Hello,

this is my first posting here on Armorama.com and since I think that you guys have lots of info about the M1 Abrams, I thought about asking you.

I picked up a Revell / Italeri M1A2 Abrams for 10 euros. The markings provided in the kit only offer 3 different vehicles for 4th infantry division in Ft.Hood, TX in 2003, in plain desert yellow (3-tone camo-scheme is given too, although without any info or markings).

Anyway, since I prefer "alive" vehicles (meaning with tons of accesoires and gear on them as seen on OIF pictures), I decided to make a OIF vehicle. Are there any OIF vehicle markings for M1A2 available as aftermarket-decal sheets? Addionally, I'd need some CIP panels which are not included - would the ones from the Tamiya Modern US Accesoires set be suitable or too small?

Or should I just make a vehicle from the kit's instructions? Could they also be equipped with some gear and equipment?

Thanks for any info, I don't have a clue about Abrams tanks since I normally stay at my WW2 vehicles...

You could build it up for practice then really go nuts with the Dragon AIM kit

I don't know of any M1A2-specific aftermarket decals, but you could always cobble together a set from generic markings or modify Echelon's many M1A1 OIF sets to represent an M1A2 (by changing the markings to reflect the correct units). You can also ask in the trade forum here to see if anyone is willing to part with their Tamiya or M1A2 decals (since the Tamiya kit also builds a USMC M1A1, some folks probably have the A2 decals left over). Finally, if you are willing to wait for an unspecified amount of time (I don't know how long), Echelon's web site http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/%7Ekriegsketten/ lists an M1A2 set as "in progress."

As for the CIPs, the Tamiya accessory ones are a bit smaller than the ones that come with their M1A2 kit, but I don't think many people would complain about that. You can also buy aftermarket PE or resin CIPs (Eduard makes some, I think) if you want greater accuracy.

Well, you could do "Saddamizer" or a couple of other differant versions using Echelons OIF markings.



Here is the link to the review of these decals...... https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/echelon/ech_t35004.htm

Hope that helps

Gary

Except that's a Marine M1A1, I don't think the Italeri M1A2 comes with any Marine specific parts. Perhaps the best idea already mentioned is to see if someone has the -A2 decals left over from their Tamiya M1A2 kit.

Jim

Thank you for your answers! I'll try to get some Tamiya decals then. If I don't get them I'll either try Echelon decalsheets.

The Italeri/Revell M1A2 don't has any Marines parts included, just a few parts for a maneuver-vehicle from Ft.Hood, TX. Otherwise I would have built a Marines M1A2 of course, as I like the look of the smoke-launchers.

How great is the size-difference between the Tamiya CIP and "right ones"? I'll use Eduard PE set for the M1A2, but I don't think I'll get the PE CIP as i'm afraid of not being able to built them cleanly.
Which company makes resin CIPs, if I may ask, that sounds interesting.

By the way, is there an easy way of distinguish M1A2 from M1A2 SEP? As far as I know, the SEP would need some additional modifications, which I would like to avoid, since scratchbuilding is not one of my favourite things.

Echelon doesn't do any decals for M1A2s, yet. For M1A2 decal options, you need to look at pics of vehicles from 1st Cavalry Division, 4th Infantry Division, or 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. They are the only units that use M1A2s. All their M1A2s are overall sand and all 3 units have been to Iraq a couple times. 1CAV is there now. The Tamiya Decals are for an M1A2 from 3 ACR.



That wouldn't work either since the USMC doesn't use any M1A2s. M1A2s are only used by the US Army.



The Actual size is 24" x 30". Here is an article that tells you all about them. The Tamiya CIPs are the correct size, or close enough to not make a difference. The size variation between the Tamiya and Dragon ones is minimal, both clain to be the correct size. Verlinden does resin CIPs in a few of their sets, but they are too big and too rectangular as opposed to nearly square.




The SEP has a VCU (Vapor Compression Unit) in the rear bustle rack, as opposed to an APU. Also, the left rear hull is different to accommodate the UAAPU (Under Armor APU). It does not have a fuel filler cap and there are different hatches on the top of the left rear hull. There is also a small, square intake on the left rear side of the hull and a triangular exhaust on the rear of the hull. All of the above are the parts that I added on my M1A2SEP (white pieces) that I showed you on M-L. Check it out again here.

Thanks Gino for your detailed answers on my question.

Guess I'll use the Tamiya decals, if I can get them, additionally i'll get the Tamiya Modern US equipment set for the CIP.

What about those panels on the front turret-sides, with the gry-green edges - are those also some kind of CIP? How could I reproduce them - maybe simply by using styrene sheet?

Just out of curiousity: You mentioned the 4th Infantry Div being in Iraq - are there any references about the tanks given by the Revell instructions as 4th ID M1A2? Their names are (on the barrel): "Bounty Hunter", "Anti Terrorist" and "Death.Com".

Yes, the panels on the front slope of the turret are also CIPs, Braendle. You can make them out of thin styrene sheet (that's what Tamiya gives you in their M1A2 kit). The measurements from Tamiya's instructions are 16.5mm by 23 mm. The gray/green corner strips are velcro, which is used to attach the panels to the turret.

It turns out that the CIPs in Tamiya's accessory set are almost right on the money with Gino's measurements--they scale out at 24.11" by 30.31". The CIPs included in the Tamiya M1A2 are a tad too large (scaling out at 26.18" by 31.7").

Hope this helps!

Thanks for all the information. I don't know the dfference btwn an M1a1, M1a1 AIM, M1a1 SEP and an M1A2. But thanks to Ginos pictures I can see that there are visual differences. I have recently purchased the Dragon AIM kit and will look to see what makes it different from my plain old M1a1 kit I built a year or so ago.