I have a general image in my head for a diorama that is themed to a REFORGER exercise or something from Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising with the 11TH ACR or Harold Coyle's Team Yankee.

Ideas and photos welcomed.

Wow, now THAT is a recipe. It almost makes me want to add this project to an ever growing list of projects. Almost.

Here is a recipe for a M1IP, using Tamiya parts from the original M1 kit as well as one of their M1A1 kits (I used the one with the mine plow, so I can use the plow on another build)

- Use the upper and lower hull from the M1 kit

- Smooth out the ridge around the Driver's hatch (be careful as the M1 kit’s plastic will be brittle and will break or crack easily if it is handled roughly… ask me how I know.)

- New driver's hatch (DML AIM kit) or improve the one from the kit

- Use the M1 roadwheels, the ones on the M1A1 have slightly different dimensions (although the wheels might be the same between the two kits)

- New T-156 tracks (Trumpeter/ATM)

- Scratchbuild the hull grill doors (I used the ones from a junked DML M1A1 AIM kit)

- Add lifting eyes to the back deck, just above the grill doors

- Skirts: Add hinge and weatherstripping details, Cut off the #7 skirt and add the hinge details, Add the cable steps to the #1 skirts (both sides)

- Add fender retaining springs to the hull

- add a bilge pump outlet on the right side of the hull

Additional optional details: replace all sponson/turret box handles with ones from TMD, add hing and retaining pins and chains to the skirts, add serial number plates to the skirts from .005 styrene or paper, add sponson floors for the rear of the hull, especially if the #7 skirts are left off of the model. No anti-skid was applied to the tanks from the factory but was applied at the unit level, so it will look anything but uniform, with lots of swirls and brushmarks.

For the turret, use the one from the M1A1 kit. Build the turret per the instructions except for the items below:

- Remove the mount for the CITV, and fill resulting hole with styrene or a chunk of the M1 kit’s turret

- Use the mantlet from the M1A1 kit and the 105mm main gun from the M1 kit – you will need to make opening for the main gun smaller with styrene strip. Scratch build the 105mm style Muzzle Reference Sensor and its retaining strap to the muzzle of the 105mm gun

- Use the M1 kit stowage boxes on the turret.

- Replace the turret rails with ones made from .030 styrene rod, brass rod or cobble the rails together using the ones from both kits, with the front halves being from the M1 kit and the rear being from the M1A1 kit. (Bruce, the 3AD CAT tanks had the original M1 turret rails and the M1A1 style bustle rack. Shoot me a PM and I can send you some pictures that show this feature)

Additional Optional details: replace machine guns, scratchbuild the Loader’s MG mount, add details to the Commander’s weapon station (lifting eyes, retaining pins & chains, electric trigger cable and manual trigger assembly), add the turret box retaining straps.

Hello Chris,
did you attempt to fit the Tamiya upper hull to the Dragon lower hull and it didn't work out ? That was my plan but haven't looked into it very closely yet.

Sean

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Here is a recipe for a M1IP, using Tamiya parts from the original M1 kit as well as one of their M1A1 kits (I used the one with the mine plow, so I can use the plow on another build)

- Use the upper and lower hull from the M1 kit

- Smooth out the ridge around the Driver's hatch (be careful as the M1 kit’s plastic will be brittle and will break or crack easily if it is handled roughly… ask me how I know.)

- New driver's hatch (DML AIM kit) or improve the one from the kit

- Use the M1 roadwheels, the ones on the M1A1 have slightly different dimensions (although the wheels might be the same between the two kits)

- New T-156 tracks (Trumpeter/ATM)

- Scratchbuild the hull grill doors (I used the ones from a junked DML M1A1 AIM kit)

- Add lifting eyes to the back deck, just above the grill doors

- Skirts: Add hinge and weatherstripping details, Cut off the #7 skirt and add the hinge details, Add the cable steps to the #1 skirts (both sides)

- Add fender retaining springs to the hull

- add a bilge pump outlet on the right side of the hull

Additional optional details: replace all sponson/turret box handles with ones from TMD, add hing and retaining pins and chains to the skirts, add serial number plates to the skirts from .005 styrene or paper, add sponson floors for the rear of the hull, especially if the #7 skirts are left off of the model. No anti-skid was applied to the tanks from the factory but was applied at the unit level, so it will look anything but uniform, with lots of swirls and brushmarks.

For the turret, use the one from the M1A1 kit. Build the turret per the instructions except for the items below:

- Remove the mount for the CITV, and fill resulting hole with styrene or a chunk of the M1 kit’s turret

- Use the mantlet from the M1A1 kit and the 105mm main gun from the M1 kit – you will need to make opening for the main gun smaller with styrene strip. Scratch build the 105mm style Muzzle Reference Sensor and its retaining strap to the muzzle of the 105mm gun

- Use the M1 kit stowage boxes on the turret.

- Replace the turret rails with ones made from .030 styrene rod, brass rod or cobble the rails together using the ones from both kits, with the front halves being from the M1 kit and the rear being from the M1A1 kit. (Bruce, the 3AD CAT tanks had the original M1 turret rails and the M1A1 style bustle rack. Shoot me a PM and I can send you some pictures that show this feature)

Additional Optional details: replace machine guns, scratchbuild the Loader’s MG mount, add details to the Commander’s weapon station (lifting eyes, retaining pins & chains, electric trigger cable and manual trigger assembly), add the turret box retaining straps.

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Thanks for the recipe!!!

Wouldn't you get a better result using Dragon's M1 Panther II hull with the Tamiya M1A1 turret and Tamiya M1 parts? I was planning to go that route...

Cheers,

Christophe

Here is a recipe for a M1IP, using Tamiya parts from the original M1 kit as well as one of their M1A1 kits (I used the one with the mine plow, so I can use the plow on another build)

- Use the upper and lower hull from the M1 kit

- Smooth out the ridge around the Driver's hatch (be careful as the M1 kit’s plastic will be brittle and will break or crack easily if it is handled roughly… ask me how I know.)

- New driver's hatch (DML AIM kit) or improve the one from the kit

- Use the M1 roadwheels, the ones on the M1A1 have slightly different dimensions (although the wheels might be the same between the two kits)

- New T-156 tracks (Trumpeter/ATM)

- Scratchbuild the hull grill doors (I used the ones from a junked DML M1A1 AIM kit)

- Add lifting eyes to the back deck, just above the grill doors

- Skirts: Add hinge and weatherstripping details, Cut off the #7 skirt and add the hinge details, Add the cable steps to the #1 skirts (both sides)

- Add fender retaining springs to the hull

- add a bilge pump outlet on the right side of the hull

Additional optional details: replace all sponson/turret box handles with ones from TMD, add hing and retaining pins and chains to the skirts, add serial number plates to the skirts from .005 styrene or paper, add sponson floors for the rear of the hull, especially if the #7 skirts are left off of the model. No anti-skid was applied to the tanks from the factory but was applied at the unit level, so it will look anything but uniform, with lots of swirls and brushmarks.

For the turret, use the one from the M1A1 kit. Build the turret per the instructions except for the items below:

- Remove the mount for the CITV, and fill resulting hole with styrene or a chunk of the M1 kit’s turret

- Use the mantlet from the M1A1 kit and the 105mm main gun from the M1 kit – you will need to make opening for the main gun smaller with styrene strip. Scratch build the 105mm style Muzzle Reference Sensor and its retaining strap to the muzzle of the 105mm gun

- Use the M1 kit stowage boxes on the turret.

- Replace the turret rails with ones made from .030 styrene rod, brass rod or cobble the rails together using the ones from both kits, with the front halves being from the M1 kit and the rear being from the M1A1 kit. (Bruce, the 3AD CAT tanks had the original M1 turret rails and the M1A1 style bustle rack. Shoot me a PM and I can send you some pictures that show this feature)

Additional Optional details: replace machine guns, scratchbuild the Loader’s MG mount, add details to the Commander’s weapon station (lifting eyes, retaining pins & chains, electric trigger cable and manual trigger assembly), add the turret box retaining straps.