Here my M1A1 from academy with no aftermarket set. i just add some stowage from my old kits. for Non slip surface i used white glue and baking soda powder .

Wow, Voryah, That looks very good! Extreme, but well executed.

Photo real finish. Great work. For once a model that looks like a real tank in service with no artistic flourishes.

Great looking job there. Like the weathering it looks well used.

Very nicely done!!

Great job all around!

Excellent job!! Really does have that "used" look. The detail I especially like is that ration box,, looks exactly like a cardboard box that's gotten somewhat wet/damp and then left out to dry.

Looks pretty good overall. Good job w/the Academy kit which has a few issues.

One thing you may consider changing are the tracks. Academy left the old, no longer used (since about 1991) T156 tracks in their kit. AFV Club does a really nice set of indi-link current T158 tracks that would really make it stand out. At the least, shorten the kit tracks by one or two links since they are too loose as they are now.

The other main issue with the kit is the turret is too short (by about 5mm at the front) since Academy copied the old Tamiya M1 turret, not an M1A1 turret. You can tell since it is cramped around the smoke launchers and smoke grenade storage boxes. No fix for the turret, but new tracks would make it look really good.

Very well done.

Mike

Very nice!! I would rotate the track so the track joint is behind the side shields.

very nice

I already have a spare turret from the 1/35 M1A1 Tamiya offering. Does this fit to the Academy hull? I want to depict a USMC M1A1 Abrams in afghanistan and already have the Academy offering + an M1A1 TAMIYA turret can i combine them to built a fair abrams?

Yes, the Tamiya turret will fit the Academy hull. Academy's entire kit is a direct copy of Tamiyas' M1 kit. Any Tamiya part will fit the Academy kit perfectly. The Tamiya M1A1 turret on Academy's hull will get you a proper M1A1. You will still need to update the tracks though.

Thank you!

May i ask what brand and colors you used this great looking model.

- steve

Thank you so much all of you for your very promising comments

Stephen i'm using the Revell Aqua acrylic colors.