Well, i think i'm done with this one . I took a long hard look at it and took the suggestions mixed them up and this is what i came up with . Hope ya'll like it .





P. S. There you go Dave , you are now a tank commander .

WOW! This is most excellent. So far, the best model of M1 I have seen. This is a really well done model/dio.

Toadman you should be really proud of it. I guess nothing beats real life experience when you trying to modelling.

Love the eyes Carlton. Makes it look meaner. The hit marks are nice touches and add character to the tank. Barbed wire looks good. Stain marks add color to an otherwise bland paint scheme. Great job!!!

And the tarp is Dave's favorite color too #:-)

Got a question though: The M1's exhaust goes out the center grill right? Won't that box at the back get burned a lot?

Dave and Jeep , thanks for the comments . Jeep , the tarp (pink one) is a post it note , I forget what the exact name of it is . It is the same idea as when the Germans used the flags tied to their tanks in WW2 . You will see the eyes again , we drew them on my tank that I was on this past year during manuver training . Which is the tank that i have in progress . So I will try to paint them on . Yes the exaust goes out the center grill , just my guess the box probaly has a heat shield built into it to prevent burns ? Sabot said that he did not see these used in DESERT STORM , but it was too good to pass up not puting this box on the tank .

Nice build...I like the eyes, gives the beast a more menacing look. Overall a very nicely done model that looks used but not abused. Good wethering. Use some sort of natural backdrop for a photo and you'd think it was the real thing.
I also really like waht you did for the ground work and the barbed wire. The ribbon is a nice touch, and I'm sure that's from your own experience.
I don't know how stiff the air recognition flags are so maybe a post-it is accurate in scale. IMHO, that looks very stiff, almost like tin. If they are cloth flags, try using tissue paper (Kleenex) applied with a 1:1 mixture of white glue (Elmer's) and water. This will give a very natural drape and have some texture.
In the first picture, it appears the smoke grnade launchers are not quite even in their application. One looks level to the ground/turret top and the other seems to be at a sllight angle.
You may have a bit of silvering on the front fender registration number. I hate when that happens!

Toadster:

The overall feel of this model and the base is very authentic. I'm always interested in seeing your Abram's work since you ride "the real deal", and model as true to life as possible.

The barb wire, sign, armor pock marks, and tarp, are really nice touches that add some snap to the overall look of the scene.

Steve
ps: In the fourth pic, its obvious you keep yourself "fully hydrated" when modeling as evidenced by your favorite beverage bottle in the background)

Toad, that anti skid detail looks a hell of a lot more accurate (I hope you have actually done something to it so I don't sound really stupid). Everything else looks great as well. On the next one, try using Archer dry transfer for the lettering, they work so much better than decals. If you decide you don't ant to shell out the money for the not so inexpensive ones, then try buying the Trumpeter Abrams for the same price as a sheet of Archer transfers. The Trumpeter decals come with enough individual numbers and symbols to do pretty much any unit you want to do. I cannot attest to quality yet as I still haven't gotten far enough on an abrams to use them. I am all talk after all.

Rob

I don't know anything about modern armor but this one looks good to me. I really like the barbed, concertina?, wire.

Howdy turrettoad,

Once again, excellent work there on the Abrams! All it's missing is a damaged #7 skirt

Tread.

BTW, I especially like photo #4, where it show's the industrial sized Foster's stowage for when the crew get's a little thirsty

TT:
I love the use of the CLAMS... awsome touch.
I like the Brabed wire as well, nice little dio/scene.
Please don't give Dave his own tank..... he's rated for an AirSoft M1A1 and that's all....

This is just a plain mean thing to say about me. #:-)

looks very nice, i also like the eyes
The tank si well done well detailed and well weathered.congrats!!
what do you think to put a riffle or a elmet in the base?
regards

Carl, looks good. How many M1's are you building?!?!?!?! STUG

Hiya Toadster,
really nice dio you did there , how about adding a figure to it? How did you create the base, I am still searching for something that looks as good as yours ...
The stains are really good, adding a very realstic touch to the kit, what color did you use?
Andreas

Well guys thanks for all the comments on this one, it really had its ups and downs during the build .
A J : I'll see what I can do to make a better I D flag , i just used what i had handy . Yep - gotta go back and fix the smoke launchers . I think the light caused the shine on the decal on the right fender , i also hate it when that happens.

WWH: Thanks , i just don't know how that bottle got in the pic (tank gremlin must have put it there #:-) )

Rob : This is the trumpter model - so the anti- skid is molded on , all i did was a BIG time heavy wash then a couple of dry- brushes to get the effect. I wish that tamiya would get this right , i have two of them to correct - fun fun

Rodger : the barb wire is the twist and tie method that i found on this site some where ? cant recall the exact place if i find it I will let you know where it is

TreadHead : i was gonna put a few bullet holes in the #7 skirt - think the bottle in the back ground had something to do with me forgetting about it - those tank gremlins again #:-)

P C and SS: I think SS can handle this tank -(i took the firing pin out and dis-connected the throttle ) So ya'll play nice

Venom : thanks for the comment . I should have put a partialy exposed land mine at the edge of the base since this is a mine clearing tank . Easy fix will do .

Steve : HEheehe ...... Way too many m1s according to my wife , I guess that Cliff is starting to rub off on me he has his trucks and i have my m1s

Andreas : I was going for a " in action " look with this model . So the reason that the tank is buttoned up is that that is SOP when clearing mines + the sabot round that it took to the right turret slope as you can imagine the crew is pretty much locked cocked and ready to rock . The base is 2 sheets of wood.The top is press board the bottom is peg board . The bottom is 1 inch wider on all 4 sides to allow the top base to slope down . The ground work is celluclay base , with play-sand and railroad ballast mixed. The stains are a water based paint , the brown is raw sienna The over all wash is tamiya Xf-1 cut with water . Good luck with your model

Hey Turret,
Overall a really nice build. It's a really "true to life" scene that has not been overdone. Lately it seems a lot of people are overdoing the weathering which I think has a lot to do with all the new weathering techniques that have come around.
Your dio has that real life feel to it, that we all should be trying to strive for.
Other than the small things that have been mentioned, this dio is top notch.
Here's a question though, just for my own knowledge. When using the mine rollers, do you traverse the gun to 6 or 9 o'clock to prevent damage to the gun if you get a mine strike?
I was just curious on the doctrine of my neighbours to the south.

TT- Very nice... I hope mine turns out as nice as yours has...

Davivus- Come on now, We all know that you use the airsoft tank to engage HK kittycat troop targets around the house; That's why they started their terrorist group! We have photos!!! #:-)

Howdy turrettoad,

Okie dokie...a couple of things. First, I'm becoming quite the M1A1 Abrams 'aficionado' lately, (never planned this). I'm building an entry into a local model show that's being held down at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Co. It's mainly an armour model show because of both the large contingent of armour folk down there, and the rather large contingent the base recently sent over to OIF. The model show is supposed to be a kind of 'homage' and a salute to the local armour participant's. Guess what?....I'm in!
Anyway (sorry for the 'wind' there), I have stolen pics of both of your M1's to add to my growing reference library (my forays into modern are somewhat limited). Please don't call the 'modeling police' on me, I'm much too old to do any time!
Also, my reference to your #7 skirt was refering to the practice of removing the offending skirt when it bound up the rear drive wheel after the wheel got too full of muck and mud. I thought I'd throw in the reference to try to make myself sound 'in the know' (fat lotta luck there huh?)

I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping my entry looks half as good as your's does.

Tread.

leogunner: I'm pretty shure that the gun would be placed at the 3 or the 9 o'clock position during swepping operation. Being at the edge of the mine field i would take a second or two to scan before entering . Just my two cents worth as a TC , I dont like going into a hot zone with my main weapon pointed away from the enemy ! Yes I agree the tube should be turned to the side , and i have seen a few pics of mine plow tanks with a protective cover over the evacuator - will try to find the pic

Gunk : Good to have you back ! thanks for the comment and good luck with your tank

Tread head : no prob here with you using my work as refference , so feel free to :-) one reason that i don't remove the # 7 skirt is that you have to scratch up the hinge that goes to the # 6 skirt + the long pin and slot that it goes in at the rear (small) skirt - but it is the 1st thing to get torn up on a tank 99% of the time . So you are right in that aspect ,Been there done that

TT:
On the ID panel, for GW1 stuff I was using orange ballons from a pack of ballons I bought at a grocery store (or something like that, I canned the idea of taking them from kids at the park)). Just cut the ballon to a square, punch some tiedown holes and you're good to go. I suspect you can find ballons in that pink color as well.

Okie dokie TT,

Need a little help here (my apologies for using your thread). Just came across a pic of an M1A1 Abrams in desert paint with a turret mounted APU. Pardon my ignorance, but is this a new configuration? And if so, was it used inOIF?

Thx,

Tread.

I think that the turret mounted APU came into use after G W 1 . (SABOT ? ) So using it on a OIF m1a1 is not a sin . The Trumpter kits have the hull and the turret mounted APU s optional . I have a spare one if you need it , just let me know
P C : i'm gonna stick to the tissue paper - just have to find some bright pink paint ( T F you there ?) oh yeah here is a pic of the real pannel -it is to the right of the road

I just found this review of the real deal on the mine roller .Even though it looks cool it wasn't very usefull in the desert .
http://globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/mcrs.htm

Toad, great looking tank. Wish I could do armor like that. Mav

Yet another beautiful creation :-) U da' man TT

Matt