Excuse my bad english #:-) The question I have is; Can anyone tell me what's the story on the last wheels of the track of a M1A1 serving in OIF, in some pictures they have a round thing (dunno what to call it) on it and in other pictures it's just the spikey (bare) wheel... What does it do, and should I put it on my M1A1 (academy) or just leave it in the box?
Thanks in advance!
(and for the generals on this site, thanks for teaching us beginners how to build our models and enjoy doing it )

It is the track retainer ring. It was originally put on M1s and early M1A1s to keep the track on the drive sprocket (spikey wheel).

They were deleted on later Abrams tanks because it sometimes caused the sprocket (toothed part) to shear off of the sprocket carrier (hub part). Basically those bolts along the circumference of the sprocket would break off. Much easier to put track back on than to replace the sprocket and bolts.

They seem to be making a comeback in use. It could be for two different reasons. First, the tanks being used in OIF are older vehicles drawn from prepositioned stocks and these may just have not been replaced with the newer type. Second, sandy terrain makes it easier to through track so they may have put them back on in an attempt to keep the track from being thrown as easily.

I read something about the retained ring being refitted with the M1A2 SEP program, but all SEP pictures I've got till now are all without the ring.

As far as I know the Marines still have the retainer fitted, so Jurgen, probably the vehicles you saw with the ring were US Marine Corps vehicles.
Best way to see the difference between a US Army Abrams and a USMC Abrams is to look at the smoke grenade launchers attached to the sides of the turret.
The Army vehicles have all launch tubes integrated into one triangular "block", the USMC vehicles have 12? separate tubes on each side....

By the way Jurgen, welcome to Armorama.. I hope you will find everything you need here, otherwise just ask, we got all sorts of brilliant people here...
Anyway, if something should not be clear in english, you can always send me a PM (private message) and I'll try to explain in Dutch...

wow major! didn't expect an answer this helpfull, this fast!
Thanks, the pic I wanted to use to make a diorama when I finish the model didn't show the sides of the tank, just the front, so I was wondering if this one had them on or not. I think I'll leave them off allthough my model is an early version of the M1. Must say that (as an amateur) I find it difficult to actuelly copy the real thing(s), such as markings of the vehicle and checking if they where really there at that time...
Anyway, many thanks for the info!!
P.s. I bookmarked your photopage if you don't mind....

I'll be back.....(with more (dumb) questions)-> and in bad english

Thanks Johan, helpfull information again... and so fast... (this site is great for amateurs like me... ) I've got an academy M1A1, looking at the launchers it's an army model...
BUT... my diorama idea doesn't show the launchers...
help me out here...please... or do I want too much...?!
#:-)

Jurgen,

I don't know what your diorama idea is about, so I can't really comment on that. But you should add some smoke dischargers when you want to show your model in a combat environment..

The question is the amount of effort you want to put into it. The fastest way is to just build a Army M1 or M1A1. When building the A1you could leave the retainer rings off, and the smoke dischargers would be correct...
If you really want to build the MC variant, you should replace the smoke dischargers, add the retainer rings, but you should also add the "Dazzler". It's a box-shaped missile counter-measure device used by the Marines, and is located on the top left of the turret, where the CITV "periscope" would be on the A2.
In the Academy kit you find this spot as a hatch-like opening, with a lid bolted on....

Welcome Jurgen. This is a GREAT place for answers to your questions!