Hello everybody,
One of my current projects is a kitbashing of a dragon m1 Panther and an old Dragon M1A1, I'm trying to build it into a USMC tank as used during OIF1.
Unfortunately I'm still messing around with the MC specific parts and due to a lack of reference I'm stuck with this project...
So here are my Questions:

1. I'm trying to display the tank on the picture attached below, are there any further photos of that specific tank? I've noticed that some Marine Corps M1's had two different types of writing on their barrels, did this tank have such?


2.I'm searching for pics o the mcd's handle attachment. does anyone have a picture of an mcd's upper side?

3.To convert the smoke grenade launchers i used the smoke grenades included in Academys "M1A1 Iraq" kit, these have a hole in the middle, but I can't find pictures of the real grenades showing that hole (only pics I have are quite blurry), does anyone have a picture of that?

4.Can anyone help me out with the scale dimensions of the ti-phone? (early type)
On some pictures i looks like there's a sort of square "mantlet" around the small hole on the phone-box's right upper side, where the wiring comes out. Can anyone confirm that?
Also I noticed that the early ti-phones are mounted to sort of a base plate, which seems to be triangular. Is it, or is there a aditional square piece underneath the phone box as well?

5.This is a tank I want to build in the near future, I know that it had the writing "Got Armor" on it's bore evacuator, and saw action with Delta Company, 1st Tank BN, RCT7, IMEF. Could someone provide a non-blurry picture (esp. of the barrel writing)?


Btw. here are some pics of my build:





Sorry for the blurry photos

Thanks in advance,
Regards Max

Hi,
I can help with the question 2. Just send me your email by PM and I'll send you what I have.

Thanks Olivier,
PM sent
Regards Max

Hi Max

Maybe these pics can help with your questions. AFAIK, they all show early TI-box variants :




Different base plate :



I may have the dimensions somewhere on my HD, just give me some time to find them...

Frenchy

Howdy Max, the Sand colored tank in the top photo is A-21(Alpha Two One) from 1st Tank Bn, 1st Marine Division, USMC. It is the 2nd Platoon Commanders tank. Where did you find the picture? That would help finding other images from the same photographer. Do not get too wrapped up with regards to font or style of writing on USMC tanks in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some crews used real stencils of either brass, cardboard or paper. Many were applied freehand with a Sharpie marker. A Co, 1st Tanks had a uniform Battalion SOP "by the book" look to their inverted Vees, bore evacuators and other Tac Marks (Tactical Markings). On the other hand B, C, and D Co had a different look for almost every tank within a platoon! All the TI Phones pictured are the early style correct for OIF 2003. The bottom TI Phone pictured (looks awfully familiar!) has the 2nd type of mounting plate which is also correct for OIF 2003. Where the TI Phone cable enters the box on the top right rear corner there is supposed to be a smaller two piece square plate that secures the cable and acts as a grommet. This gets a heavy application of silicone sealant to water proof it(see bottom picture). On occasion the parts get dropped in the sand or are missing from the kit and the cable is just routed through the hole minus the small plate as in the instance of the sand colored tanks TI Phone. Outta here, Mike sends . . .

Thanks for the confirmation about the pictured TI-boxes Mike. Here are some dimensions :


I think you know where this drawing comes from, Mike

HTH
Frenchy

Howdy Frenchy, that is some kindergarden looking sketch you dug up! I really need to use some sharper crayons. Outta here, Mike sends . . .

Well well..
Thanks Frenchy, already knew the pictures, but didn't know that the first two and the last one show the early variant, very useful and highly appreciated.
Thanks for the drawing!

Hey Mike,
thanks for the Infos! (esp. on the ti phones)
The first picture is from the wikipedia commons site (unfortunately no second pic of that tank there),
Regarding the second, it's from Sean Fairburn, who even sells hd prints of it, but a print of this pic would be way too expensive for just having a look at the font...
Do you know if the phone-box's base plate attached to the ti phone's left side as well?

Regards Max

Howdy Max, the TI Phone Box is attached to the mounting plate via four (4) studs that are welded to the plate. Four (4) nuts/lock washers are then fastened from inside the box. Outta here, Mike sends . . .