A newer project I have been working on - on and off for awhile now. This tank will be depicted at the airport after the first thunder run. So, I want to show the interior, since the crew will be out and all the hatches open.

https://i.imgur.com/m56U4VZ.jpg

looking forward to seeing this - great book as well

And long before the Rye Field full interior kit came out I started this project and used the old Verlinden set for the driver hole and battery area. I figured out a way to get them into the Dragon hull and kept going with the lower hull details - I know, not the best when it comes to painting stages. But I knew someday I would figure out something for the turret interior with the idea I would either use the old DML basic turret interior from older kits, or something new would come along. Well, something new came along with Rye Field and that is covered above.

Anyway, here is the Dragon AIM kit hull.

So, what you see is that I am grafting the Rye Field full interior turret onto the Dragon AIM hull. Only some minor cutting was needed along the turret ring to make it fit.

As far as the turret interior goes, the kit is very well detailed. No real fit issues. I only added a few extras, like the NBC hoses, the mechanism at the top of the loader's ammo door (PE scrap and plastic stock), and I scratched a couple of TM books to put on the loader's shelf, as if he was reviewing them after they parked. I should have put one up on the turret roof, but oh well. I also decided to add some decals for the interior from other left over projects, but most are from Archer sets I already had. I am hoping one day Echelon will do an interior decal set now that this kit exists.

the commander of the Thunder Run, Rock Marcone, has given several presentations about the units' actions. Video of some of these presentations are on youtube. He's also an accomplished AFV modeler! He's a member of my local AFV model club! Here's an interview he did for PBS' Frontline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/invasion/interviews/marcone.html

Rock is a modeler, as Roy notes, which is pretty cool. However, he was not part of the thunder runs. That was 1-64 and 4-64. He was the LTC and commander of 3-69. Securing Objective Peach, the major bridge over the Euphrates, was the memorable accomplishment of 3-69, among other missions. Echelon did a sheet or two of 3-69, BTW. Interestingly, 3-69 had two or three Natoflage tanks in their battalion, which is very very rare for 3rd ID in OIF1. I talked to Rock about that and he confirmed it. And I even tracked down one of the TCs of those tanks. Because they were green, he called his tank Emerald City (and a crewman was from Seattle too).

thanks for the correction! I need to get my facts on straighter! Look fwd to seeing your model completed

Wired up and a bit of weathering. I think the interior is finished.

Very nice build. Can you share how you weathered the tracks? I am at the finally stages of building an M-1A1 AIM from TF 1-64. The base color will be rubber black. But I wasn't sure what paint I should get for the rust effect and the sand. I was thinking about dry brushing the rust and then using a wash for the sand. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I painted the metal parts a rust color then liberally painted on pigments. After the pigments dried I used a large brush to remove most of the pigments.