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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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OIF Abrams Data Markings
GunTruck
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California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 10:43 AM UTC
Forgive me if this question has been asked before - I missed it...

I'm asking for the active duty Abrams tankers here on site, their opinions and experience with current data markings on the tank.

I have some good photos of my M1A2 SEP conversion that I'm wrapping up. I'm printing my own decal sheet to mark this tank, and beyond the WARNING NO STEP ROTATING COMPONENT legend on the CTIV, I wonder if there are anymore that commonly can be found on any Abrams tank that I can add to my model. LIFT HERE, etc...

The pics I have of 4I 1-67 AR tanks are pretty good, but seem devoid of those types of markings. I have BEASTMASTER, from the same unit. Time frame is 2003.

Any help or ideas from tankers most familiar with the real Abrams tank would sure be appreciated.

Gunnie
HeavyArty
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Joined: May 16, 2002
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Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 11:09 AM UTC
Gunnie,
The only others that I can think of is the NO STEP markings on the driver's hatch, one on each side of the vision blocks upright when viewed from the front of the tank (if you are standing in front of it). Also the THIS SIDE OFF marking on the CIP if it is a later vehicle that did not need the IR signature of the panels.

I'm sure someone more experienced then I will come up, MAJ Rob, and give you more.
GunTruck
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Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 11:13 AM UTC
Thanks Gino! I hope Rob chimes in as well as the other tankers on site!

Gunnie
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
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Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 12:29 PM UTC
There are several, normally applied to the tank at the factory or when they go through depot rebuild. If the tank is repainted at the home installation like Ft. Hood, Ft. Stewart, etc. then the markings are not reapplied.

Others are "LIFT HERE" on the hull lifting rings, normal 3" black US star, 63 in a circle for the bridge classification and several others. I've got the Echelon decals that I helped Lawrence Goh develop. I'll see if I can track them down for you. Cookie Sewell gave the set high marks for all the small markings. I took several photos of stencil markings for him to use on this set.
GunTruck
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Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 12:34 PM UTC

Quoted Text

There are several, normally applied to the tank at the factory or when they go through depot rebuild. If the tank is repainted at the home installation like Ft. Hood, Ft. Stewart, etc. then the markings are not reapplied.

Others are "LIFT HERE" on the hull lifting rings, normal 3" black US star, 63 in a circle for the bridge classification and several others. I've got the Echelon decals that I helped Lawrence Goh develop. I'll see if I can track them down for you. Cookie Sewell gave the set high marks for all the small markings. I took several photos of stencil markings for him to use on this set.


Thanks Rob - any help would be much appreciated!

Gunnie
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 04:25 PM UTC
Here is Cookie Sewell's review of the Echelon set:
Quoted Text

The Echelon sheet, on the other hand, is incredible and one of the best examples of a complete waterslide sheet going today. The sheet covers six tanks with complete markings, including the APU, shipping data, CIP panel data blocks, shipping bar code plates, as well as generic number and alphabet
markings for modern US armor. The sheet has a large spread sheet in the middle of the protective cover inside the package showing which markings go on which tank, and where. It also covers stenciling and component decal placement as well, and is nearly perfect (I am a stickler, and C-13 and C-33 are 1st and 3rd platoon tanks, not 2nd Platoon, even if attached for the moment! It's also 3-69 Armor Battalion, not regiment; 69th is the regiment of affiliation, but it is
the 3rd battalion which is the unit with 3rd Infantry Division. But then again, I quibble.)

Overall I rate this as "Highly Recommended" and the best OIF waterslide sheet going, and must comment Lawrence Goh and his team, as well as modelers Donald Busack and Rob Gronovius for their input to get the sheet out.

Now all I gotta do is figure out which kit to start with – DML, Tamiya, Trumpeter, or Italeri...

Cookie Sewell


I remember taking photos of LOGMAR labels, shipping labels and just about any stenciling found on a factory fresh Abrams. There will be a slight difference between an older A1 and an A2SEP but for the most part they would be the same. I would venture a guess that the EAPU on an A1and CITV on an A2 would be the major stenciling differences.

The errors Cookie mentions above are not present on my decal sheet or on the instructions. Shoot me an e-mail or PM and I'll see what I can do to help you out.
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