Welcome to Armorama Grouch - and thanks for the USMC perspective on the kit's details!

Great Callsign too

Gunnie

Not necessarily a bad thing. The DML M1A1s are rather nice kits.

I agree, the DML abrams are probably the best. The only down side is that you had better have a good supply of brass rod as the kit bustle rack and grunt rails are a weak point.

I did mine with brass wire off a spool. Straightening the dang stuff took forever.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/62297765/67672715FzJRGi
Here's another question since we are on the subject. Does the Abrams have both return rollers the same length or not? I have pics of one that has two shorter ones that are both to the inside of the center link but all the kits have one short and one long one. Tamiya's also has a flange that looks like it is supposed to be bolted to the hull and not welded.

Rob

I guess I'll answer this even though there are scores of users on this site with way more expertise on the Abrams than myself. All the M1s I've ever been have only had two support rollers that do not extend past the center guide. My guess is that Tamiya had to do this when motorizing the Abrams tank. Also the mount is welded and not a square bolt on affair. Of course, the early M1 that they used to base the lower hull off of may have been like this, that I do not know.

I remember way back in 1987 bringing my built Tamiya M1 kit in to compare it to the XM1 (serial number 007) I was training on at Ft. Knox. I wrote several note pages (one of those steno pads with wire on top) regarding items that needed to be fixed. I think (almost positive) I still have the sheets in the original box with that kit. I never did get around to fixing all the inaccuracies. By this time the M1A1 was coming on line and I was more concerned with getting another Abrams kit and buying the AEF Designs M1A1 update set than accurizing the old M1. I do remember noting the support rollers, tracks, track adjusting link, skirt supports, fire extinguisher handle, sprockets and rear grill area among the lower hull modifications needed.

Rob,

If you indeed still have these notes about old Tamiya kit and XM1 I think there is a lot of people who would be interested in reading them! At least I know I would. I have one Tamiya M1 built OOTB long time ago, that I plan to disassemble and build again, now with more details added. I always wanted to build it as a very early Abrams and your notes could be priceless source of information!

Rgds,
Pawel

looks like a new gulf war kick off DML/TAMIYA/ITALERI all releasing abrams might be an interesting compare/group build but hey model companies stop copying and lets see some decent bloody shermans!

Hello All,
Some of this information came from a post I had placed on another site, but worth repeating. While not bashing the kit, it is only a fair representation of the items on the tank. The so called dazzler is actually called the Missile Counter Measure Device, what we Marine tankers refer to as the MCD. The one on the kit is all wrong, the exhaust louvers are way to big. There are some other things that are out of place as well. If your no into being 100% accurate then its a great kit, at least the grenade launchers and dog house for the tank are correct. The armor cover for the cableing from the EAPU to the loaders hatch is still missing and this is a prominent feature of the turret. I am planning a photo essay of a Marine M1A1. Hey, could be my first review, if I can get a kit....HINT. I have also attached a photo of the Grill Exhaust deflectors the Army developed for their M1A1s to use.
First of all the Marine Corps borrowed the Army's Combat ID Panels for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Secondly the bustle rack extension is all wrong, trust me I was in on the development and testing of the real one. Marines, don't always keep the exhuast stack for the fording kits mounted. We sometimes add them if we think were going to fight in a MOUT environment as it can protect the infantry from the Heat. They also failed to add the Tank Infantry phone that was on all of our tanks during Gulf War 2, it should be mounted between the grill door and the right rear tail light, with the wiring running into the engine compartment through the tail-light. The EAPU is still wrong, and now we have a newer one with a Nato plug next to the fan outlet. The MCD, or Missile counter measure device exhaust louvers are wrong, and the mounting points to the turret don't appear to be correct. There are many more errors that I can point out, and many more modifications that were made to the Marines tanks. If any one is interested send me an email.


Andy Elesky

Any updates on this one? Status is still "Coming Soon" on DML's site.

hey gents,

i just got back from iraq and i work with B co. 2nd tnk bn. the new m1a1 that dml is putting out is a beautiful piece of work. except one thing, the extra gypsy rack on the back of the turret did not look like the one with the kit. its was made like the orginal turret rack. and the marine corps tryed a new thing. fuel bladders that held 55 gallons of jp-8. those hung of the side of the turret. one end had a hose hook up. the way the were used was by dropping it off the tank and having another tank back on to the bladder so that the fuel was squeezed out. it was very time consuming. i think it was a good idea cause as we all know tanks with turbine engines burn alot of fuel. for a m1a1 it takes 11 gallons to just start the engine. during one of our movements to baghdad the 3 vheicles in front of me was hit in the fuel baldder rupturing it spraying fuel allover the rear engine deck which at the time was burning hot cause we had been driving for like 10 hours. that tank that day burned to the gound. the crew was unhurt just stunned caused all there gear was lost to the fire. so after that, the crew hated the fuel bladder idea. again, the kit is a work of art but some minor dicerps. it wont stop be from buying it. and one more thing anyone buying and buliding the tank, i seen 3 paint schemes over there. the normal all tan, 3 tone woodland, and overall green. the marking on the skirts were stenciled on with a tan spray paint. thanks for you time.

sgt. gutierez U.S.M.C.

Thanks aav1833usmc,

Apprecaite a first hand account. I am currently working on a marine M1A1 DML kit, and will keep your comments in mind as I paint it.

Howdy Sgt. Gutierez,

Many thx for your valuable input, especially first hand. You have both my respect, and my thanks for your service to our country.
Regarding your great input. I am presently building (actually doing multiple builds)a USMC M1A1 Abrams for a modeling show at Fort Carson that is supposedly being judged by armoured personnel who recently served in OIF. Hence, I'm trying to do a pretty good job on my kit. My other kit is a US Army Abrams (don't want to make the Army boys mad at me ). Anyway, I've already included the wading trunk root plus a few other items. My question is; do you have any pics (or know of where I can get them) of these 55-gallon 'bladders' you are talking about? Also, where can I get an accurate version of the external Infantry phone in 1/35th scale?

Thx in advance,

Tread.

Oh, another thing, is it your experience that the 'Corp tanks removed the rear sand skirt, or no? One of the pics I have of a Task Force Tarawa Abrams shows the entire rear section missing, all the way from the fold out section back.
Just curious.

wow that tank is really cool.
it really is an eye catcher...
may be one day i will build this tank

NICE, I want one too !!
But I do agree with some other postings. After this x'th abrams I would like somethng else like a M88a2 or ...... #:-)

Marc

Hate to chime in late but saw it at the hobby shop on Friday about $28.00 or $32.00 can't remember.
Nice looking kit. Add it to the Sty collection (++) (:-)

Text from Dragon Models site-




Fully-assembled?? I assume that this is a translation error and the M1 is in fact a model kit...

Peter

The one I have sitting here on my desk is a kit.
Perhaps Dragon is also going to release a pre-built, a la Tamiya?

If it is kit #3533 on your desk my guess is that the sentence I quoted from the Dragon site is just a slightly inaccurate translation.

Peter

Kit #3533 it is, Peter.
Heck of a mistranslation, eh?
Unless it's simply referring to a fully assembled and painted kit just for our reference, and not as the product offered for sale. Which now that I think about it, must be the deal.

They are, however, releasing a lot of 1/72 prebuilt armor. I have the Jagdpanther. Pretty nice for 900 yen ($8 US).