MT-LB vs BMP-1/OT-90

[Pumpkinate]

Hello,

has anyone driven both and can compare them?

Although the BMP-1 has a canon and is a "fighting" vehicle rather than just an APC, they otherwise appear very similar in terms of weight, engine, power-to-weight, low profile, top speed, and amphibious ability.

Which is in reality the quickest and the most agile in manouvreability? Which is the most fun to drive?

It seems you can pick up the MT-LB cheaper.

[texas pete]

Best person to answer this would be Kapral, but he isn't on much anymore. He was a driving instructor for both vehicles in his time with the Polish army.
However, I know he admires the BMP over the MTLB due to its high performance design with dry sump and handle bar steering. The MTLB was ok but the BMP was awesome and much faster!
But all that said I think he really loved working with the T-72 most.
He goes to a lot of military vehicle shows in the country, if you see a T1000 dressed in late 70s Polish paratrooper uniform then that's him.

[Pumpkinate]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try messaging him.

[Pumpkinate]

No luck contacting Kapral so far.

While we are on this subject does anyone know much about the difference between the MTLB and the MTLBU? They have a different front end. I thought the MTLBU was a later model but it seems their manufacturing periods overlapped? Were their uses different in any way?

[portamurda1]

MTLB is much better 'off road' than BMP as in its less likely to get stuck....but that's the nature of their design briefs
As for MTLBU, it seems to have had a mysterious development more to do with experimentation
It's driving position is better, with more space higher seating. But curiously I've seen them with different driver controls, some with the original sticks, some with bmp style handlebars and some with a steering wheel. All still seem to have the manual gearbox, but on two I've seen without clutch pedal so guessing a preselect version.
If you want decent modernised information there are upgrade and rearmament packages being run in:
Poland
Ukraine
Russia
And the former Czechoslovak states

[Pumpkinate]

Thanks for your reply. They all look very able on the videos I've seen. I like the turbo engine sound of the MTLBU! listen to the turbo spooling in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiaQQ2DpIG0

[kapral]

Sorry for late reply. I haven't been on the forum for a while.
I have driven both vehicles during my army service. No comparison. The BMP is much more advanced, faster, more agile, far, far more superior to MTLB. I loved driving the BMP and hated MTLB which is crude, primitive, really old-fasioned.

[portamurda1]

Sorry for late reply. I haven't been on the forum for a while.
I have driven both vehicles during my army service. No comparison. The BMP is much more advanced, faster, more agile, far, far more superior to MTLB. I loved driving the BMP and hated MTLB which is crude, primitive, really old-fasioned.

Very true, but mtlb still better off road, as in really rough and boggy stuff and was really my reasoning to get one over a BMP, I needed a mover, but I like tracked stuff..it pulled a 24’ shipping container as if it wasn’t there over a boggy field, a steep bank and a series of trenches. But then, that’s the kind of thing it was designed to do

Father-in-law says the same ‘why do you keep buying stuff with sticks and manual box?’ He’s ex army and spent his last five years of service teaching rookies how to drive british armoured stuff...warts n all...I like old stuff

[RangerNeil]

Bit of a late reponse here but.... I preferred the BMP-1 class (OT90 in my case) to the MTLB/MTLBU. Yeah the driving position is perhaps not so comfy if driving them every day - but then you can't use these every day so.. Where the BMP class scores for me is its speed and agility. I've kept up with CVR(T)'s in the W&P arena - and lapped a T-72 whilst he arena commentator was busy telling the rows the T-72 was the fastest piece of armour at the show (might have been the 72's drivers lack of familiarity though...), BMP won't do neutral turns but will lock one track solid and spin on the spot doing a 360 deg turn before something doing a neutral turn has got much past 180 deg. Controls are easy and light - just imagine you are driving a car with a column shift.