals the paint before the weathering which begins with the application of a dark brown wash into the recesses. Then various pigment shades diluted with water and some drops of XF-52 Flat Earth are airbrushed with more amount on the lower parts. The rollers are rolled over a mix of thin sand, pigment and mat varnish. This mixture is also used on the outer face of the tracks.

To create the splashes on the skirts I blew on a paintbrush soaked with diluted pigments with an airbrush. The casemate roof is also dusted in various spots. The whole vehicle gets a very diluted coat of mat varnish.

Then the KMT is attached to the vehicle. The cables which link it to the glacis are cut at the right length: 3.8 cm instead of 4 cm. To harmonize the KMT and the vehicle some pigments are sprayed over the whole assembly.

Conclusion

Despite a high part count, the BMR-3 is a model easy to build without traps. However you have to dare not to stick to the building sequence of the instructions. The decoration is a bit dull but those who prefer a more colorful decoration could chose the BMR-3M released by Meng.

02/2020