hey everybody. I just picked Academy's M1A1 Iraq 2003 kit. Now, I know in the past it has been said that this kit is a piece of junk, but I was wondering if there is anything useful out it partswise. I'm using a Tamiya M1A2 for the basis of my next M1, a Marine mount from OIF

Hey Matt,
Al the extra's is about all that good from the kit. The extended bustle rack, the smoke poppers, and pretty much all the rest that is on that sprue. The rest, just use it for parts.
I had the kit, but I sent most of it to Gino for parts and I kept just that sprue.

Cant you build a fairly accurate early M1 out of the rest?

You can still build an ok M1A1 out of it, but there are a lot of inaccuricies. Plus the kit gives you the old style tracks.

I tought it was a copy of Tamiyas pre A1 tank

the rear drive sprockets is ok too i don have this kit but not sure if the drive sprockets is in the new spreu or not

Here is the review with pictures of the sprues from Perth Military Modeling

Academy M1A1

It is an amalgamation of Tamiya's original M1 turret (5mm too short in the front) with M1A1 parts added to it. The hull is lacking quite a bit of detail. Wrong track for a post-ODS tank. Old rear sprockets are missing center hub and are way overscale in thickness.

It is not really worth it to build it if you are going for accuracy. If you just want to build an Abrams and don't care about accuracy, go for it.


Like stated above, the only good parts are on the new "J" sprue with the updated parts. Decals are even wrong with 4ID decals belonging to a M1A2 SEP, and the USMC ones just made up. Best bet is use the "J" sprue and put the rest in the parts bin. Or use the hull and add missing details, a new turret, new track, new etc., etc. etc.....

Page 20 of this week's Army Times (13 Mar 06) has a picture of an M1A1 Abrams in Iraq using the older style track. Just because a new style is introduced does not mean that the old style is immediately replaced.

Yeah I know, there are a few still out there using the older track. There was a shortage of T-158 track last summer and old, T-156 track was issued from storage. It is not the norm though.

Still doesn't make the Academy kit any better though. The Academy track sucks and are not accurate anyways with the guide teeth in the middle of each track block as opposed to joining the blocks.

I'd figure that all it was good for is parts. I know that extended bustle will be making it's way onto my Marine M1A1 in the near future. Thanks everyone

I agree, the Academy kit is good for a parts kit or for someone who just wants to build any Abrams. The only decent old style T-156 tracks on the market are made by Armour Track Models.

I have actually found a pretty accurate set in vinyl too. The Trumpeter K1 and K1A1 comes with vinyl T-156 tracks that are accurate with guide teeth between the links and pretty good looking blocks as well.