Perfect. Thank you Gino.

Rob, thank you sir! I actually really like MREs! When I worked at Ft. Sill, the motor sargents would bring me cases of them when they would come back from the field.

I started the one Armorama sent me tonight, but it has to wait bit to start the blog since it is Thanksgiving week and my family and I are leaving tomorrow to family.

But Dustin, one key note, when most of these Abrams went to Kuwait, they got a very quick paint job of the tan color. So when it comes to painting time, paint NATO green around the hatch openings and gunners sight(before you put the dog house on it), then close the hatches and paint the tan color. So when you open the hatches, you see the NATO green color that didn't get painted because the hatches were closed.

Pete,

Thank tou for that info. Much appreciated.

I'm building this with all of the hatches closed. Should I still give a nato green coat in any area and then go lightly with the tan in the area?

Bit more progress.



Cheers,
Dustin

A couple of notes about the kit and instructions.

I had issues with the barrel, not lining up properly with the key ways. This could have very well been an issue on my part. Maybe I wasn't paying attention to something. Pete, let me know if you have similar issues.

Also, the instructions came with a correction sheet, where they caught SOME of their mistakes and added this sheet in. But, I'm still finding issues with the instructions. Nothing major and nothing that you can't/won't figure out if you're paying attention.

Just thought I'd mention these things.

I haven't seen the included correction sheet, but Rye Field posted this correction sheet on their Facebook page.

Gino,

That is the sheet that they include in the kit.

Here is one issue, maybe some of you can help me.

On this PE screen here (I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe an intake?) do you use F69 as a shaping mold and then just glue the PE part to the hull? Or is Z22 glued to F69 and then glued on the hull? The instructions don't technically say where to glue it, although I do know where it goes.

The M1A1/M1A2 w/Interior kit instructions show F69 going into the hull as well. It looks like Z22 glues onto F69, then the whole assembly goes into the slot in the hull.

Perfect, thank you Gino.

I went out on a limb and went ahead and did just that.

I've made some decent progress this morning. If all goes well, I plan to have assembly finished today.





Thanks for the help and info Gino & Pete.

Looking real good Dustin,may have to add one to b the stash.

Does anybody have the instructions for the "O" sprue? It has the ice chests and ammo cans.

Anthony - Thank you very much sir. I really like this kit. I feel an Abrams kick really coming on! Hah

What do you think of this stowage? I really really like it. My first real go at stowage. Before you jump on me Pete, the MRE case is just to get an idea .

How about the spare wheel?






Cheers

The stowage is looking good. You have one too many rucksacks though. Remember there are only 4 crewmen, so only 4 rucksacks. There could be as many as 8 duffel bags though since each crewman usually has 1 rucksack and 2 duffel bags (an A bag and a B bag). Often, the B bag is left in a storage container and only brought forward when needed. The B bag has items like cold weather gear, extra uniforms, extra boots, etc. in it.




Here you go. From the M1A1/M1A2 w/Interior review here on Armorama.

Thank you Gino. I'll scrap one of those ruck sacks. Thanks for the instructions. Would this era of tank crew have had ice chests?

I don't remember seeing any coolers on ODS vehicles, so I would say no.

Ok thank you sir.

The spare wheel should be on top the "man hole cover". That's the circular panel in front of the loaders hatch. As I understand, there were specific bolts for that purpose.

G

ATE UP LIKE A SOUP SANDWICH DUSTIN adding those MRE boxes!!!!!!!! Just joking

Gear is perfect for the time frame, just one thing needs to come off, the 2 sleeping bag sacks, the one next to the ammo cans between the duffle bag and antenna base and the one behind the loaders hatch sitting on the duffle bag and Camo net bag. We didn't have those types of sleeping bags back then, we had the big heavy green sleeping bags that we kept in a green water proof bag.

The spare road wheel could either be where you have it or on the "man hole" cover. Where you have it right now, one of those 4 bolts was removed and used to secure it there. Same goes with the man hole cover.

Pete,

Thank you sir! I'll take those sleeping bags off pronto.