Just take a look:
http://www.dragonmodelsltd.com/html/3533.html

Me be happy! :-) :-) :-)

Rgds,
Pawel

And for those who want to see it immediately:



BIG one for Dragon!

Rgds,
Pawel

It catches my eye - so naturally - I'll just have to buy one!

For the real Abrams drivers and crew out there - does the display model present what a typical Abrams looks like, speaking finish and weathering?

Just curious on how to make the model "look" more like an Abrams if not...

Gunnie

Gunnie,

Well, I have never seen real Abrams myself, but can say that the model shows M1 that never has its engine started. Engine exhaust grille is way too clean.

Regards,
Pawel

Got to get me one of those. Time to build modern AFV's

Seems, this is the first model kit that includes charged smoke grenade launchers, when I identify it correctly on the picture.

Violetrock

aaaaaaaaaa ooooooo erm..........not another kit for the heap! prepare for my usual whinging at the wait for the kit to arrive in the UK,and the usual moaning at the price we'll have to pay! But what the hey,its a beauty!
(++) (++)

Well at least that decides which M1A1 kit I am going to build. Was thinking about backdating the New Italeri M1A2, but under recomendation from Sabot I decided to get the DML version. And now they are going to release it with some new add-on's?!

Awsome! :-)

Chris (++)

I'm with Vodnik... finishwise, the exhaust isn't black enough ( I know, pick pick pick..#:-)), and from thae pic, I'm still trying to figure out what that big "block" is where the manhole cover (CITV mount) is supposed to be...

Looks great...but I'm not a modern guy....not much majesty in a wedge looking thingy to me (IMHO). But to each their own right....

Jason

Good job vodnik. Congrats. #:-)

Pawel, if I remember correctly, the Abrams engine exhaust is suppose to be clean I think.

Sabot, coorect me if I am wrong.

Yeah I'm in the Gas Turbine Navy, and Im sure the Gas Turbine Army, will agree that GAS TURBINES are clean lillte things. Don't beleive me look on CNN where tanks that have been fighting for about 3months now still have a clean exhaust!!!!!! well its kinda dusty but clean, gotta love JP-5/JP-8 for cutting down cleaning evolutions!!! stug

The box where the CITV goes is a "dazzler" I am not totally sure how it works but it is supposed to confuse laser guided anti-tank missles. As for the exhaust, I can't comment on how "clean" it is but the exhaust grills on the M1 are usually painted black. I think I have read somewhere the reason for this is the exhaust is pretty hot and the grills heat up and the black paint is there to help prevent rust. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Mike

Me must get one... NOW! MUST GET... MUST... GET... AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!

Re:Dazzler, IIRC only the USMC uses it. AFAIK, one of the minor modifications done to USMC Abrams are the smoke grenade launchers and the dazzler, and some other parts - going according to what the Concord book on the Abrams says.

A friend of mine is a tank mechanic and was with the 1st Marines, 2nd Tank Bat. in Baghdad. I'll ask him what he thinks about this photo....I'm sure he can answer some of our questions. The Marine M1 I've been aboard was camo'd and I paid most of my attention to the interior since I'd never been in one before. I know for a fact though he told me the exhaust runs around 1000 degrees....hey it IS a jet engine after all.

Well, since someone asked me. Yes only the center engine grill is too clean. They are always burnt black and rusty from the 400° F exhaust. Because of this, they are normally just painted black. Take a look at a picnic area cooking grill, all black, nasty and rusty.

The right and left grills are OK since they are the engine oil and transmission oil cooler vents. All that comes out of there is air that used too cool the oils.

The grills on top are air intakes for the coolers so they would not be blackened in the least bit and might be even a little lighter since dusty air would be sucked in.

The only other thing that jumps out at me is the color of the .50 cal and 7.62mm ammo cans. Normally they would be that semi gloss light OD green that our ammo cans have been coming in for years. I also recall Marines using the track retaining ring on the drive sprockets because of the sand they normally operate in. Don't know if it's more proper to have or not have one mounted for this tank.

Pawel,
not being an M1 expert the only thing I can say is... that I like it very much!!!
Bravo

Wow.....Dragon is actually thinking of making this? It is kind of surprising since they got rid of all of their other modern armor kits.

Maybe this is the start of a turnaround for them!!!! Would be nice....but I think its wishful thinking!!

That exhaust is the best damn gaint hairdrier in the world.. and a pretty fine rototiller too!

A friend in our club was in the VT guard and still knew some guys up at Bradford (vanilla M1's ) and got us up for what we thought was a ride and photo op.

A chance to drive later... Those things are NOT made for the 6ft4in frame... even with the seat fully reclined I had to tip my head to the side and was STILL hitting the bottom of the bustle. Also I had a little trouble getting my knees under the steering yoke, so when I got the sign for stop it took and extra second and when I pushed hard enough to pop the knee under the bar we stopped quick!! I would have broke some poor TC's ribs if there was anyone up there, or so I was told... ooppsss...
:-)
Sure tore up the packed dirt end of the lot too, if only I could get one to come neutral steer on my garden, I'd save all that rototilling.

Anyway it was raining off and on and after everyone was done driving and before they put the tank away, the sgt in charge had us all walk back 15-20 ft and then walk sideways out behind the thing.. whooofff!!! instant dry!

He told us they used to back them up to the chainlink fence until they burned all the paint off the hood and melted a bumper to two on the guy's cars on the other (parking lot) side of the fence!

quite the day up with the guys.

I've got pics and a movie, but no place to host them.

Mike

Just doing a little bit of nickpicking on the kit....Its just their Shanghi Dragon USMC M1A1 with a new Sprue for the CIPs, stowage, ATGM Dazzler and new Decals. The only big problem I see with the kit is that the Dazzler doesnt look right, it has vents towards the rear and I haven't seen that in any of the photos I have of OIF USMC M1s.

I'll still wind up getting one though and I bet that some of the problems like the Dazzler will be fixed hopefully before its release.

Gentlemen - I renamed this thread from "Wow - that's unexpected" to something more descriptive of it's contents.

Gunnie

I have built the DML M1A1 before, and from the looks of it this is probably that kit with a sprue of OIF parts thrown in. For what its worth, I was an east coast Marine, and on my last deployment our tanks did not have track guards mounted on the sprockets, but they did have the elbow from the fording kit mounted on the exhaust. There is a telephone mounted on the rear of USMC tanks to allow infantry to communicate with the crew. If the exhaust was not deflected up, it would be tough to use the phone unless you were wearing asbestos skivvies!

Welcome to the site Grouch....