Tamiya Kit # 35158 Question " Help "

I have almost finished this kit and only added the basic M1A1 Abrams w/mine plow with some PE and extra detail but nothing major I was wondering what era or conflict was it used in, like was it in Bosnia , ODS, early OIF. The kit instructions don't say anything about sand color only Nato 3 color scheme.

Can I paint it in sand or would it be to out of date for some of the older conflicts and us the Tank in 3 color Nato scheme.

I would appreciate any help, or should I post some photos of the kit so there is a reference before I start painting and weathering and maybe put it in a diorama.

Happy Modeling
Bill

We used them in Desert Storm and they were painted sand. Most were left that color even when we came home.

The 35158 boxing, represents an early M1A1 Abrams from the Operation Desert Storm (ODS, First Gulf War, '90-'91) timeframe and earlier vehicles. It would have been painted sand for ODS, but could also have been in 3-color NATO camo around the same time either stateside or in Germany.

Just an update on what I did an a few pictures.I finished everything and started to prime everything with vallejo grey primer an added non-slip coating all brass bar handles, plus also the photo etch recommended from you awesome people who have grown my talent to the next leval and hopefully learn and someday be as good as modelers on this site.

The mine plow I have a few extra stuff to add I seen on other modelers builds I seen an want to use on mine.

Tracks are done and I will take pictures of everything.

Now I am going to use vallejo black shade to paint it in the shaded areas but adding a little white to the black paint to the black painted areas I see in my references photo's to show it might needed a little lightning the areas around the black sections to offset when I put my base coat on. And painting my paint job suggested in some books, video, magazines and from on here to do. I try to take everyones why of doing stuff and making up my own technique as I go through my model. I think that everyone has there own way of painting stuff. I could be wrong and other people might go step by step. I personally use them as guidelines.

Happy Modeling
Bill

I hope from the pictures I post are good enough to see the detail I have done or I might have to get a better camera

Nice work on the plow as well as the tank... I think that I know where you got your references.

A couple of suggestions would be to clean up the teeth of the plow as they look to have some flash at the bottoms of the teeth. Also, the dogbone chain looks to be a bit too long... The chain & dogbone should be dragging halfway between the length of the skids when the plow is lowered.

Paint colors: Tanks in Germany, post-Operation Desert Storm were either Forest Green or NATO-flage. The forest green ones were tanks (M1A1 Heavies) that were shipped back to Germany from Saudi with a quick single color paintjob before they went on the ships and the NATO-flaged ones were M1A1s (lights) that stayed in Germany. The NATO Camo ranged from the factory "soft edge" NATO colors (CARC Green, Brown, and Black) to a hard edged Forest Green, Field Drab and Black that was applied over the CARC paint by the vehicle crews.

By 1993, the forest green ones were being repainted in NATO colors, as seen by the units that went into Bosnia in 1994.

Leaving the plow in desert colors is appropriote, with lots of chipping, staining, and rusting per the Panzer crowd... If tou are going to paint it another color, go with lightened Tamiya NATO green with less chipping, staining & rusting.

HTH

John

Here's a picture of my rendition of a combat team on patrol in Bosnia. Hope it helps

Hi, Will

look very good!!! Keep the good work coming.


Jay

Thank you for all the advice as soon as I post this update I will start working on that stuff. Thank you for the encouragement and kind words,

In the photo's I have started to shade with black vallejo primer and any advice with where I have to shade darker or lighter because now there are a lot of pro's on here an would know more than me an I want to do my best on every model I want to in the future an practice makes perfect they say.

So here is the starting of shading parts in pictures below please let me know if to much or to little I take advice from anyone even if it's a bad picture so I can find a way to change the lighting.









Happy Modeling

PS; I think I am out of my modeling funk an ready to start building again an try to go to contest an see what happens an by the grace of GOD maybe published but that is a dream an know my skills need to improve a lot before any of that happens.

I decided to do a KFOR SFOR Nato camo scheme on my Abrams and here is a updated its been awhile but been busy and was wondering if this is green enough or should a make another spray of Tamiya Nato green to make it more accurate.

Any help would be appreciated.










Happy Modeling

looking good so far, I'm excited to see how this is going to turn out, I have this same kit in the stash and it's next up.

can anyone tell me was the federal FDS color "sand" for ODS and what color were these in OIF

Real nice work. I may have missed it, but where did you get the chain and dogbone?

Chain an dog bone still there an fixed I tightened to the point said to do an painted NATO green from tamiya . Should it be more green or should I start painting the NATO black pattern now.

Happy modeling.

Nice build but you have put the smoke dischargers with a wrong angle. The flat part should at the top.

Olivier