Hi All:

I am making an M1A1 that will be missing the left #2 roadwheel. So, that will reveal some details that the Tamiya kit lacks. I understand that the crews would tie up the roadwheel arm with whatever was handy (in my case it will be a cargo strap). But what did they tie the #2 roadwheel arm up to? I know that there are side skirt support arms nearby too. I suppose I will need to depict them since the empty spot will reveal them to the viewer.

Does anybody have good photos of the skirt open? (sounds almost pornographic, doesn't it?)

My Concord book on the M1A1/M1A2 has one photo that is somewhat helpful, but a better view is hoped for.

All I have man, hope I helped. can a M1 run without a roadwheel?

You could just cut the roadwheel arm in half to avoid tying it up. We had to cut a roadwheel arm on a M88 that had its roadwheel hub freeze on it and drove it around for a week or two like that till we got in all the parts we needed for it.

The field manual answer is to place the tanker's bar (the real long pry bar) across the tops of the bad road wheel arm and the one behind it. Then tie the bad arm up against the tanker's bar with a piece of chain, rachet strap, or some other type strap.

Thank you fellas. I am building one for a vet of the fight for Baghdad. He lost this roadwheel and all he remembers is that they tied it up to something with a cargo strap. Maybe I should not have been drinking while we were talking? He probably said exactly what they tied it up to. I'll have to grill him again. I'll have to see if they used a tanker's bar.

This is becoming a pain in the ass. The Tamiya arm is of course molded solid and it looks like this "little" thing is going to be a major project.

Great photos, Dragonslain!

Bob

The only 1/35 Abrams kits with separate suspension arms are Trumpeter ones...

Pawel