There's a story behind this kit. If you'd care to know, read on...
I always wanted to display a model at the workplace...a lot of options went through my head, including an F-8 Crusader, a modern US infantryman, an AH-6 Little Bird, and so on.
After a long deliberation - and studying the kit's instructions downloaded from Academy's website, I decided to get their M1A1.
While knowing that this is the least favored of all 1:35 Abrams available here, I chose it primarily for its ease of assembly - it was based on Tamiya's first M1, after all. I also planed to scavenge whatever useful parts from it to enhance my other, more deserving, M1 kits.
Indeed, it was easy assembly overall; almost no filler was needed, IIRC, but fitting the braces of the side bustle racks (near the rear of the turret) were frustrating, as the parts didn't fit as they should, like as if the parts were molded incorrectly and the slots to fit them in were at the wrong shape.
I really intended it to be a quickie build...paint it in overall desert sand, chuck in a few crew stowage, and I'm done...
...or so I thought. But then, along the way of construction, it just happened: AMS Attack.
I started adding the fasteners for the fenders; scratchbuilt the headlight bush guards; cut off a tail light to add a hull-mounted APU; made a notch for the fire extinguisher alongside the NBC; decided to add the training devices...ah, you folks know the sickness all to well.
Amidst all this, disaster struck: a rather large drop of Tamiya Extra Thin cement plopped onto the hull, in front of the driver's hatch...the size of the glue stain was equivalent to a drop from a kitchen sink faucet with a leaking gasket.
For some dumb reason, I did not try absorbing the glue drip with tissue and do the "sandpaper-sandpaper-filler-sandpaper-filler-sandpaper-sandpaper" remedy. I just tried to wipe the stain off. The result totally ruined the appearance of the hull.
The gash (best way to describe it) was really ghastly, and it forced me to do something - why not try and hide the mess by replicating the anti-slip coating?
After 15 minutes of applying glue and stippling with a brush (using DML and Trumpeter's M1s as templates, I was rather surprised with the finish, at it almost replicates the anti-slip molded on Dragon M1 kits. It didn’t completely hide the glue stain gash; I really should have did some serious sanding and filling first. Again, impatience in modeling rears its ugly head.
Accepting the reality of my stupidity, I pressed ahead. AMS for the M1 Abrams was strong in me and I made more modifications/alterations to the stock kit. The more notable ones are:
- Replacing the kit's 120mm gun with the one from Italeri's M1A2. Although I understand that the latter kit has an underscale main gun, I felt it was less noticeable than using the Academy's hideously oversized version. I did shave off the muzzle reference sight from the latter and glued it in place.
- The roadwheels are from Trumpeter. Needed to cut off a portion of the suspension arm axles for the wheels to settle in properly. I added thin strips of Evergreen halfway or so around the trimmed axle stubs to have a tight (and permanent) fit. Sorry, officemates, little tank cant move around, so don’t try pushing it along the table...or else.
- Academy's design of the Gunner's Primary Sight housing (aka. The Doghouse) does not replicate any version of the M1, as far as my meager resources indicate. I then used a spare from Trumpeter.
- Nipped off the kit's cal .50 gun barrel and stuck in one from Academy's US Machine Gun set, as it is more appropriate for the M1 and would allow the blank adapters to fit.
- I have several M1A2s from Trumpeter and Italeri, so that means a small collection of decals of "Another Bad Creation". After a few hours of scribbling, I formed several words with those letters; and selecting "Rabid Core" as the name of this M1A1 (Uh yeah, so what's does "Rabid Core" mean? Don’t ask, it'll make me start another tale).
- The black cartoonic pig (nipped off from Tamiya's Isuzu Impreza WRC "Arai Version") in the turret face was a fanciful addition, at my brother's recommendation. Something to add a jab of humor to an otherwise serious, no nonsense and menacing look of the M1. (++)
And so: After roughly 2 months of assembly...while in the process compromising a few hours of sleep, being late for work (although modeling was not the primary reason), missing out some socializing with peeps including my best friend (several times, so he now thinks I'm avoiding him), the M1A1 Abrams now sits at my workstation.
Now if I can be careful all the time while handling it, and keeping a watchful eye out for ignorant officemates, I think "Rabid Core" can stay intact for a long time. I did bring a small packet filled with several toothpicks, tube cement and superglue, just in case.
Hope this post provided a few minutes of entertainment.
BT6
