Thanks for the comments guys!!

Lawrence - Yes you are right... you have plenty of 2's, and there are plenty of exact replicas of the same "2", It was just a lapse in patience that I forgot to check the other generic sheets and focused just on the main decal sheet. My bad...

The decals are amazing! Very thin and went on with no problems, I just had issues with the smaller ones for the APU, but that's no ones fault except my own given the size and my experience working with small decals.

I'm still working on the review... just need to double check a few facts before I post. Double thumbs up!

No sweat Carmen! I just want to highlight them to you before proceeding any further - hopefully you still have a bit of time to do any corrections to the digits before they are permanently sealed. :-) Decal thickness - credits goes to the printer, not mine to receive! :-)

Cheers,

Lawrence

Nice build so far Carmen! I have to say, been trying to keep up with what the ADF's doing with the Abrams etc. but been finding it very hard to get pictures...information is scant too. Not to mention it's been a huge disappointment that either the Chief Marshall or someone said that the Abrams is NEVER going to be deployed overseas for combat. What a farce! You Canadians are going off with your hastily obtained Leopard tanks in Crapghanistan! Nice slat armour too. Doin a bloody good job there unlike the other hopeless European governments (aside from Great Britain ofcourse).

Either way, I'm about to build an Abrams with a TUSK kit and most of the ones I've seen in Iraq are on M1A1's rather than M1A2 SEP's but interestingly, the picture of your reference material in your first post bears a book for M1A2's with TUSK. Any chance you could tell me where I could get it from? Not much visual references on the internet atm. Don't know if the U.S. Army's chosen to put the M151 CROWS (the same .50 cal mount you see on Strykers) on the turret yet to replace the commander's M2. The A1 and A2 setups are quite different as far as I've seen, which hasn't been all that much, but it's enough to drive me crazy.

And is the Blue Force Tracker beside the laser range finder from the Mouse House Australian Abrams conversion kit? If it is, thank god because then it'd be so easy to get it! Been looking for one online to keep my Abrams most up to date but I haven't seen one being sold. And could you elaborate a bit more on the wires like what you used (gauge types etc.) and where I could get them?

Good luck with the rest of the build, it's coming along rather nicely.


Cheers

Colin

Thanks for the comments. I have a Canadian Leopard 2A6M with all the conversion kits and slat armour sitting in the wings as a potential next build.

The TUSK book you are referring to is published by Tankograd Publishing out of Germany I think. The book is great as it has descriptions on both TUSK armour packages including loads of picture of all the attachments and individual components. It's really good as most pictures are taken with the modeller in mind. There are sample pictures on their website using the link below.

http://www.tankograd.com/cms/website.php?id=/en/M1A1-M1A2-SEP-Abrams-TUSK.htm

Yes the blue force tracker box next to the doghouse comes in the Mouse House Aussie Abrams conversion set. Very well cast. One of the support brackets which connects the box to the doghouse broke off in transit but it was an easy fix prior to paint. If you look at some of my earier pictures you can see it missing then re-appearing later.

The wires I use were 32 guage wire which I picked up from Michael's Arts and Craft store here in Canada. I know they are big in the US but I'm not sure if they are located over seas. Any jewellry or craft store should carry rolls of wire for beading or jewellry making. I found it hard to find any higher gauge (thinner wire) around other then salvaging from an old speaker. In hindsight I would have preferred to have used 34 gauge wire for the smoke dischargers and Blue force tracker box. As an alternative you could also try your local fishing store for high gauge fishing line... just a suggestion...

I hope these answer your questions. Cheers mate!

Yea mate, helped heaps there, thanks a lot

Btw, I reckon your wire looks fine:



And while looking at your pictures, I couldn't help but notice that with the A1 commander's cupola that you've got there, you've got it with the old A1 hatch from the Gulf War to OIF around 03-04.

I dunno if the Aussie M1A1 AIM's were old USMC/US Army stock that were re-built at the factory to zero hours (cause we usually do get mostly obsolete hand-me-downs from the U.S. - this is the first time we've actually got something contemporary and up to date) but a lot of the M1A1 AIM's currently serving in Iraq have A2 hatches on their A1 commander's cupola if you look at the previous US Army picture and this USMC one during the Battle of Fallujah in Nov. 04:



Here's another link of a US Army tanker taking pics of his tank unit for modelers:

http://data.primeportal.net/iraq/vehicles.htm

Just pointing out, don't mean to be a picky bastard lol


And did I see two figurenes in one of your earlier pics? How are they? Been snooping around for a pair since the Dragon kit doesn't come with any.

Hey Colin

Yeah I'm not sure which hatches the Aussie's got with their purchase... That's a bit over my head, but great eye! Maybe there's someone down under that knows more....

The figures you are referring to are the Alpine Modern US OIF Tanker set with two figures and 4 heads. I picked them up over a year ago and was planning on using them to represent an Aussie Tanker even though the body armour and some of the pockets and pouches were different. I'm going to have the tankers set deep in the turret hatches so you can only really see the the head. I decided that to hide most of the differences between the US and Aussie Crewmen.

This being said Alpine figures are great, well sculpted figures and I've had a hard time coming to terms whether to use them given 90% of them would be hidden.

BUT THEN... Mouse House came out with Modern ASLAV turret crewman, so I'm eventually going to buy them as they're simply the busts and replace the heads with either Modern US Hornet heads or use the second set from the Alpine set which don't have the cloth and glasses over the face. The figures are still a ways out so I've got time to do more research or wait until someone down under comes out with a Modern Aussie Tank set... hint hint hint... but I'm pretty sure the ASLAV turret crew fit the bill....lol!!

http://www.mheaust.com.au/MHE/Figures/800.htm

Very well spotted Colin.
Carmen, disregard Step 11 of the SEP (#3536) instructions, instead, refer to page 2 of the ACM/MH instuctions. That will show you how to use the "not used parts" in the SEP kit to make up the correct cupola. You need to use spune "P" not "X".

Cheers Jason

PS hint receved.

The Top picture is an US Army M1A1 Abrams and the bottom picture is an USMC M1A1 Abrams (the different smoke dischargers). The both have the same CDR's hatch, which has the option to rotate the hatch to provide overhead cover to the TC (as shown in the second picture).

Here is the M1A2 CDR's Hatch which is very different (all from Prime Portal):




The tab above the bend in the hatch bracket is the part on the M1A1 hatch that allows for positioning it horizontally:

This picture shows how the tab engages the hatch bracket for "verticle" opening (even though the hatch is closed):

And this is the actual keeper pin that holds the hatch in position:

I have seen pictures of Australian Abrams with the shrapnel lips (that I understand is part of the AIM package) added to the Driver's and Loader's hatches:



Hope this helps...

Ok... I have to call a time out here... I'm confused.... The M1A1s received by the Australians had the early style hatch... correct? None of them had the newer style which is on the M1A2 SEPs correct??

Jason - I did follow the ACM/MH instructions and disregarded Step #11 and used the P sprue not the X sprue.

Let's sort this out before I continue. I don't want to re-work the cupula if I don't have to, but it's worth verifying.... Keep in mind I haven't installed the periscopes yet...

Here's a picture of my build from earlier in the build log



Here's some pictures of the Aussie Abrams I got from the ADF Website









Do I need to overhaul the cupula???

Carmen--in my opinion, no, you don't have to change the cupola. The last picture you posted clearly shows that your cupola and hatch are correct.

In addition, you can't just swap an A2 hatch in for an A1 hatch--the shape of the cutout in the cupola is very different for the two.

Thanks Lucas! I don't mean to question anyone on this site, but I'd rather get it sraight now then later. Thanks to all for their input!

Here's some more updates:


I faded the lid on the BFT GPS box. I started with a light gray then lightened it with white for the center. The next picture is from the Mouse House Gallery

Sorry mate, I take it back. I should not be looking at instructions and photo's at 2 in the morning.

Jason

I didn't mean to offend anyone or cause a conflict. Just trying to help out...

Jeff

No offense taken ma' man! I appreciate the input... I just got a bit freaked out I missed something, so I just wanted to double and triple check. Feel free to contribute anytime! Cheers dude!

Is the Guard on the drive sprockets new for Aus M1A1

Net Phot June 22 2009 (au gov)

Net photo (au gov)

My bad Carmen, I've had a look at it again, and I've realised now that the A1 cupola doesn't have an A2 hatch (shouldn't surf Armora @ 5am lol). Since I've got the Dragon M1A2 SEP kit sitting around, I took out the sprues and instructions, had a look at them and some pictures and worked it out.

It's just that due to the way you took your picture, we can only see sprue P10 and not P9 which made it look awkwardly thin, like a M2 Bradley loader's hatch



What I was getting at, I thought that they've put A2 hatches (sprues X28, X23, X27, X24) on the A1 cupola on new A1 AIM Abrams but obviously, no way it'd fit on P11! *facepalm* The pics from Jeff and yourself helped too


Geoff,

You know that's something that's perplexed me for years. I didn't see those drive sprocket rings during the invasion but then around the Battle of Fallujah in 04 I started seeing them here and there but up to now, it seems they've disappeared. I have not seen any Abrams in the U.S. military with them anymore. Spun me out. Can't say I've seen one on an Aussie Abrams though those pictures obviously prove otherwise lol

Either way, it's not provided in the Dragon kit or the Mouse House Aus AIM after market set =/


Btw Carmen, I remember a while back a mate of mine in the Defence Force posted some pictures of some Abrams doing gunnery practise at a range when he was visiting the base if it helps provide some reference. Now, obviously since they were gunning, he couldn't stand and take pics infront of them Here they are:


















So keep doin what you're doin

Hi, Colin I think only the US Marines M1AHC in OIF and they are still in use.

Collin,

Cracking shots of the Puckapunyal FFTS on a hazy Victorian day, I can almost smell the diesel fumes!

Any chance you could post a link to the site these shots came from? I am planning a School of Armour project at the moment and want to see what other photos your mate might have taken.



Carmen,

I’ve been watching this for a while. Nice clean build and excellent attention to detail. Mate she’s gonna be a beauty!!!

Actually the Loader's and Drivers reinforced hatches/additional lip were part of the Block G Modifications added to Abrams fleet in the late 90's (The 2ID tanks in Korea had the Block G Mods done in the fall of 1998 as some of th elast ones to be completed.) Part of the AIM program was to produce a "Zero-Miles" tank that had all of the modifications that were systematically applied on the US tank fleet over the previous 15 to 20 years installed on it when if left the rebuild factory. That way, there was a standardized M1A1AIM fleet with the same armor level (less the Aussie AIMs), same modifications, and the same basic equipment.

As for the "X or non-X" fenders, they were both available and used by the US Army at any given time as OEM or replacement parts. I personally would not give any thought to applying an "Xed or non-Xed" to a model unless you are building a specific vehicle. They are not connected to any specific version of the tank: M1, M1A1, or M1A2.

YMMV

John

Geoff - Those are the first images I've seen where the Aussies have used those guards on their M1A1 tanks.... I'll have to check the ADF site as it seems they've loaded more pictures. Thanks for posting!

Colin - Thanks for the images, those are great!

On another note in Geoff's pictures it seems as though they've removed the rear plate that the last side skirt plate attaches to. That's the first I've seen of that as well... With all these mods I don't think I can keep up.



Oh, and here's a link to some other pictures that a friend told me about on Missing Lynx. Enjoy!

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47209/message/1246362091/Australian+M113%2C+B

Great stuff mate!

That's the problem with Abrams tanks isn't it? lol They're changing so rapidly and they try certain stuff, don't like it, remove it, then add new things to meet new threats or make maintenance easier etc., it's mind boggling sometimes! Then again, it's the most combat involved tank of the world's sole superpower so yea...xD

But yeah, those sprocket wheel guards on the two pictures is really interesting. I honestly have never ever seen any Aussie Abrams with one and we don't have THAT many of them either! lol Only 59 in total. Dunno if they even finished delivering all of them since 2007.

But what would you do about them Carmen? If you do decide to put them on (which are not in the kit), surely you're not gonna scratch build them or go hunt for them? :O Oh and what happened to the "doghouse"? Been missing for a few pics. Hope you didn't encounter a hiccup.

Colin

Yeah tell me about it... I'm not going to do the sprocket guards... BUT IF I WERE... I would probably pick up an after market PE set. Eduard has a set that has those guards (EDU35956). I haven't looked around more so there must be more out there by other PE companies. Friends are also a good source of spare parts or cheap sets of PE....

As for the doghouse... patience ma' man... lol! nope no hiccups... I'm almost ready to reveal my work. I'm doing something I've never tried with the sights and clear lense before adding it so that part has to be sub assembled... within a week I'll have my progress pictures posted. I need to maintain some suspense with you guys....

Soon, very soon... I actually have alot more work done then what I'm showing but I'm trying to show the pictures of my build in a systematic order for anyone who wants to use this build log as future reference. Cheers mate!

Carmen
I am really enjoying this thread. I have a couple of Abram's in the stash and I want to do something unusual with one of them and this is looking very nice.
Keep up the great work.
Bill