Has anyone built one of these kits. I picked one up for next to nothing and was trying to get alittle info on it before starting. I've been building USA armor from WWII. This would be my first modern armor kit. Just curious as to how it is to build. I've built other Academy kits and thought they went together well. Thanks. (:-)

This was a close copy of the Tamiya M1 that Academy re-tooled into a near miss of an M1A1. Besides the nasty Esci/AMT/Ertl M1 and M1A1, this one is just above those two on the pecking order. All others by Tamiya, Dragon and Trumpeter are superior.

But when completed, it look like an Abrams tank.

I have the same kit sitting in a pile somewhere.
Are there any modifications you would make to it? Any AM suppliers one can use to update it?

While there are many modelers who's knowledge on all things regarding the Abrams tank surpasses mine by leaps and bounds, I can point you to Missing Links' M1 Tweaks list:
http://www.elccweb.com/MissingLinks/Tweaks/M1.pdf

My God!! After reading that info, I think you're right.....It will just look like a Abrams....barely. I might just give it to some 9 year old to build and then go buy another one.......... (:-)

Tanks for the Info, Sabot!

SgtWilhite may be right. We might want to start with a better base kit.

Hi all,
the old motto said Who dare win ! So give it a try, I did so years ago when info about the Abrams were not so comprehensive.
I just used the Verlinden upgrade kit to enhance the Academy one. This VP set did not correct the major flaw I was not aware of at that time : the too short turret front slope. As far as the gun is concerned, today you'll have many options to have it properly dimensioned and shaped.

Have a look at my try here :
http://olivier.carneau.free.fr/gb_version/index.htm

cheers
olivier

I think probably the best after market set you can get for that kit is a Tammy, DML or Italeri Abrams kit...
I just finished the new Tammy kit and it went together really nicely.

Shaun

I'm probably goinjg to go ahead and build it. I didn't invest much money on it so I won't be out much if it doesn't turn out to be the best. I'll look at some of the aftermarket additions and see how it turns out. I appreciate all the info and encouragement.

Academy's release of the M1A1 is, sad to say, really substandard when compared to the other manufacturer's offerings in terms of accuracy.

I'm on the final stretch of completing the very same kit.

In case you're wondering, I just bought that particular model as a "fun build"; something that I can display in the workplace; something I thought I can finish over a two-week period...

...But I was wrong. Attacked by a case of AMS, I ended up replacing/modifying some of the worst kitparts, such as the gun barrel; and adding other details like the anti-slip coating.

The only thing I can't change is the turret's short length; the difference is obvious when the model placed alongside my other finished M1A1/A2 kits.

Anyway, as mentioned earlier, the main issues of the Acad kit are mostly the shapes and dimensions of major components, which include:

- The way oversized main gun barrel. The diameter is too large.

- The length of the turret, which is closer to the original 105mm gun M1, rather than the M1A1 (which had additional layers of armor on the turret face).

- The Gunner's Primary Sight housing does not even resemble any versions of the M1, as far as I know.

Furthermore, the model also lacks certain details and has inaccuracies that are apparent when compared to other releases from competitors.

The one good thing about the Acad M1A1 is it was based on the original Tamiya M1, so you can expect a good fit and ease of assembly overall. The most difficult part in my experience was the assembly of the turret's side rails, they do not align properly with the braces.

If I may suggest - if you intend to buy or already purchased Trumpeter's M1 Panther II Mine Clearing Tank, the kit includes a sprue that is loaded with parts that are not to be used with the model - giving you a LOT of goodies that you can use for the Acad M1.

The leftover parts from the Trumpeter Panther II includes the entire 120mm gun assembly, the loader's hatch, M240 MG and skate rail, crosswind sensor, GPS, NBC, and a few others; these are the very parts you can use to address your kit's shortcomings.

You can view the aforementioned Trumpeter sprue here:

http://www.trumpeter-china.com/war513/infoadmin/uppic/20041016151756.JPG

Another option is to order just the sprue itself, if it is not diffucult for you. That would be Part C, which is common for all of Trumpeter's M1 Abrams kits.

The Trumpeter M1 kits also includes a fairly detailed set of vinyl tracks and plastic link-and-length, which gives you an opportunity in case you'd like to model a more recent M1 with T-158 treads. Academy only has the older T-156 type.

You may want to consider this direction instead of acquiring aftermarket sets.

Hope this helps.


BT6

Yeah, all the info has been very helpfull. I'm still in the early stages of building the kit, but like you said I'm kinda just doing this as something different from what I had been doing. I built airplanes when I was around 9 or 10. Then built the old MPC NASCAR kits when I was a teenager in the early to mid 70's. I built nothing but helicopters in the 80's. and Got back into building Nascar kits and street car kits in the 90's. I started doing tanks late in 2003, building just stuff from WWII. I probably don't put near the time or effort into these kits as most of you do, but I sure enjoy the hell out of putting them together.