_GOTOBOTTOM
Constructive Feedback
For in-progress or completed build photos. Give and get contructive feedback!
Hosted by Darren Baker, Dave O'Meara
Tamiya 1/48 M1A2 ABRAMS
LeeSpender
Visit this Community
Western Australia, Australia
Joined: April 26, 2016
KitMaker: 51 posts
Armorama: 51 posts
Posted: Friday, December 28, 2018 - 03:13 AM UTC
Hello everyone
I have started collecting Tamiya 1/48 Tanks and every now and then i might share the build of each one so to start with is the Abrams it is a great little kit so far i plan to give this one a fair amount of weathering as is common for M1's in Iraq







Cheers Lee
majjanelson
Visit this Community
South Carolina, United States
Joined: December 14, 2006
KitMaker: 1,355 posts
Armorama: 979 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 - 03:39 AM UTC
Lee,

Your Abrams is looking good so far.

I bought this kit for a fellow modeler 3-4 months ago, and it looked really good in the box.

Please be aware that this builds the original M1A2 version that came out in the early '90s. It doesn't have the A/C Vapor Compression Unit in the Bustle Rack, the Armored Conduits that run under the Turret Rear for the A/C Unit, nor the Under Armor Auxiliary Power Unit (UAAPU) inside the left rear Hull Sponson (where the Fuel Cell was located on the earlier versions). (pictures from Prime Portal's M1 Abrams page http://data4.primeportal.net/m1a1_group/photos.htm).

A/C VCU:


VCU Armored Conduits:


UAAPU (access plates on top of the hull, 4-bolt plate on side of hull, triangle exhaust port on rear of hull next to taillight housing):




Unfortunately, this version did NOT serve in Iraq, as the M1A2s that deployed after the initial invasion (and I think all other M1A2s) had already been upgraded to M1A2 System Enhancement Program (SEP) version.

If you build it as provided in the kit, IIRC a 3-tone NATO Camo pattern would be appropriate for either a unit in Continental U.S. (CONUS) or U.S. Army Europe (USAEUR).

I hope this helps, and I look forward to seeing how your build progresses.

Happy New Year!
Tankrider
Visit this Community
Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 07, 2002
KitMaker: 1,280 posts
Armorama: 1,208 posts
Posted: Friday, March 08, 2019 - 06:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Lee,

Your Abrams is looking good so far.

I bought this kit for a fellow modeler 3-4 months ago, and it looked really good in the box.

Please be aware that this builds the original M1A2 version that came out in the early '90s. It doesn't have the A/C Vapor Compression Unit in the Bustle Rack, the Armored Conduits that run under the Turret Rear for the A/C Unit, nor the Under Armor Auxiliary Power Unit (UAAPU) inside the left rear Hull Sponson (where the Fuel Cell was located on the earlier versions). (pictures from Prime Portal's M1 Abrams page http://data4.primeportal.net/m1a1_group/photos.htm).

A/C VCU:


VCU Armored Conduits:


UAAPU (access plates on top of the hull, 4-bolt plate on side of hull, triangle exhaust port on rear of hull next to taillight housing):




Unfortunately, this version did NOT serve in Iraq, as the M1A2s that deployed after the initial invasion (and I think all other M1A2s) had already been upgraded to M1A2 System Enhancement Program (SEP) version.

If you build it as provided in the kit, IIRC a 3-tone NATO Camo pattern would be appropriate for either a unit in Continental U.S. (CONUS) or U.S. Army Europe (USAEUR).

I hope this helps, and I look forward to seeing how your build progresses.

Happy New Year!


Jeff,
3rd ACR used M1A2s in their 2003 and 2005 rotations in Iraq. The Regiment returned to CONUS in early 2006 and turned their M1A2s for rebuilt/upgrade to SEP version during the spring/summer of 2006 as part of the Abrams Integrated Management (AIM) program.

So if Lee builds it OOTB with the kit decals, he should be good for an early OIF tank. The photos and such above are great references if one wants to convert the kit from a M1A2 to a M1A2 SEP.

John
 _GOTOTOP