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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
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Marine Abrams with new Dozer Blade?
HK_AFV
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 03:45 AM UTC
This Abrams of the 1st Marine Division's 1st Tank Battalion seems to have a new dozer blade fitted at the front. Has anyone seen this fitted before? Or is it just a temporary fitting of an old blade?



Paul
MikeMummey
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 04:00 AM UTC
Howdy Paul, it is the new Pearson Blade that the USMC has been fieldeding since the first of the calendar year(2009). They are being issued one per Platoon. This version does not require any mounting points to be welded to the hull front which was necessary with the original. This version mounts to the existing four tow hook eyes on the hull front. Outta here, Mike sends . . .
HK_AFV
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 04:42 AM UTC
Thanks Mike,

The info is very useful. Found on the Pearson Blade website that there is a heavy version and a light version. So do you know which version is depicted in the photo? Is USMC using both versions? Thanks.

Paul
MikeMummey
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 07:04 AM UTC
Howdy Paul, from what I can gather it is the heavy version for tank type vehicles. Where did you find the photo? Outta here, Mike sends . . .
HK_AFV
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 12:41 PM UTC
Hi Mike,

The above photo was downloaded from DOD photo archive.

I could not find any photo of the Pearson dozer blade but got some info from this page.

http://www.pearson-eng.com/products/viewProduct.aspx?id=7&type=m

Paul
MikeMummey
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 06:57 PM UTC
Howdy Paul, could you please tell us which DOD web site and which keyword you used to search it to find the photos? "Tanks" for any help you can provide. Outta here, Mike sends . . .
HK_AFV
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 07:21 PM UTC
Hi Mike,

It is the last pic on page 8 here, the title is Summer Heat:-

http://www.defenselink.mil/homepagephotos/homepagephotos.aspx

Paul
Removed by original poster on 07/17/09 - 07:00:51 (GMT).
ruzzaa
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 08:00 PM UTC
Is this one ???
HK_AFV
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 08:42 PM UTC
Hi, the dozer blade in your photo looks different as the top part is not visible in the photo above? Are these the same blades?



Paul
Frenchy
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 08:46 PM UTC
The blade in Geoff's picture is not exactly the same (but it's made by Pearson too). It's the one also fitted to British Challenger 2s. As Mike explains in his post, this one requires mounting points to be welded to the Abrams hull front :





HTH

Frenchy
MikeMummey
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 03:14 AM UTC
Howdy Paul, thank you for providing the link, very nice site that I was unaware of. Geoff, yes the blades are the same but with different mounting methods as Frenchy points out. If you look closely at the picture Paul posted you can barely make out the outline of the trapezoid piece that is on the top center of the blade, It has the two dark rectangular holes visible. In the picture from Iraq that you posted see that one of the top tow eyes has nothing in it. This indicates the blade is the original that needs the four mounting points welded to it. And "Tanks" to Frenchy for the mounting point details for the early blade mount. Happy USMC modeling, Mike sends . . .
Maxymilian
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 07:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Mike,

The above photo was downloaded from DOD photo archive.

I could not find any photo of the Pearson dozer blade but got some info from this page.

http://www.pearson-eng.com/products/viewProduct.aspx?id=7&type=m

Paul


Hello i have question about the abrams from first picture on this site, i can see that it has turret like USMC breacher version but no reactiv armour. Is this only demo for this blade or maybe army verison of Breacher.
Frenchy
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 07:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hello i have question about the abrams from first picture on this site, i can see that it has turret like USMC breacher version but no reactiv armour. Is this only demo for this blade or maybe army verison of Breacher.


Looks like a test vehicle to me. The production ABV turret rear shape is different :

AFAIK the Army do not use the ABV...

Frenchy
MikeMummey
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 01:03 PM UTC
Howdy everyone, the USMC Abrams pictured at the top of the post is an M1A1 Heavy Common. It is the only flavor of gun tank the USMC has. The turret of the ABV only shares the turret ring and CWS (Commanders Weapon Station) of the gun tank, the rest is purpose built for the ABV. As Frenchy correctly states the US Army does not have the ABV . . . .yet. You will note that the ABV has the welded mounting points on the hull for the various Pearson attachments that it can employ. Outta here, Mike sends . . .
Frenchy
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 06:37 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Howdy everyone, the USMC Abrams pictured at the top of the post is an M1A1 Heavy Common. It is the only flavor of gun tank the USMC has.


Hi Mike
Maybe there's a misunderstanding here. I believe Adam was asking about the vehicle that can be seen in the video here :
http://www.pearson-eng.com/products/viewProduct.aspx?id=7&type=m

Frenchy
HK_AFV
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Posted: Friday, July 17, 2009 - 09:33 PM UTC
I see a lot of opportunities for AM conversion kits to the M1A1. May be Dragon, Tamiya or even Trumpeter would like to consider the new Abrams variants shown above.

Paul
Maxymilian
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Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2009 - 12:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Howdy everyone, the USMC Abrams pictured at the top of the post is an M1A1 Heavy Common. It is the only flavor of gun tank the USMC has.


Hi Mike
Maybe there's a misunderstanding here. I believe Adam was asking about the vehicle that can be seen in the video here :
http://www.pearson-eng.com/products/viewProduct.aspx?id=7&type=m

Frenchy


Yes that was the subject of my question. I have plans to build ABV version, but the mine plow scares me a bit, so after seeing that picture i was hoping i can use blade from Challenger.
CmdrCody
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Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2009 - 12:43 AM UTC
I came across this on an ebay auction and was wondering if this was the dozer blade in question. I would guess that this is the older blade used on the Challenger. Does anyone know of this kit/ manufacture? It is quite expensive [$60.00], so I was wondering if it was worth the price. I love all the engineer vehicles, so I was glad to come across this thread. Don M.
ruzzaa
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Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2009 - 12:55 AM UTC
Accurate Armour Combat Dozer
A032 £16.98

http://www.accurate-armour.com/



ruzzaa
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Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2009 - 01:09 AM UTC
Dozer blade from the Trumpeter The KFOR C2 kit (No.00345)




Net Photo ( Perth MM)
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