Hey, been a while since I last posted here. I bought the Dragon M1A1HA OIF kit for a cheap $10 a few years ago. I know it is not the best of kits by any means. I have begun basic construction thus far. I really have two questions:
First, I just finished Bing West's 'No True Glory' and understand that USMC M1's took part in both Fallujah 1 and 2. I would like to know if anyone can point me in the right direction for references. Google has yielded some pics, but IMHO the people here know far more.
Secondly, I would like to know what additions are needed to build a relatively correct version of a tank that would have seen action (if any). Basically, what did Dragon leave out?

This is a project that I want to complete while I get into shape and apply for OCS at Quantico; so I should have a few months to burn.

Thanks for any info, it is very much appreciated!
-Mike

The DML USMC M1A1 HC OIF kit is still pretty good. It was eclipsed by their M1A1 AIM kit, but was one of the best Abrams kits up to that point. One key part to avoid is the Bustle Rack Extension (extra basket on the back of the bustle rack) that is included. It is not a USMC style, but the type seen on 2 BDE, 3ID, US Army tanks in OIF 1.

Here is an article by Oliver Carneau on bringing the kit up to speed.

Here is also a rundown of what needs to be added to make a pretty accurate USMC M1A1 HC:

USMC M1A1HC/AIM Upgrades

Change out the smoke launchers to the USMC 8-shot, double-stacked type.



EPLRS antenna mount, thin post to the right side of regular antenna.


APU Power Junction box. New electrical conduit is the angle-iron piece running along the left side of the blow-out panel.


Power connection box next to the man-hole cover. There are two screw caps to connect to located on the front of the connector, toward the front of the tank.


PLGR antenna is mounted somewhere on the turret roof. It is usually in front of the crosswind sensor. I have also seen it to the front right of the TC's cupola as well. The location for it varies.

Tank/Infantry Phone and rear Slave Cable Receptacle on right rear of hull on latest AIM tanks. (Added in '07. Prior to this, they had just the T/I box on the right rear.)


Deep fording kit exhaust flange on HCs and AIMs.


The box in front of the loader's hatch is an MCD (Missile Countermeasure Device). It is used to defeat optically and laser guided anti-tank missiles.



Some USMC M1A1HCs are using the old sprocket retaining rings as well. They were found to be an easy fix to counter the track losing tension during operations. The USMC started putting the rings back on M1A1HCs in the early-mid nineties that were stationed stateside on the West Coast (1st Tank Bn) and they were seen on tanks on deployment with the MEUs until 2006. No rings are/were on the sprockets of East Coast (2nd Tank BN) tanks though. Most USMC tanks that came off of the Maritime Preposition Ships (MPS) in Kuwait for OIF I /II did not have the sprocket retaining rings other than at least three known tanks that came off the MPS ships with them. The USMC tanks that have been seen in Iraq with retaining rings are from stateside (1st Tank Bn). They are part of the different ocean-going Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) that have gone to Iraq and participated in the festivities over the past few years. So, specific USMC tanks could be seen with the rings applied.

The below pic is a USMC M1A1HC in ops in Kuwait with the rings on it.


For the USMC BRE used in OIF.


Eduard makes one in PE, set # 35598. There is also one in the new(ish) Academy M1A1 Iraq 2003 kit. It is one of the few good pieces off the new J sprue. It also has a T/I Phone box on the new sprue. The rest of the kit sucks though. The Dragon M1A2 SEP kit comes with a nice PE and plastic one as well.

You can take a look at my M1 Variants Article as well for more info and pics.

You can also take a look at my USMC M1A1HC that I did a while ago.
"Angry American", USMC M1A1HC

Hope that helps.

As you can see in the pics below, showing 2nd Tank Battalion M1A1s during Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah (December 2004), some tanks were fitted with a gun shield on the loader's MG position :




Frenchy

Check out Marines on the Ground, volume 2 from Concord, they have some nice Abrams photos. It looked like they took the MCDs off before Falluja.

Mike,

As Gino mentioned about the USMC specific Bustle Rack Extension, Oliver Carneau's website Modern Military Modeling has an article of Andy Elesky's USMC M1A1 Bustle Rack Extension Article.

Thanks for taking the time to help guys, I really appreciate it! Gino, as always, you provide a wealth of awesome info. Frenchy & Jimmy, I had noticed that in a photo before (assumed one had to do with the other). Jeff, thanks for the site. Again, much appreciated all around.

-Mike

Howdy Mike, Fallujah March-April 2004(1st Tank Bn) equals 'vanilla' tanks. No markings other than the USMC six digit serial number, per the sawed off CG. There were TI Phones and TWMPs(Track Width Mine Plow). The MCDs(Missile Counter-measure Device) had been dropped but the two bars for the things mounting plate could still be seen bolted on the 'man hole cover' in front of the loaders station. Loaders M240 mount was stock. You need the BRE too. Fallujah November 2004(2nd Tank Bn) saw the same vehicles being used with the introduction of the TAG(Transparent Armored Gun Shield). They were starting to sand bag the turret top for small arms and RPG protection too. Good luck with that PT program. Outta here, Mike sends . . .