Okay, so I haven't built a model kit in over 35 years. I'm a DOD civilian stationed in Korea, and the local PX carries some quite inexpensive Academy kits. I decided to try my hand at building a few models and chose the Academy M1A1 Abrams kit - before I did any research.

I now know all the downsides of the kit - the undersize, more M1 than A1 turret, etc. So, what should I do with the kit? The turret is less than useful - what about the rest of the kit? How does the hull compare to some others like the Dragon kit?

I figure that I can build the kit as a practice piece, if nothing else. Or perhaps it's useful for spare parts. What do you guys think?

The Academy M1A1 is aweful. If it is the new Iraq kit, you can take the J sprue out of it and bin the rest. The new J sprue has some really nice pieces like the folding BRE, sprockets with mud release holes, fuel cans, etc...

The hull is a copy of Tamiya's older hull. The tracks are wrong too, the older T-156 chevron blocks.

The Dragon M1A1 AIM and M1A2 SEP are the best, followed by the older Dragon kits I think. Then Tamiya's M1A1/A2 and other Abrams kits, then Trumpeter's Abrams kits.

Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably build it as a practice platform, then. I had planned to buy one of the Dragon kits for my first serious attempt at building a kit, but I'm wondering how the Italeri M1A1 Abrams (Super Kit) rates. Any insight? It sure is expensive ($83.70 from the Squadron Shop), but it sounds like it has most everything I'd want.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=IT6438

Did you take a look at Terry's in-box review on PMMS ?
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/italeri/it6438.htm
or Pawel's comparative review on Vodnik.net (which includes both Academy and Italeri original kits) ?
http://vodnik.net/pages/m1-comparison/m1comp1.htm

BTW Lucky Model has it "in stock" at $60.84 (shipping included)...
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=IT%206438

HTH
Frenchy

The Italeri kit is pretty much a copy of the Trumpeter kits, with a few corrections and updates. It isn't worth the money in my opinion. The added resin bits are so-so and not really accurate. The turret pieces are too flat and mount so that the full thickness of the turret armor isn't represented. The engine compartment is bare other than the engine itself. It should have all sorts of things in there, think of your cars engine compartment with hoses, wires, generator, battery, etc.

If you want a good model with an interior, get one of the older Dragon M1A1 or M1A2 kits. They come with a driver's area and the upper turret interior details. It can be the base for a great interior. It represents the thickness of the turret armor too. For an excellent engine, get the CMK engine and compartment set.

I used one of the Dragon interiors as a base for my OIF 1 USMC M1A1 HC "Angry American"

Hope that helps.

I have used old Tamiya parts like the commander cupola, gunner's sight, barrel, and tracks and it does make a huge difference, which is why I will probably buy some more because they are that much cheaper. But then again I don't go nuts over details and imprefections...

If you haven't build a kit in 35 years, by all means use inexpensive kits to get up to speed. I wouldn't worry about accuracy but of honing your assembly and painting skills. Of course if you find a kit that is accurate and inexpensive, go with that! Dragon kits are nicely detailed but they also have a lot of parts which might be a bit frustrating if your skills are rusty. Tamiya kits usually have fewer parts and still look pretty good after building and painting.

Use it as the basis for a Crusader SPG. You'll have to alter the front bogies, and change the shape of the front hull, but even parts like the commander's ring and driver's hatch are useful as they weren't fully develeoped on the prototype. The hyrdo-pneumatic suspension is all but hidden by the side armor, should you decide to add it.

Ha ha ha! I have the Academy kit. I'm not going to actually build it. I'm using the turret and some hull parts for a totally custom railtank I've been working on for a while. Gino set me up with a more accurate barrel (Hiya Gino!) and the rest is going into the parts boxes.

Yeah, I think I paid $6.00 total on eBay for it.

Meh.

Build it for practice. Make it a test model. Practice your weathering techniques on it, etc. Heck, build it and shoot bottle rockets at it!

At this point in your "return" to the hobby, it's a good re-start.

Cuhail

Is that what the ejection seat is for? So the driver can avoid decapitation by an incoming bottle rocket?

By the way, I'm mailing it this afternoon.

The good thing is that any time I want to check on details, all I have to do is walk two blocks down the street from the office to the 1st Tank Bn. Motor Pool. They've almost always got the pack pulled on a tank or two.

One of the few benefits of being here, I guess.

Thanks for all the info, guys!