Hello
I just finished the Revell model kit 03059
I am sending these pic’s for the first time… I am not sure is this is the apropiate pic’s for fineScale forums… an also the first time I use photobucket.com
Greetings
TDC
Good job on the build! It’s nice and beat up!
btw, welcome to FSM!
Welcome to the forums. Yes, this is the proper place to put photos. Pretty good buildup, but the weathering looks too heavy. From what I’ve heard from our modern armor experts, the tankers take good care of their rides. In the second picture the inside of the tracks look brand new in comparison to the rest of the vehicle. Nonetheless, it’s well done. Look forward to more of your work.
Hello
Thank you very much… to all. The weathering was from a pic I found in the internet… an that tank has a lot of combat in his hull… I increase the weathering and even put the scratch
www.india-defence.com/specifications/tanks/5
Before I build a model I do a lot of research… I saw a pic of a Abrams and the crew has a cooler or a icebox… “neverita” in spanish… so I put one… I try to do bottles, of water or Coca Cola… but… Right now I am looking at every news of the Merkava… and download pic’s… to my next model… looking at that artillery tank too…
Is an honor to be in the fineScale forums…
Greetings
TDC
Interesting build, but I think you mixed up some of the optional pieces from your kit. The box at the right rear of the hull was used on M1IP and early M1A1 tanks. Also the multi-barreled device over the gun tube is a Hoffman tank gunfire simulator which is only used in training. Also the light on the turret roof and the 3-pronged device on the .50 cal machine gun are parts to the training devices and not used in combat.
Overall it is a pretty good start.
Let the attacks on me begin.
Not having access to the refeerence pic you worked from, I can’t confirm nor deny the extent of the weathering, but I think the key to the next one would be: blending. You’ve done well for a 1st build, but that poor old thing looks like it’s been left behind on the road to Baghdad. As I also do a bit of railway modelling, I try to adopt a similar idea with road/field weathering for my tanks, ie. grubbiest at the base of the tank around the sprockets, road wheels & track, gradually thinning it out as you work up to the top of the turret. What I am trying to achieve on the top around access hatches etc, is just a light dust kicked up from the base. Just my 2c on the idea. And as someone else noted, tankers LOVE their rides, probably moreso than their own road cars, so generally they tend to keep them clean. I expect that would be a standing order from most battalion/division commanders as well.
Hello Rob
Yes… in the instruction sheet… part 19…a question mark for that box… part 42… for the light on top… Part 43… for the Hoffman… No question mark for the multibarrel… The Revell tank is not to old… but when I tried to use the decal… they desintegrated??? Using the instruction I tried to represent one of the 4th Infantery-Division at Fort Hood, Texas, 2002
I found pic’s of Abrams with all these items…
Thank you very much
Greetings
TDC
Hello
This A1 is the primary pic I use to weathering my tank… Of course I put more …
Greetigns
TDC
That is a pretty beat up Abrams from what I’ve seen. Notice the tracks though, not as new and shiney as yours. I admit you did a good job at trying to replicate it.
Rob, is this really in Iraq? Or just on some training excersise? Great photo.
Geez that IS one beaten up Abrams. I stand corrected then on the issue of your weathering. You’ve done extremely well to replicate that. Looking at the colour of the roadwheels though, I wonder if that isn’t a National Guard unit on a training op using an A1 that was in ODS. Major Rob or Gino could probably shed a bit more light on this theory…
The photo above is of a USMC M1A1HA with MCD, most likely in Iraq. I’ve spent 19 years around the Abrams tank and the observations I made above are accurate. The Hoffman, whoopie light and blank firing adapter on the .50 would not be used in a combat environment. I’ve used them, I’ve mounted/dismounted them and know they are for training. The hull mounted APU went out of use around 1992 (I had to turn in 58 of them as a young captain), a couple years before the M1A2 was fielded.
I think the Corps scratchbuilt this one!! She’s still a beauty to me though.
-60
Hello
Looking for more pic’s… I found more pics of this tank, but with another of the same corps… firing his main gun… The other tank was not in better condition of the one I use for my weathering purpose. The info is not clear but probarly both tanks are in Najaf, Iraq around 2004… in a firing range… Both tank has a black flag with a skull upside down with two bone X…
And as Rob indicated… my tank is equipped for training purpose only… 
Two more Abrams from Yahoo store/Internethobbies depart for Puerto Rico… ji ji ji…
Greetings
TDC
Good luck on your other builds. Are you aware of Dragon’s impending release of their M1 AIM? It’s supposed to be the best M1 on the market?
Hello tigerman
As soon I saw your reply… I jump in the chair… I find info… thanks
I order another M1 this time from Academy… and a Bradley from Hobbycraft
The others M1 are from Tamiya and Trumpeter
Greetings
TDC
Here you Thomas.
Hello tigerman
Thanks for the link… I download the pic… as soon it’s became available…
This models in the photo are in the awaiting assembly line with the two Academy Merkava, are top priority…
Greetings
TDC
Has anybody heard anything further when Dragon’s M1 AIM will be available? Us Aussies are champing at the bit. The 1st ones should be rolling off the plane/boat any day now.
The latest I heard was August release.
What is the funnel looking device on the rear of the M1A1HA in the reference picture? I have never noticed this before. Is it some sort of IR suppressor?