M1A1 Abrams

Depends on where it is modelled and what type of track. I usually start by chunking the track. Then I spray it flat black, then follow that by a very dilute spray of grey (to simulate the muddy residue that gets caught in the track and it dries to a greyish color. Then, if its a vehicle in the desert, the end connectors and metal parts are done in metallic gray (still let some black show through). If the tank has been parked a while or in a wetter environment, the metal parts should be rust. Like I said, depends on the situation you are modelling. Hope this helped.

CPT Wilbraham

I just want to be as accurate as possible. One more question, what color do you all normally airbrush the tracks? This armor stuff is getting to be addicting.

Steve

Don't leave it off on my say so. If you want to build it with the APU, who's to tell you that it is wrong? I think it looks cool back there, although I know it is a PITA to have mounted in that place.

Thank you very much for the information. I will leave the APU off.

Thanks again,
Steve

QUOTE: Originally posted by jetav8r Thanks a lot for the information. So I am assuming that if I am building one to model the Abrams circa mid 80's, cold war, Europe then the APU would be mounted on the lower right side hull like the instructions are showing? Thanks again, Steve

Having served on M1A1s during this period in Germany, I had never seen a hull mounted APU until I joined a stateside unit (1st Cav) after the Gulf war. My battalion didn't have them in 1989 when we drew brand new M1A1s or in 1990 when we drew brand new M1A1HAs. I have photos of 3rd ID M1A1s during REFROGER 88, and they didn't have APUs either. And back then, 3rd ID was the division that all the new stuff first.

Someone in Europe may have had them, but I don't recall ever seeing them on a Germany based tank.

Thanks a lot for the information. So I am assuming that if I am building one to model the Abrams circa mid 80's, cold war, Europe then the APU would be mounted on the lower right side hull like the instructions are showing?

Thanks again,
Steve

Been about a decade since the active Army used the rear hull APU. We took the ones off of our tanks after DS and turned them in. Newer APUs are located in the bustle rack. M1A2SEPs have one inside the left rear hull, where a fuel cell used to go.

Steve

Most units in the army do use APU's on their tanks. The APU is usually mounted in the bustle rack in the turret's left side. If I'm not mistaken, the Tamiya kits that I have seen have the APU set up to mount to the tanks Right rear where the right tailight is mounted. This is where the army originally mounted the APU, but switched to the bustle rack because the APU would sometimes hit the ground when the tank went from flat ground to going up a hill. It may be helpfull if you can find some pictures from the unit and time period you are trying to create.

If you don't mount the APU there may be some pegs on the right rear that you should cut off. The pegs are there to hold the model APU to the tank.

Here is a link that shows an APU mounted in the bustle rack...

http://f3.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/8I1gP7jLrcDfWvCTkqEXGw2GPILBwaSsUSP3ghCYkk2y52Cfm5j4FPvIXEAHA0IY59Nxm7E6R5UR2yYRYcdXVK_OM2M/Model%20Abrams/Dirty%20Rear%20Load%20Plan.JPG

If the above doesn't work you can go to the below group, go to files, model abrams, and dirty rear load plan

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/armormod/

Okay cool, thanks. Yes he does seem to be the authority on these things. I will see what he has to say.

Steve

Hey jet, I think the early M1's used the APU's but I'm not certain if it was just a timeframe thing. Hopefully Maj. Rob will see this and let you know. He's the man on the M1.

Eric