Links to these four pictures were supplied by a member of Armorama, unfortunately I cannot give him credit for it as I lost the details when my PC went into meltdown. I want to do a diorama depicting this scene using the two Dragon M1A2 SEP kits I have, the picture titles state they are M1A2 tanks which I cannot prove or disprove. So my question is are they or are they not, and would this make an interesting diorama?

Darren,
Yes, they are M1A2SEPs from 3-8 Cav, 1st Cav Div from 2004 in Baghdad. You will need a couple of Dragon M1A2SEPs, which have 3-8 Cav bumper numbers on the decal sheet. You will also need a mine plow with the later magnetic dogbone and will have to do some scratchbuilding to make the full width mine plow insert as well as a roller mounting plate for the second tank. If you get one of the Trumpy 5 in 1 M1 kits, you should get the mine plow and roller adapter in a single purchase. If you start to build, post plenty of pictures as this looks to be a good subject.

John

Thanks John I have the 2 SEPs and I bought the Trumpeter 5 in 1 for just that reason, would you be able to help with some dimensions and better pictures of the full width mine plow insert, and how it is all wired up exactly. Thanks again for helping me make a final choice as to what I am going to do with these kits, and regarding the Blog I will be doing one for this project as I figure I should being an editor and all, plus I will need the help .

Hi Darren,

Those pictures were taken by me while in Baghdad Iraq in 2004.

Those tanks had just been ambushed by insurgents on a highway outside my basecamp. They are 1st Cav tanks that were being hauled north to Balad on HETs (they had come out of Kuwait). The HET drivers stopped in the kill zone. The M1A2 crews pivot steered to snap their tie-down chains and then drove off of the HET trailers. The damage done to the tanks were mostly a result of driving off of the side of the trailers. There was one M1A2 that accidentally backed into a drainage ditch and submerged its engine pack.

M1A2 Abrams on Prime Portal

These tanks came limping into our basecamp asking for help. We housed these guys for several days while taking them out to other basecamps to round up repair parts for their tanks. The worked on these tanks in my motorpool over several days until they were mission capable again. There was an M88A2 Hercules that was with them as well. There are pictures of it lifting the M1A2's here:

M88A2 Hercules in Iraq

These tanks helped repulse an insurgent attack on our basecamp a few days later.

I believe I may have additional pictures in storage.

Brent thanks for that sorry I didn't give you the credit for the pictures as I honestly could not remember who my file had attributed as the owner, if you do have more pictures of this scene they would really help especially any that show the whole scene. On a side note how are those wheels being held on the front of the vehicle?

[quote]......would this make an interesting diorama?
Go for it!!!

Evan

No problem about the credit for the pictures Darren. That isn't important to me. I just wanted to identify myself as the originator of the pictures in case you had questions.




The road wheels sitting on the front slope of the hull in front of the drivers hatch were just sitting there held in place by their own weight. They were thrown up there after the tank was dragged into our perimeter and they started collecting up road wheels to replace the ones that had snapped in half/sheared off.

Ok here is another for your: picture 3, 4th wheel from the rear has it sunk into the road surface or sheered off the lower half?

Looks like it sunk/dug itself into the gravel surface while it was being towed. Roadwheels will do that when the tank is being towed on a soft/realitively soft surface.

As for the earlier question about the plow insert, I do not have any dimensions but I would make some educated guesses on length & width based off the measurments of the gaps between the plow itself, as well as some estimating. For the insert's teeth, use the same spacing as on the plow. Don't worry, it will look great.
John

Hey Brent, did that incident occur outside of BIAP? I'm asking because I was there at the time the date stamp on the pictures say they were taken. My unit (234th SIG)was getting ready to go home when there was a large scale assault on the front gate, that was in part repulsed by some Abrams.

It was sheered off and the torsion arm was broke.

Yes, that was the assault they repelled. We were getting ready to go home as well. The gate was actually considered the backgate. I was walking back from chow when the mortars started dropping in. I didn't get concerned until the Bradley that was defiladed behind the Hesco baskets opened up with the 25mm.

The insurgents didn't have a chance. Between everyone lined up at the dining facility, our entire battalion got on line, the abrams charged them and the SF came down out of the palace complex and hit them from behind. It was pretty crazy for a minute. The mortar they were hitting us with was mounted in the side door of a van. One of the Abrams turned the corner in the village and was at point blank range with the. They hit that van with the 120mm and it disintegrated practically.

Darren Good idea having the two m1's

have you an idea about crew or mechanics ?

they will make the dio look busy and not empty.

Great idea though

I will be honest my figure painting sucks the big one, and with the money I have spent on what I do have the wife will kill me if I go buying resin figures. All that said I was thinking of including a few figures just looking on in disbelief, there will not be any mechanics or people working on the vehicles. (If anyone has a figure or head that is a match for Brent that I can use I will include him in the scene).

Darren you could use Dragon's U.S. Tank Crew # 3020 they look abit disheartened/ shoked they could be well suited for your diorama,

now is a good time to pick up on your figure painting skills you could always read around on it ?

This is the general layout I intend to use.



Fig 2 will be will be Brent taking a picture if I can find a suitable figure.

Great idea CMOT.

about the figure if your willing to pay verlinden do that figure your after the sets calle souviner hounting it think

Can anyone help with some clearer pics of the full width mine plow, the part I am most in need of is how exactly it is attached. Thanks in advance.

Actually that pic that you have is pretty good... The hinge points for the center portion are located on the skids of the plow.

On Brent's page on Prime Portal, there is another pic of a A2SEP with a plow mounted that doesn't have the center piece. Might be an option, if you want to dodge the challenge of scratching the center plow assembly.

John

John I want to scratch this as it is something I have not seen done yet, I have found another picture to give me the angle of the blade what I can't figure out is exactly how it is joined, lowered, and locked in place when up.

Go for it Darren sounds like will be a good dio when done.

Will keep an eye on it for sure.

Brent That story was killer ,glad it all worked out for you guys.

Good deal you had those Tanks around,I bet that 25 MM had a good effect on them Insurgents also.

Hats off dude.

The Blog for this will start very soon, all you modern AFV builders please help when and where you can.

Looking forward to this one Darren. When are you having it portrayed?

Martyn

I believe it is 2004 near Baghdad.

It takes place the same date as is shown on the photos. The pictures were taken inside our base camp perimeter on the back side of Baghdad International Airport.