Rob: I just picked up a set of the Echelon Fine Details US Army's 3rd Infantry Division Operation Iraqi Freedom M1A1HA Abrams 1/35 scale decals. Looks like a great set! My question is this: would any or all of these tanks have had the bustle rack extension on them? The drawings in the instruction do not show bustle rack extensions, but I've read that the 3rd Infantry Division used these frequently. The instructions say that you were consulted and helped with this project, so I thought you might know. Thanks in advance.

Sheldon Felich

Not MAJ Rob, but MAJ Gino. I was in 3 ID during the Invasion phase of OIF. The extended racks were made in Kuwait and put on the APS draw vehicles that were drawn by 1st and 2nd BDE, 3rd BDE brought their equipment from Ft Benning. 1st and 2nd BDEs included 1-64 AR, 4-64 AR, and 3-69 AR, also 3-7 CAV (DIV CAV Squadron) had them. Some tanks had them, some didn't. Can't tell you exactly which ones did or not, sorry. It would not be incorrect to have one on a draw tank though. Also, the extended rack in the Dragon USMC, Baghdad, 2003 kit is actually a 3ID version. USMC Version can be found in the new Academy M1A1 Iraq, 2003 kit.

Hope that helps.