For those of you whom had chatted with me lately and wondered what's my mystrical project is, here ya go....M1A1 HA always has a soft spot in my heart, I think they looked awesome. Here is one from Trumpet OOTB, and I didn't add the mine plougher thingy. Just wanna have some fun. Any comment will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Business end of the M1A1 HA













Little Grandpa and Big grandson #:-)

Looks sharp.

Only wish the pics were sharper...

The very first 1/35 kit I built was this. My modelling skills were at a minimum and didnt do it any justice. I stripped it and started again but, still dont like it. Maybe its just that I prefer WW2 armour. But you´ve made a fine job of it. Its hard to believe that both tanks are the same scale!

Dave,
Big grandson looks impressive ! Nice paint job, too !

A few corrections. The outer ring on the drive sprocket was only used on the M1A version with rubber chevron track to try and reduce a track throwing problem. It is not correct for the M1A1 with bigfoot track. The ring was discarded when a better designed drive sprocket and the big foot track came into service. Next, the track blocks and outer rims of the road wheels should be black as they are made of rubber. Lastly, the ends of the smoke grenade launchers should be black as well since they are rubber caps. Also, the color doesn't look right. It is too dark to be desert sand and the only other option for a modern USMC M1 Abrams is three color NATO Cammo. Hope this helps.

Looks good, I've seen desert sand color run the spectrum during and post Gulf War. Currently, the color is a more yellowish desert sand. Here is my take on your model. Please do not take any offense at anything I write. I think you've done a great job. These are in addition to Gino's comments.

The grills on the back deck are air intakes and do not get black exhaust stains and remain relatively clean, sometimes even a lighter color since sand/dust get drawn to the grills.

Also the gun tube end is always clean, never collects the type of black stains around the end. Same with the coax extension, it will be black on the inside, but not on the outside.

The center grill of the three rear grills is always coal black. The exhaust is about 400 degrees and it burns the paint. The grills on the right and left are for the engine and transmission oil coolers so they just blow hot air as opposed to exhaust. They don't get black.

The center of the hubs are clear plastic and are not tan. The oil is visable inside and paint it in the same manner you would paint a vision block.

The smoke grenade launchers are a newer type and not the types used on a Gulf War variant.

The tow cables are usually not painted, they are coated in a sticky black substance.

Good Job Dave!

Hi Gino an Rob,

Thank you guys for point all these things out. Come to Modern armor I am totally thick, don't have any reference, and can't tell an M1 from a Challenger....

Gino, thanks for your correction for the drive sprocket, I will definitely keep it in mind next round I wanna build an M1A1, I actually painted the base color of the wheel rim and pad on the tracks flat black, I think after a couple coat of mud sprayed on, it does not shown...

Rob, What can I say, you walking modern armor encyclopedia! I have a couple questions though, 1st, why doesn't the gun tube get stained like the WW II tanks? is it becuase the huge chunk of fume extractor in the middle of the tube, or it's because modern ammo got all burned out inside the tube? 2nd, you mentioned about the clear part in the hub, where is it located?

Thanks guys!

I like what you have done here, This is an awesome machine - I wouldn't like to be on the receving end of this one. As you say "the business end"

Keep churning them out!

Probably a combination of both a cleaner burning cordite and the bore evacuator sucks out most fumes. The main "blast" is normally a big cloud of dust from around the tank

Take a look at the center of the hub. The very center raised portion with a groove down the middle and a small bolt in the center. This part is made of a shiny, clear hard plastic with the bolt in the center being metal. The oil level doesn't normally go above the center bolt which is a filler hole.

Rob--follow-on question. How do you replicate the plastic portion of the road wheels?
thanks
DJ

I use Model Master gun metal or dark sea blue and use a dab of Future or any other type of clear coat to give it a slight shine.

Looks good Dave nice to see a model out of the box nicley done. Saw two M88A1's or what ever they are called loaded up at the train station painted in a real nice sand color on sat beautiful job on the paint