Hello,

I need some help on a M1A1 HC tank of C Company, 1st Tanks during OIF 1. Concord's "Marines on the Ground" part 1 has some pics of a 3-tone CARC tank with sand coloured CIP and (most interesting) TAB.

Does anybody has more information on this specific tank (barrel names, markings)? I want to be as historicaly correct as possible.

Best wishes
Sascha (from Germany)

Howdy Sascha, is it the tank on page 30? Mike sends . . .

Hi Mike
Here the Abrams Sascha's talking about :


I've searched my photo files and found another picture that may show the same tank (C Company, 1st Tank Battalion near Salman Pak 4/6/2003). This one's also in Concord's book :



HTH
Frenchy

Howdy Frenchy, you are a wild man, always with the great shots and quick response! Sascha, the tank pictured is C-12, pronounced "Charlie One Two"(or Deuce). The USMC serial number on the hull rear sides is 579694. The "V" on the front skirt is for C Company and the dot in the Vee is for 1st Platoon. The single sand colored ring just behind the muzzle is also a 1st Platoon marking. On the sand painted bore evacuator it reads"Disturbing the Peace" on the right side and "Whos Next" on the left done in Sharpie black marker. Happy USMC modeling, Mike sends . . .

Hi Mike, hi Frenchy,

yes, it's the one I#m looking for. I desperatly want to built a tank with TAB and the other "famous" one called "Carnivore" is being built at the moment on this forum and ML.

If there's no information availlable on this tank, I have to take some artistic licence and name the tank myself.

I nearly finished my other USMC project: a tank called "Rommel" used during Operation Al-Fahyr (wrong spelling - think so). I'll post some pics later this week.

Best wishes

Sascha

Sascha, I just gave you all the correct information for that tank, no need to make stuff up. Go look at the acknowledgements in the front of your OIF book. Outta here, Mike sends . . .

In fact as you know most of the pics in this book were taken by USMC photographers (like Paul Anstine) and I've had downloaded them in Hi-Res from the official USMC website and DefenseImagery.mil before its release .
Thanks for the additional informations !

Frenchy

Dear Mike, dear Frenchy,

many thanks again for your support! Mike, your willingness to share information not available to the modelling public is extraordinary.

BTW any more tanks with TAB on the web or in other publications?

Best wishes

Sascha

Here's another one, also fitted with a Flexcel fuel bladder on the turret :


But I'll leave the unit ID to Mike

Frenchy

Hi Frenchy,

very nice and interesting! Especially the forest green camo Why were tanks painted only in forest green and not 3-tone? Did it come from storage?

It's 3rd platoon, C Company, 2nd Tanks. Mike, any more info?

Best wishes

Sascha

Howdy Sascha, the ID is correct, great job! Keep in mind that the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions were using two different marking SOPs for OIF 2003. In 1st Tanks,13th MEU(Marine Expeditionary Unit) and 24th MEU the "V" denoted the company ^=A, >=B, v=C and =2nd, v= 3rd. Both used a diamond for HQ vehicles. And there were variations to this marking SOP as it was misinterpreted by some smaller units. The green tank in the picture came off of an MPS(Maritime Preposition Squadron) ship. For OIF 2003 we used NATOlage, Sand and Green tanks. Nothing was repainted before crossing the LD. If you choose to model a tank like the one pictured from 2nd Tank Bn be aware that they kept the fuel bladders on all the way to Baghdad. Happy USMC modeling, Mike sends . . .