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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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M1 Kit(s)?
LtSmash
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Illinois, United States
Joined: August 18, 2011
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 25 posts
Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 02:42 PM UTC
Who makes/made an M1 Abrams? Not an M1A1 or M1A2, but an old school, M1 with a 105mm barrel?

Bob
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ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 14, 2006
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Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 02:59 PM UTC
I believe the closest match for that is the early Tamiya offering.
majjanelson
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: December 14, 2006
KitMaker: 1,355 posts
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Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 03:06 PM UTC
IIRC, you could use the hull from a DML Panther II and add a Tamiya M1 Turret, but you will need to add details and make corrections to both to make a true M1.

But my memory banks could be corrupted.
didgeboy
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Washington, United States
Joined: September 21, 2010
KitMaker: 1,846 posts
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Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 04:14 PM UTC
I have heard that the Academy M1A1 2003 can be back dated to an M1IP quite easily. Other than that the Tamiya M1 from 1980 is your best bet and you can find them on eBay sometimes. Good luck.
tankfixer
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Missouri, United States
Joined: October 15, 2005
KitMaker: 283 posts
Armorama: 110 posts
Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 04:33 PM UTC
Ebay is probably your best bet. Unless I decide to get rid of mine!
M1LasenBlaze
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California, United States
Joined: May 19, 2010
KitMaker: 16 posts
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Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012 - 07:33 PM UTC

Tamiya made one but if you want to make the service IPM1 you'll have to rip a bustle rack off an M1A1 kit. Tamiya's is based on the original "Thunderbolt" that's still at Fort Knox.

If I were to attempt it I'd buy an advanced M1A1 kit Dragon, etc. and a Tamiya M1A1 kit and a Tamiya M60A3 for the gun tube.

You'd have to work some sheet styrene to modify the turret stowage boxes and blow off panels. The left side NBC sponson could be filled in, filed flat and a sponson lid added from the second M1A1 kit. You'd have to add an MRS to the M60's tube too.
(Most MRS' on M1 kits are wrong. The are molded parallel with the gun tube instead of offset to face the gunner's dog house. The MRS on the Tamiya M1 kit is WAY wrong.)

You'd probably have to do some filling on the front fenders of an M1A1 kit too. Tamiya M1A1 kits come without molded non-skid, like the IP M1s really were ( or at least mine was) Other kits have molded non-skid and wouldn't be right for an IP M1 hull/turret.

I have an IP M1 mostly completed now. I still have to hack off the MRS and replace it with one from a better kit.

Good luck!
LtSmash
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Illinois, United States
Joined: August 18, 2011
KitMaker: 34 posts
Armorama: 25 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 - 10:51 AM UTC
Thanks for the replies, guys. It sounds like it requires a bit of planning but it may be a fun project.

Bob
didgeboy
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Washington, United States
Joined: September 21, 2010
KitMaker: 1,846 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 - 11:29 AM UTC
Bob;
I might be able to supply you with some parts. Let me know. Cheers.
tanknick22
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United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 - 01:10 PM UTC
for a M1Ip is used the lower hull and 105 mm gun from tamiya's early m1 and modified the the mantle to be accepted in to the modified turret from tamiya's M1A2
tanknick22
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United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 - 01:14 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Tamiya made one but if you want to make the service IPM1 you'll have to rip a bustle rack off an M1A1 kit. Tamiya's is based on the original "Thunderbolt" that's still at Fort Knox.

If I were to attempt it I'd buy an advanced M1A1 kit Dragon, etc. and a Tamiya M1A1 kit and a Tamiya M60A3 for the gun tube.

You'd have to work some sheet styrene to modify the turret stowage boxes and blow off panels. The left side NBC sponson could be filled in, filed flat and a sponson lid added from the second M1A1 kit. You'd have to add an MRS to the M60's tube too.
(Most MRS' on M1 kits are wrong. The are molded parallel with the gun tube instead of offset to face the gunner's dog house. The MRS on the Tamiya M1 kit is WAY wrong.)

You'd probably have to do some filling on the front fenders of an M1A1 kit too. Tamiya M1A1 kits come without molded non-skid, like the IP M1s really were ( or at least mine was) Other kits have molded non-skid and wouldn't be right for an IP M1 hull/turret.

I have an IP M1 mostly completed now. I still have to hack off the MRS and replace it with one from a better kit.

Good luck!


heres what i did i started out with the old tamiya m1 and a tamiya M1A2 i used the hull, tracks and drive sproket from the M1 that way you dont have to mess with removing the nbc pack from a later date abrams, now for the turret: first i filled in the hole where the citv was , cut out the 2 large blow of panels of the M1A2 and replace them with the 3 smaller ones from the, m1 modifed the back part of the mantle from the m1 so it will fit the m1A2 turret, carried over all the railings and stowage boxes from the m1 over to the M1A2 turret and replace the wind sensor of the M1A2 with the one of the earlier M1 and there you have a M1IP with our spending a lot of money
tmcvicar2
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United States
Joined: May 30, 2011
KitMaker: 29 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 - 12:27 AM UTC
LTSmash, you must have been looking over my shoulder because I asked the same question last night after picking up Hunnicutt's M1 Abrams book from my library and leafing through it.

I saw a bunch of Tamiya (#35124) kits on ebay, some for as low as $6.00.

A list of tweaks for that kit is located here:

http://missinglinks2.tripod.com/M1.pdf

https://missinglinks2.tripod.com/M1.pdf

It's amazing that there is no current kit for such an important tank.
IrishGreek
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 17, 2010
KitMaker: 627 posts
Armorama: 571 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 - 01:33 AM UTC
Just a quick question. I was under the understanding that the actual turret from the A1 and later M1s was actually larger than the turret from the early one. That the facing especially was longer (extended towards the front of the tank) because of the extra armor on those versions. Is my understanding correct, or is the extra armor only inside and not visible in the dimensions of the turret?
blabla
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Niedersachsen, Germany
Joined: December 02, 2006
KitMaker: 147 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 - 01:35 AM UTC
hello,

yes it is a nightmare that no tank and/or their spefic version from the cold war area have no chances on the market, although there are very nice possibilties, like REFORGER, etc.

The M1 is not alone. No new m60s, chally 1s, leo1s, chieftains, or even from an early period a platic kit of an m-103 or conqueror. And these are only "fighting-tanks". Not to forget all the other support vehicles!

Cheers

 _GOTOTOP