Here is the M1A2 SEP that I am building for a customer. It has battle damage to the front right, damaging the front road wheel. It has been short tracked to compensate for the road wheel. It will eventually be pulled by an M88A1. Represents a vehicle from 4ID in OIF.
More here: M1A2 SEP
Wheres the weathering?
Looks great heavy arty! I love the scartchbuilt stuff you’ve added! I’ve always admired those who can scratchbuild things and make them look good.
But I kind of agree, for a vehicle with battle damge, it doess look too lightly weathered doesn’t it?
That looks great Arty!
But I do agree, it needs some weathering.
It is lightly weathered, just doesn’t show up well in the pics. Just because a vehicle is in combat and damaged, doesn’t mean it is covered in mud and grime. This is how the actual vehicle looked in the referance pics I was given. The crew kept it pretty clean. Most vehicles in service are actually rather clean. If there is mud and grime all over your vehicle, things tend to not work well on them. For that reason, they are kept clean and in good working order by the crews. When your life depends on your vehicle to work, you clean it and maintain it. Most modelers overdo the weathering of vehicles.
Nice pictures. I’ve never seen “short Tracking”.
Very well done, and I would agrea with the weathering, on a tank in opperations, If my lfie deppened on my tank, I would also keep my tank clean as well.
Nice Abrams Heavy. What kit is that ? are those dry transfers ? Again nice build
Beautiful work on the M1. I spent 21 years in the military and agree that most model vehicles are overdone as far as weathering is concerned. Navy aircraft on carriers tend to get pretty distressed because they have a very limited ability to clean them when at sea. Army and Marine tanks running around the deserts of the Middle East encounter a lot of dust, but not much mud.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Ahhhh you were working off a reference pic. That explains everything. Like i said before, excellent work.
By the way, on the Abrams that you did with the Terra Cotta sprayed on, how many layers did you do, and when you painted it, how did it look, and what kit was this model done with, and how is your newest project coming along as well?[:)]
Thanks all. The M1A2 SEP was done from the Trumpeter M1A2 kit, with the SEP items (Under Armor APU on left rear of hull, Thermal Management Unit, and added bits) from scratch. Look in the More Here link to see in-progress shots. Decals are from the Academy M1A1 OIF kit.
The one I did the Terra Cotta spray on was my still in-progress “Angry American”, USMC M1A1 OIF. I did two thin coats of the Terra Cotta to add anti-slip to the Academy (Tamiya Copy) hull. For this model, I used the new Academy M1A1 OIF hull and a DML turret since the Academy one is incorrect (too short for an M1A1, they still left their M1 turret in the kit), along with parts from Trumpeter adn Tamiya kits as well. You can check it out here.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v231/HeavyArty/USMC%20M1A1%20Angry%20American/
Still working on the M88A1 to go with the M1A2 SEP. It’s about 75% done.
Ha! very clever![:D] is there actually a real field technique called “short tracking?” I’m just wondering.
and can you provide me the link to the Terra Cotta thread?
Yes, short-tracking is an actual procedure used in the field when a tank’s track, road wheels, torsion bars, or other suspension part is damaged. The way I have done it is for a front portion of the suspension being damaged. The 2nd road wheel is removed and the 3rd road wheel arm is rotated to the front so it sticks forward and supplies tension toward the front and down. The track is shortened and threaded below the front return roller, then down and around the turned road wheel. Works pretty well.
Non-slip coating thread:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=41769&REPLY_ID=438783#438783
Arty my man, you couldn’t have said it better… just don’t forget though bro, most of these people have never set foot inside the turret of a tank, nor have they been on exercise in a tank… most only have historical reference to go by, not actual experience. I’m glad you’re here speaking for us who DON"T overdo the weathering! I myself would have lost a stripe or two if I didn’t lend a hand cleaning the tank, or helping to repair it… repairing the track when it’s covered in mud isn’t easy, and takes away from supporting the troops… and it does tend to make things work innefficiently! thanks again bro!
Nice build looks very cool.
[:D] great job on the tank Arty,looks good.[:D]
Great work ! I like the idea of " short tracking " . I actually did that , way back when in Germany , on a Reforger Ex . My " Lynx " , ( A recce vehicle , based on M-113 components) , lost an idler , so I short tracked , and carried on . We don’t teach that in the Canadian Army , and I learned that from an American , he was just an M-113 driver , but he knew his stuff ! God Bless America !
Frank
" PERSEVERANCE "
Not much that I can add, except my praise for your work, HeavyArty. Another eye-opening build. Add to that learning about short-tracking a tank and I think I’ve learned enough for one day and can leave the shop early (maybe get some work in on one of my kits)! It’s the little things that make a difference, like the OD road wheels mixed in with the overall sand of the M1…It’s not something you see a lot in garrison, but out in the field you see all kinds of mix-n-match going on. I just thought that was a nice touch. I’m green (Marine Corps green, of course!) with envy at the quality of work you turn out regularly, but then, that’s what drives me to improve as well. Thanks for another lesson, sir!
Amen.
IMO this is like the “little orange guy” syndrome for 1/35th scale figures – it becomes a modeling technique that is born purely out of convention, rather than accurate representation.
Unfortunately, the pics are free-hosted so I am blocked to seeing them at work, but I’m sure the kit looks great.