Lord knows how many times I had to break track on an M1IP. But I have Panda's M1IP kit and the instructions do not state how many links per track run. Anyone out there tackle this kit yet and knows? Thanks

I'd give you my standard answer for this question. I wouldn't worry about the count unless they tell you how many to use. Some kits are engineered to move the idler to adjust tension, some are not. Just go with the amount that gives you the correct tension. (Which you obviously know) With live track it's easier. With Soviet style track it's subjective - well maintained vs. the usual level of maintenance.

On the actual vehicle it was about 88 links per side. As Rob says though, as many as it takes on the model.

The bigger issue though is that the tracks are very confused. The outside is T156 tracks, while the inside is T158 tracks. They should be T156 tracks. Trumpeter makes a nice set of T156 indi-link tracks.

It is a pretty good kit, but still has all the issues that the M1 had.

The barrel is too short by about 2mm forward of the bore evacuator. Right now there is no AM replacement barrel for it, but you can take the Def Model late M68 barrel (35015) for an M60A3 and cut it off behind the bore evac and swap those sections. You will also have to add the muzzle reference sensor on the new barrel.

The road wheels are a little off in that they are M1A1 wheels that have thinner rubber parts. Vodnik has done 3D roadwheels of the correct type that are available on Shapeways. This is a minor issue though as most can't tell the difference between them. I don't plan on replacing them on mine.

The left rear fuel filler cap is molded 90 degrees off from where it should be. This can be shaved off and re-positioned (if done carefully) or replaced by an AM one.

Mantlet Bracket - Use the angled bracket, Part B1, instead of the straight bracket, Part B56

Fuel Can - Replace the Scepter plastic can with a metal can.

And a few new problems.

The gunner's sight housing is wrong for most M1IPs - they had the uparmored ones installed (square back), not the original ones from the M1 (angled back), which were used only on earliest IPs.

They also got the blow off panels wrong. They should be the same as in the M1 kit, trapezoids, not squares. The best bet is to cut out this section from the M1 kit and graft it onto the M1IP kit.

Hope that helps.

I was on the older IPs. We had a mix of old dog houses and new, so I'm good with that. We carried a water can, so good there. I have the slick M1 and that will give up the blast panels for the IP. The other items..well I will work those. As a side note my unit turned in our IPs 2005 - 2006, many years of service provided. Thanks for the info.

Wow, I didn't realize there were still any 105-gunned Abrams around that long. Were you Nat Guard or Reserves?

That's about the same time my unit turned in our tanks (had them taken away, more accurately), 2 Bn, 172 Ar, 42 ID.

Our garrison tanks and the ones we drew while at Drum or Knox were all M1IP's.

NY National Guard. Jersey, NY and Vermont all had M1IPs. The above States decided not to upgrade to M1A1s and the armor units cased their colors. 1/101 CAV ran M1IPs roughly 1992 to 2006. As a side note members of the 1/101 CAV were organized into a infantry company Dco 1/101 CAV and we patrolled Iraq in M1114s 2004 -2005.

We we're notified when deployed in Iraq that the 1/101 CAV was casing our colors.