Review and comments by all are extremely helpful. After reading the comments I would like to address a couple of observations. First is the anti-slip issue. The armor battalion that I served with fielded M1 MBTs in January 1983. The were the first batch that were produced after General Dynamics bought the Chrysler Tank Plant. The 56 Abrams tanks had an anti-slip finish that was applied to the Forest Green paint that the tanks were received in. It was as a previous comment of paint with sand. The finish was not applied to the entire top portions of the tank, only the on the top hull plate from the center to the left side, the top of the turret from the front to just behind the commander and loader's hatches and the engine deck. The back of the turret where the blow-out panels were located were not treated with anti-slip. Again, our tanks came forest green with the sand already in the paint. It was not the same as with the M1A1 which is thicker and it was like sand grains within the paint not like it was stippled. The second comment is on the fuel filler covers for the two front fuel cells. To refuel the front cells on the Abrams, you had to traverse the turret to where the main gun was over the filler cap and elevate the gun to max elevation. This gave you sufficient room to put a fuel nozzle and take on fuel. One not for modelers that like to weather their tanks with fuel spills. The fuel system on the Abrams pumps fuel from the front tanks to the rear tanks as only the rear tanks supply fuel to the engine. Occasionally, the transfer valve will stick and if the tank is parked with the rear higher than the front, fuel would run to the front tanks and overflow (even with the cap on). It was a practice for us to ensure the front cells were not full when parking our tanks in the motor pool. I have had the opportunity to crew the M1, M1IP, M1A1 (HA) prior to retiring and as they said in "Fury" "Best job I ever had."

Let me make an additional comment pertaining to the three eye bolt lifting rings on the commander's cupola. Our M1s had them. Actually I have never seen an M1 or M1A1 that didn't. When Tamiya released their first M1 model back in the '80 I took the eye bolts from a T34/76 kit to add to the cupola of the model I built. Maybe the Chrysler M1s did have the eye bolts but the General Dynamic ones we had did.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Tamyia base their M-1 on the pre-production XM-1

My first M-1 I was on was serial# 088 XM-1 in 3/64 AR. We had no non-slip on it.

Hi, I was on M-1/M1IP/M1A1/M1A1HA as well. What units were you in?

I was in D 3/64AR 3ID, C,D 4/37AR 1ID, A 1/63AR.

Cheers