I recall reading that the OPFOR M-1s at NTC were painted NATO camo but one color (green would be most likely. there is NOTHING green anwhere near NTC!) being over painted tan/sand. What shade? (current CARC or FS ). Also which M-1 version? I'd think M-1A1s.

These pics from '15 show an OPFOR vismod T-90 (M1A1) with added ERA blocks and 55gal drums on the rear. They are painted sand with a big red star on the side.




When I was last there in '06, they were M1A1s in a two-tone sand/brown camo with side skirts removed and M113 rubber skirts added to represent Krasnovian K1 OPFOR tanks.

I think Timothy refer to the '80s and (early?) '90s? Wasn't it the 11th ACR that were stationed there permanent as OPFOR?

This is from 1988. Perhaps more of a MERDEC-ish style camo with three colors:


This is probably early '90s and seem to be the woodland pattern with the green swaped for sand:


Cheers,
/E

Maybe. The 11th ACR is still (and always has been) the perpetual OPFOR at the NTC, Ft Irwin, CA.

Originally, the permanent OPFOR was the 177th Armor Brigade, consisting of a battalion of infantry (6-31IN) and one of armor (1-73AR). After the 11th ACR was deactivated in Germany, the 177th reflagged and became the 11th ACR. I believe the infantry battalion became 1st Sqdn and the armor battalion 2nd Sqdn.

Thanks, Guys. The photo from 88, I think is 3 tone, tan/brown/black. Only green I see is the replacement (?) plate over the drive sprocket on the closest one. Maybe someone with better eyes can confirm. (maybe the lighting, but the barrel looks thin. Is that an early 105mm gunned one?) The other one,3235, I think is the scheme I remember hearing about.

The pic with the MERDC all appear to be M1IP tanks.

The pic below it is obviously an M1A1 with a mine plow.

Thanks for all the help. I have an IP M1 on order that I'll be using for my NTC Abrams. I'm figuring a early 90s time frame. I found a couple B/W photos of IPs at Irwin, but there are no dates. It list the colors as sand, field drab, black. (Osprey's "America's One - Two Punch") This would be the time the 177th Armored Brigade was the OPFOR unit, with 63d Armor Regt. being the tank unit. What would they have used for bumper codes? 177 triangle 1/63?