Hi. Can anyone tell me where I can find tow cable[size] and shackles and I guess their called "clevis" for an M1A1. Also what are the rectangles on the front of the turret, what are they made of and how were they attached? Thanks for the help, Wingman out.

These are Combat Identification Panels. From Andy Elesky's article : "The Combat Identification Panel has one primary component - a flat or venetian style panel approximately (1/8" thick x 24" high x 30" long) covered with a low emissivity thermal tape. The panels are installed flat against the vehicles' exterior shell (with velcro) or placed insided a bracket adapted to hang on the vehicles exterior. CIPs can be mounted in an operational, thermal tape out, or reversed to a nonoperational, Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paint side out, mode."

Here you can see the thermal tape stripes :



Eureka XXL has released an Abrams towing cable :



You can find some US clevises in MR Models set MR-35297 :


HTH
Frenchy

I think I have some extra stuff for ya. PM me.
Evan

Hi. Thanks for the help. Good information. Much appreciated. Wingman out.

This is my attempt at an M1A1. This is the old Tamiya kit built right from the box. Thanks for looking, Wingman out.

Not sure how to post numerous photos to forum so I had to do it this way. Weathering has started in the back end with Mig pigments, rust colored pastels and black colored pastels. This is my first time using Mig pigments so I'll be going section by section very slowly. The M1A1 is one bad ass looking tank. Thanks for looking, Wingman out.

Hi. Weathering has continued on the rest of the tank with Mig Pigments. Can anyone tell me if the towing hooks on the front and rear of the tank were left in natural metal or were they painted? Thanks for looking , Wingman out.

The entire hull will be painted in CARC, Chemical Agent Resistant Coating, to include the tow points. The shackles used to attach the tow cables are often just zinc plated, but I have a few that have been painted at some point.

Thanks Justin, I really appreciate the help, Wingman out.

Hello. Just about done with the weathering. Anyone have any suggestions for further weathering? Noticed the one roadwheel is not sitting flat on the right side. Thanks for looking, Wingman out.

Hi. The mine plow was built, weathered and attached. Thanks for looking, Wingman out.

Hi. This Abrams was finished awhile ago. I had problems uploading photos. Not sure what I did to fix it. Still can't load numerous photos to one post. Can anyone help with that? Thanks for looking, Wingman out.

Hi. Rear end of the vehicle. Wingman out.

Looks pretty good. The weathering and finish came out really nicely. Good job overall.

There is a small issue with it though. The CIPs on the front slope and sides of the turret are a late '90s and later item. The tank, as built, better represents one from the late '80s to early '90s. The older features are the old style Gunner's Primary Sight (GPS) cover with sloped rear, T156 tracks, and the APU on the right rear. The APU especially since it was only used by a few stateside units to conserve fuel. This was later replaced by the APU in the turret bustle rack.

It would be best and easiest to remove the CIPs and have it be a tank from the early '90s.

Another option is to remove the rear APU and replace the tracks with AFV Club's T158 track set. You can leave the old GPS cover since some still had them until the early '00s.