Abrams stowage questions.

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

While the Panzer III build I was doing went on hold in it’s final stages because of a catastrophic track failure and I now wait for a set of Fruil tracks to come in I decided to continue, and finish, another build I had shelved when I went into burn out mode. In a flurry of holliday modeling I am close to finishing the Tamiya Abrams and am now looking to stowage before I start shooting paint on everything. So here are the questions I have:

Spare wheel…The instructions show it just thrown on one side of the front of the turret flat area. I want to toss it into the rear bustle rack. Would this be fine or would the idea of the spare wheel in the bustle rack be unheard of (perhaps the wheel would be too heavy for storage here)?

Also, I have a bunch of bed rolls, etc. and I want to put a few on the flat area on the rear of the turret (on and around the 2 plates that cover the ammunition storage area). Would tankers have possibly done as such, or should I try and keep everything contained within the bustle rack?

Brian

2

Hi Brian,

The spare roadwheel on the upper front area of the turret is bolted down on one of the four bolts you can see just in front of the “manhole cover” in front of the loader’s hatch. They are also often bolted to the side rails or bustle rack rails using a track centre-guide. rather than just being thrown into the bustle rack. http://data4.primeportal.net/tanks/jeff_derosa/m1a1_details/images/m1a1_details_139_of_435.jpg

This pic may also give you some ideas: http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/dod/m1_abrams/images/m1_abrams_08_of_20.jpg It’s a lower angle shot, but you can see that there is stuff piled on top of the blow-out panels.

3

Phil is spot on with the info he passed along. I was a tanker long ago and I would only add that it was frowned upon to pile stuff on top of the blow out panels, but it was often done. The “book” answer was that most all of the crew’s personal gear was to be carried in the bustle rack.

4

Excellent gents I appreciate this info very much!

Brian