Orange Box has forged a well-earned reputation for offering innovative 1/35 scale armored vehicle and figure combinations at bargain prices. The newest release adds to this legend with a modern military set featuring a Soviet BRDM-2 (or BRDM-3) plus Soviet crewmen. The BRDM is a well-known Soviet armored reconnaissance vehicle, and it was exported to a wide range of countries. The 4x4 vehicle had a four-man crew, and mobility was aided by a centralized tire inflation system and by fitting belly wheels that could be lowered for cross-country driving. Powered by a GAZ-41 V8 engine, the BRDM-2 was amphibious thanks to a water jet in the rear hull. The vehicle’s armament was the same as the BTR-60PB – a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and a coaxial 7.62mm PKT machine gun mounted in a turret. The BRDM-2 entered Red Army service in 1962 and production continued until 1989, by which time 7,200 vehicles had been produced.

This Orange Box set allows modelers to build either a 1/35 scale BRDM-2 or BRDM-3 model. The latter designation describes the 9P124 variant of the BRDM-2. This anti-tank vehicle carried four 9M17M Skorpion-M antitank guided missiles (ATGM) also known by their NATO reporting name of AT-2B Swatter B. The ATGM launcher unit was elevated above the hull for firing. This popular plastic kit was produced by Dragon some time ago, which means they’re extremely difficult to get hold of nowadays. This release is thus very welcome, boosted by the fact that it comes with a set of five Soviet crewmen. The various realistic poses allow a range of diorama possibilities. And all of this comes with an unbeatably good Orange Box price!