The Official M1 Abrams Group Build 2011

KC -- looking great! There's something amazing about a model at this stage, just ready for colour!

I see there's a PE base to the bustle rack, which set did that come with? My Eduard set came in but that part wasn't featured, and I haven't been able to locate the Tamiya PE fret so far -- . The good news is the MM Acryl match on ODS sand came in too.

Cheers. M/TB379

The models bustle rack has a Voyager's PE base. The extra rack is all Eduard's and brass rods.

It's going to be a couple years before I get close to the skill levels people on here have.

A quick question for those of you in the know: which branch (Army or Marines) used the BRE? I've decided to do one Army, one Marine tank, both OIF, and am at that point, almost......

RBaer

A quick question for those of you in the know: which branch (Army or Marines) used the BRE? I've decided to do one Army, one Marine tank, both OIF, and am at that point, almost......

I'm not "in the know" but I was told it was the Marines that used the Bustle Rack Extension and that Eduard made the one they used which is why I ordered it. Today the Army uses a BRE but a different model.

Thunderbolt379

I see there's a PE base to the bustle rack, which set did that come with? My Eduard set came in but that part wasn't featured, and I haven't been able to locate the Tamiya PE fret so far --

Kentucky Colonel

The models bustle rack has a Voyager's PE base.

Mike, Voyager also supplies the bustle rack PE mesh as a single item so you don't need to buy a full set just for the bustle rack base. AP 010 (Lucky Model)

RBaer

A quick question for those of you in the know: which branch (Army or Marines) used the BRE? I've decided to do one Army, one Marine tank, both OIF, and am at that point, almost......

Explained here: /forums/p/134353/1378708.aspx#1378708

Kentucky Colonel

 Today the Army uses a BRE but a different model.

Certain Army units used a different style of BRE as explained above. The "USMC style" BRE (as used on your model above) is now used by both branches.

Cheers

Thanks for the info, Phil -- I've ordered it up, and might get a couple extra in future against the many other M1s in my stash. It's out of stock at the moment and they'll be getting it in from the distributor, hopefully that won't take too long. Still, I have a long line of projects on the bench and it's no disaster if I'm not back to the Abrams until next month. It's a year-long build, I can take my time... The paint arrived, I have a few scratched details to go, then I could get the running gear into colour...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thunderbolt379

It's out of stock at the moment and they'll be getting it in from the distributor, hopefully that won't take too long.

Hi Mike,

If it doesn't arrive in a timely manner, drop me a PM and I'll put  one in the mail for you - pretty sure I have one floating around here somewhere.

Cheers,

Phil

Why thanks, Phil -- that's mighty decent of you! Hopefully it'll be on its way soon, though,

Cheers, Mike/TB379

You're welcome Mike - ordering out of stock items is always fun - you may have made it in time for this month's restock, if not it will likely be (end of) next month before they get it in stock.

So if it's not forthcoming by then, feel free to drop me a msg.

Thanks, Phil. I'll go ahead with the BRE in the Acad kit as a Marine tank, kind of how I was hoping to go with this one anyway. I have the Eduard etch for it also. Speaking of which, the etch is so involved, more so than anything I've done before, that I have decided to concentrate on the model I'm using most of it on, rather than try and do two at once. This will make my life quite a but simpler I'm sure.....The Trump/Acad kit bash will be next, maybe with some more etch, not sure.

I've had a little time, now that I work evenings, to do some more work on the Marine M1. This is more PE than I've ever used on one model before in my life, si it's a bit slow for me. A few more bits amd I think I'll be ready for primer.

I am making progress on that old AMT Abrams.  The kit wasn't in bad shape until I got to the bustle racks.  Thank the Plastic Gods for Evergreen and their plastic rod.  Once my camera quits being tempermental, I'll post some pictures.

While I am on vacation in AZ this week, I'll start on a 1/72 Hasegawa M-1E1.  That should be refreshing!

Jim

Count me in, I just ordered the DML M1A2 SEP and I'm also open to suggestions for any mods/PE/AM available (just not the Legend TUSK sets).

I'm getting behind. I'm right down to the last two days work on the model but my business is swamping me with new jobs, I'm not getting a free day from my work at all for a few months. I'll be putting in 7 day weeks for a while. I'll check back if I ever get finished.

EDIT:

Everyone must be working on other projects - this thread is really quiet.

I received my Dragon kit and started work on it last night even though I haven't been officially added to the GB yet.

I've decided no TUSK conversion set, but I am still considering the Eduard PE set ... either way I'll be making some tweaks to it.

After making some repairs to my old AMT M1, I am making slow progress on the final construction and painting.  With luck, I'll be done this weekend.

Jim

Buffirn

After making some repairs to my old AMT M1, I am making slow progress on the final construction and painting.  With luck, I'll be done this weekend.

 

Jim

Well, no luck this weekend.  I did make some headway.  Here is what I am working on.

Here are the small turret bustle repairs.

The first coat of green is on the model and I just finished the wheels and treads. 

More to come.

Jim

Jim -- good repairs there, looking forward to seeing this one with some paint on it, and top your overall impressions of AMT armour.

RBaer -- that was spectacular progress on your Marines beast on the last page, sorry I didn't comment at the time. Any paint on her by this date?

My Tamiya has been stalled waiting for the rack PE base, which is showing no sign of appearing yet... But I did spray the tires with NATO black last week. I'll get a chance to try out the MM Acryl Army/Marines ODS Sand when I spray the hubs.

Yep, been quiet around here, but we're only 13 weeks into a 52-weeker, there's plenty of elbow room. Oh, my Hobbycraft (Trumpeter) -HA arrived, it looks very beefy and impressive in the box, and the nonslip texturing is quite pronounced. As the Tamiya is in sand, I'm leaning toward a three-tone NATO paintjob, and will hopefully knock off this one later in the year.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Well, here it is after the build was completed.  Not a terrible kit, but due to its age, there was more warpage that I originally thought.  That presented some really annoying fit problems.  You might say they caused me fits.  Without further adieu.

Now, it's on to the final camouflage painting and other touch up painting.

Jim

Good work, Jim, you've stuck with a kit that was less than friendly in some ways and made her look a lot like an Abrams! You're on the home stretch now!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

T-Bolt, I've got paint on, just been too busy with other stuff to post pics, plus I got a little sidetracked with a couple of other ongoing projects. Hope to get pics up soon......

Hi,

I just joined the site and would like to join this group build. I will be building the Dragon M1A2 SEP with a partial interior and markings for a 4th ID tank.

Jethro

By all means, Jethro -- I'll update p1 right away. Feel free to cut the shrinkwrap and put glue to styrene!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Well, I just ran into a problem I am going to have trouble overcoming.  My 22 year old AMT M1A1 has bad decals.  Actually, they are total crap.  Does anyone know where I could get some decals for a mid-late 80's tri-color NATO camo M1A1?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

Jim -- Verlinden produced a generic sheet of rubdown decals for the M1, I used it on the IPM1 (Fort Knox 1986) I placed with FSM a few years back. You can construct any codes and serials you want from the selection of letters and numbers in stencil styles. Vehicle names -- a few are supplied but they may just pre-date the NATO three-tone -A1s. Failing that, there's the decal sheets from Trumpeter's boxing of the "five-in-one" Abrams, NATO three-tone was one of the options, if anyone has finshed the kit in one of the other schemes there might be a NATO scheme available for trade or whatever... I'm doing ODS markings on my Tamiya A1, drawn from a small sheet by Echelon Decals -- they have lots of Abrams sheets, there could be a NATO beast among them, you can find them at http://home.pacific.net.sg/~kriegsketten/.

If you don't find anything you like, just post again!

Cheers, M/TB379

TB    I went ahead and ordered the Trumpeter 5 in 1 kit.  I can always build it for ODS or OIF.  There are plenty of decals available for them.

Jim

I feel like I've put a lot more work into this DML M1A2 SEP than is reflected in the progress made. Anyway - I have tons of pics with details, but I'll spare you my horrid tablecloth and just post this one for the time-being.

Hi guys,

Wonder of wonders, Luckymodel just delivered -- I have the Voyager etch for the bustle rack!

No more excuses now, I have the MM Acryl paint in hand, i need to experiment with it yet, and I need to make a call on whether I'm going to apply a non-slip texturing or pass it off as one of those -A1s at the time without it... A few small detail areas to scratch and this beast is ready to roll...

Cheers, M/TB379

wow this is what i have beel looking for, awesome subject, u guys must b really busy cos its quiet here, cant wait to see some more action here, keep it up guys.

For the Abrams experts in here - I started building my Abrams with the Hawker battery option thinking that might be the most common currently in deployment - would that be the correct assumption or should I change it before it's too late?