Bronco 1/35 "Buffalo" 6X6 MPCV (2004-2006 Production)
By Joe Lotz
Item No.:35100
MSRP: $95.00
In 2001 the US Army began to search for a vehicle that would provide forces with an IED and mine detection and marking capability in route clearing operations. The first 10 vehicles were ordered from Force Protection Inc. in July 2012 which were delivered in 2003 and immediately deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. An additional 36 Buffalo MPCV were ordered in 2004, followed by an order for 4 vehicles for the USMC in 2005. In early 2006 another 19 Buffalo were ordered.
The hull of the Buffalo is V-shaped which provides better protection from EIF and mine blasts than conventionally armored vehicles. The windows are made of bullet proof glass and provided protection from 7.62x51mm standard NATO ball rounds as well as 155mm artillery shell splinters.
The Buffalo seats a driver and a vehicle commander plus 4 passengers. Access to the vehicle is provided by an armored door in the rear. There are 6 roof hatches which are prepared with ring mounts for machine guns.
The main feature of the Buffalo is a remote-controlled hydraulic arm. There is a fork and a ripper mounted at the end of the arm as well as a camera. The operator’s station inside the vehicle is fitted with a TV screen which allows suspicious objects to be examined from the safety of the vehicle.
The Buffalo is currently operated by the USA, Italy, Canada, France and Pakistan.
The Kit
So what do you get for your money? Let’s see: 12 tan colored sprues; 2 clear sprues; 1 PE fret; upper and lower hull; 8 tires; a decal sheet; 3 different size rubber bands (.4mm; .6mm and .8mm diameter) and of course the instructions. The parts count is around 700 plastic parts plus the PE.
The detail is nice and crisp and there is no visible flash. Ejector pin marks on parts are limited to non-visible surfaces and the mold-parting lines only require clean-up.
Decal and paint options are provided for one vehicle of the 101st. Airborne Division, Iraq, 2006; a USMC unit, Iraq, 2006 and a French Army vehicle, Afghanistan, 2008. It also appears that there are decals for a Canadian vehicle but there is nothing mentioned in the instructions. Some detail paint call-outs are provided for the radios and the M4 rifles, so you would need to do some research especially for the painting of the interior. The instructions give color references for Mr. Hobby; Hobby Color; Humbrol and Tamiya paints.
The model comes with a full interior but no engine. The molded on seat belts are a nice touch.
The entry door and roof hatches can be displayed in the open or closed position and the articulated arm is movable.
Conclusion
This is a very nice kit of a very interesting subject. The detail is excellent with no visible flaws. This is another well done kit by Bronco. But this is by no means a beginner model. The amount of parts and the large number of small parts will require some experience. None the less due to the uniqueness of the subject this is a model that gives especially the diorama builder countless options. I would like to thank Dragon USA for this review kit.