Hi all.
I just got hold of this M1A2 tank.Anyone built one of these? Any thing I should be aware of or correct early on?It will most likely be in the desert one tone collours, fresh from the paintshop…no weathering yet[;)]
It will be my first armor model and would like to get your imput on it.
Thanx
Theuns
Hi Theuns,
The Italeri kit comes with a number of training accessories which would not be mounted if you wish to depict am M1A2 in a combat setting.
These are:
Additionally, there is an antenna which the instructions would have you mount on the rear edge of the turret roof aft of the right-hand blow out panel. Do not mount this antenna as it belongs to a system which was trialled but wasn’t fielded operationally.
Check out Pawel Krupowicz’s Abrams kit comparison article here: http://vodnik.net/pages/m1-comparison/m1comp1.htm which includes a close look at the Italeri kit.
Cool thanx for the info.
I was wondering what the weird 3 rods were on the gun LOL.
Here is a thing I have been wondering about the modern tanks,what is the “buldge” midway on the main gun? I have seen this on most of the tanks in use today.
Would a tank that has just come from the paintshop have any special markings or and other insignea on it before it went to the “front” In other words, woul the unit name and serial no be aplied at the factory?
There are a small decal sheet, but it is in almost the same collour that the tank would be in if done in the light brown,I am not sure how effective they would than stand out.
Theuns
The bulge on the gun is a bore evacuator. It’s purpose is to help blow the combusted propellant gases out the muzzle and prevent these (toxic) gases venting back into the tank when the breech is opened.
Thanx[:D[
As you can figure out I know almost nothing about armour[:$], I just wanted to build a modern tank and this one was a steal at $15-00 so I will give it a try!
It will be an “out the box” build with no add ons or extras, just as is.
Theuns
Just a question re the cammo of the M1A2
The side of the box show the standard light brown desert cammo.The plans hovever show a 2 tone sand and Eoropian green collour of the US Army Central Command Kuwait.
I have never seen this cammo on a M1A1, just the one tone sand.
Is there a problem with the plan maybe,or have I not been looking at enough pix?
Thanx
Theuns
Hi Theuns,
The M1A1 has appeared in overall Forest Green (in USMC service) Three-Tone NATO pattern camo and overall sand (CARC Tan).
The first option should be a 3-tone Nato pattern, vut the painting instructions appear to be incomplete as you can’t see any differentiation between two of the indicated colours. This represents a trials tank and, if I recall correctly, all “operational” M1A2’s are single-colour CARC Tan.
The two-tone “Kuwait” tank was a demonstrator vehicle used to sell the M1A2 to Kuwait.
You should be fine doing the M1A2 in Sand.
PS: I need to acknowledge Rob Gronovius for providing the information regarding the Italeri colour schemes in a previous post here. Thanks Rob. [:)]
PPS: The instructions give you the option of installing the hull-mounted APU (Auxilliary Power Unit) at step 9. As far as I am aware, this wasn’t used on M1A2’s and should be omitted and the right rear tail-light installed as per the instructions without the APU. The mounting lugs should also be omitted and the relevant holes filled.
Thanx for the info, that helps allot!
I will then do it in the standard sand collour and do a little post shading to try out the new airbrush.It is intresting that the instructions are so vaque re the paint, for the planes they are usually good.
That 3 tone NATO sceme also looks nice but to “intimidating” for my limlted airbrush skills just yet 
Theuns
The 3-color NATO camouflaged tank belonged to the US Army Armor Center and was marked with the 194th Separate Armor Brigade’s bumper markings. That was the unit that supported the Armor School until it deactivated in the mid-90s. I believe the markings represent a tank that went to the NTC at Ft. Irwin, CA for trials, hence the maneuver training devices included with the kit.
The Italeri M1A2 was the best M1A2 available for a blink of an eye and was bypassed shortly after it was released by more up-to-date kits.
The M1A2 was limited in its fielding and served with only a few battalions within a couple of divisions for a short period of time. Most were returned to depot for upgrading into M1A2SEP.
There are a couple of other M1A1 camouflage patterns available. One is the sand and brown pattern used by the 11th Armored Cavarly Regiment at Ft. Irwin. This unit normally plays the bad guys but did do a rotation to Iraq with their tanks, funky pattern and all. The only other pattern is the Austrailian Army’s pattern for their M1A1AIM tanks.
Just this weekend a friend sent me some photos of their newly repainted (they were delivered in desert tan) Aussie patterns. It would be interesting to put an Aussie pattern on an M1A2 as a ‘what if’.
Hey Rob,
These may be the very photos that your friend sent you, but there are some pics of the Aussie M1A1’s in three-tone here - scroll down the page. http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2010/may/20100513/index.htm Some interesting pics of the stretched M113AS4’s too. [:)]
No, the ones I got were posed motor pool photos taken shortly after they were repainted. There was even a comment that the red Roos weren’t applied to the grenade boxes yet.
These ones? (same tank)
(Photos from the ADF publication "Army - The Soldiers Newspaper")
I believe this was the first one out of the paint shop - This was the initial scheme - the camo pattern has since been altered slightly and the tank repainted. The large slabs of black have been reduced.
Nice pix gents, thanx!
I rather like the idea of a “what if” paint sceeme.I might go totally wack and do it as a “what if SouthAfrican Army had M1A2’s” We have a very nice cammo on our armor.But then maybe I should just make it stock satndard sand…what to do, what to do!
What is the code for the sand?
Theuns
No, 1AR in Darwin, looks like the troop posed in front of the painted tank (with the smaller black portions) in front of a line of sand colored tanks.
I’d paint the tank as you’d like; do not feel constrained by the fact that it is a US Army specific variant used for just a short while by a limited number of units.
Might as well jump in, go crazy, and use this one for practise.
Well detailed, cheap kit + new AB + armor beginner = FUN!
[:D]
G
Ah, ok. The pics above were taken at Puckapunyal in Victoria.
If you mean the US Sand colour, the closest match is FS 33531
Model Master: Sand FS 33531 (Enamel-1706/Acrylic-4720 )
Humbrol: Light Stone 121
Gunze: Aqueous Hobby Color: Yellow FS 33531,H-313 (discontinued) Mr Color: Yellow FS 33531, 313
Vallejo Model Air: Sand 71075
This is what a SA Army Olifant 1B with cammo looks like.I think the A1M2 could look cool in this “what if…” collours
Is it just me or does that pic of the M1A2 look “pink” ? Allmost like the british desert pink
Can someone tell me the reason for the colloured markings on the side of the track links?
Theuns
Rats! the first problem with the build.I have started assembling the hull, but the upper and lower hull doesn’t fit well at all.The only place they line up is the front 2" and the rear1,5".Then there is a massive gap on the sideline ranging from 1/4" to about 1/2" wide at the rear.Where it does “mate” it looks right and the angle of the turret base looks ok to the tracks.It is not an alinement problem I recon, it can only go on one way realy.
Is this a standard thing with model tanks? I do planes and they dont do this.Could it be that the gap will not be visable if the tracks and side skirt is on?
Any advice please. Standing by…[*-)]
Thanx
Theuns
Hi Theuns,
Unfortunately, “Open Sponson Syndrome” occurs frequently, particularly with older kits and tanks which have overhanging sponsons (where part of the hull structure extends over the tracks) . Sometimes this is hidden behind side skirts, sometime, as in the case of Tamiya’s Sherman kits (and, in fact many of their other kits), not.