Hi, guys

I am not a very active member of the forum but I always read it with interest. Abrams tank has always been my favorite. Until recently I have considered Italeri's M1A2 to be the most accurate (and the easiest to be made even more accurate) rendition of the model. I have read loads of stuff on the subject and seen loads of pictures. Including Pawel Krupowicz's excellent Abrams comparison and still Italeri was the winner for me. Now, obviously Dragon’s AIM 3535 is the most accurate offering. But I still want M1A2 and not A1. I own Tamiya M1A1, Academy M1A1, Italeri M1A2 and the new Dragon. Please correct me, if I am wrong but it seems to me that upgrading Dragon’s M1A1 to A2, using parts from my Italeri M1A2 should be fairly easy. Right? Especially, considering that most of US Army’s A2s are rebuilds of earlier models anyway.

Firstly, I want to place the CITV from my Italeri A2 where A1 has the manhole in the roof of the turret. Is that exactly the place? After looking at hundreds of photos I think it is. But many of you know much more about Abrams than I do and that is why I am asking… I know that Italeri CITV might be a bit too small but I think the inaccuracy is negligible.

Secondly, I want to use Italeri M1A2 TC’s cupola instead of the A1 option in Dragon’s kit. I know I would have to correct the shape of the front periscope in the Italeri’s part but it is not a problem. I think there won’t be many fit problems fitting A2 cupola to Dragon’s turret as both kits should be at least pretty similar in this respect (both are 1/35).

Dragon’s AIM is a late production model, so everything else should be accurate for A2 (not SEP). Am I right? Including the serial number on the turret. I want to buy Dragon’s M1A2 SEP (3536) when it comes out. But it might take long and for the time being I should get result closest to the real thing by mating Dragon’s kit with Italeri’s parts. Or is there anything else I should do? Are there any more differences I do not know about? Of course, I mean differences between A2 and A1 versions in general and not particular tanks.

Sorry for this long post. I am really looking forward to reading your opinions.

THX

Michal,
You basically described the changes (adding the CITV to the "Trash can" mount forward of the Loader's hatch and changing the Commander's Weapon Station to the Improved Commander's Weapon Station) that are required to change to the Dragon M1A1 Aim kit into a M1A2.

If you want to make the M1A2 SEP, you will need to add the Thermal Management system and its ducting to the bustle rack and turret, construct the Under Armor Power Unit in the the left rear of the hull and add the GPS antenna and mount to the back side of the CITV(the GPS antenna framework is mounted to the"Trash can", the CITV base. Hopefully this makes sense to you and will confirm what you already know.
John

Hi John,

Thank you very much for your reply. I already thought nobody would help me. :-) It is good to read that I was not wrong.

By the way - does anyone know when Dragon's SEP is coming? It was announced together with 3535. But I assume Dragon might want to sell loads of AIMs first and we are in for another long wait...

John, or anyone else - is the number on the turret of Dragon's AIM correct for M1A2 also? I know U stands for DU armor but what about the preceding digits? This number is not far off Tamiya's one on their M1A1/A2 kit which, according to them, must be correct for both versions.

And one more thing - what is the trashcan/manhole used for in A1s? You mount CITV there on A2s and jamming devices on marines A1s but what is its original purpose?

Thanks again.

I believe Pawel said the number is his birth year. The manhole was placed on the A1 in anticipation of the development of the CITV.

Sabot is correct.

The M1A1 was designed so that is could easlily receive the M1A2 upgrades. There are unused bolt holes on the interior of the A1 for this as well. Although by the time the A2 actually came out the entire turret would need to be redone anyway.

Cool Guys,

Thank you very much. It means that upgrading my AIM with my Italeri parts is valid. I am just fussy about accuracy.
Any news on Dragon's SEP?

One more thing -if you have a chance to take a look at the latest edition of Jane's Tank Recognition Guide, I suggest you do so if you are into Abrams (this edition retails for £19.99 in the UK). In the section on Abrams there is a full page photo of M1A2 in NATO camouflage... The funny thing is that TC's cupola in this photo looks exactly like the cupola in Italeri's offering with the front periscope raised above others and not level like in usual A2s/SEPs. I thought Italeri was inaccurate in this respect. Maybe it is a photograph of a prototype although it seems to have T-158 tracks. I thought prototypes had T-156.

Thanks again.

It's probably a photograph of the M1A2 prototype that was on display at Ft. Knox around 1991 or 1992 during the annual Armor Confernece. Those were the only M1A2s that were painted in NATO camouflage. All the operational ones fielded to units were painted in desert sand.

The front periscope (we call that one the FUP or forward unity periscope) has a dual purpose. It acts as a traditional periscope when viewed from below, but is also see-through to give you about 3" of bullet proof glass of protection for your face when peeking out from the hatch in the protected cover position.