starting new project(thx heavyarty for tips)

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

im about to get into a tamiya m1a2 this weekend and week (its block leave time)

i alrdy planned on using heavyartys antiskid idea and i do have a photoetched set for it

so if anybody has any tips they can give me building this kit or just building a m1a2 in general i will be going for the m1a2 sep look

this is my insperation it is one of the m1a2 sep attached to my company in iraq

2

Here is a good article by “Guntruck” Jim Lewis at Armorama on building an M1A2 SEP.
http://www.guntruck.com/m1a2sepabramspage1.html

The biggest areas to change are the new in-hull APU on the left rear of vehicle and the Thermal Management System (A/C unit) that goes in the bustle rack in place of the bustle rack mounted APU. ALso some added bits on the turret for EPLRS antenna, PLGR receiver and BlueForce Tracker.

Good luck. I myself will wait fro the new DML M1A2 SEP due out later this summer. It is supposed to be an awesome kit, totally new molds and lot of new features.

By the way, what unit is the SEP in the photo from?

3

Sounds like a great build.
Are you planning to have it completed in one week? Perhaps I have mis-read.
[:)]

4

Good project Sgtkopp, look forward to seeing it. Sorry I know close to nothing about M1’s and shouldn’t even be replying. The photo shows the last panel of the skirts removed. You’ll have to cut this away in the kit. Thats easy to do and looks better IMO. Somebody did a how-to for the corner velcro things on the whatever front panels. I think that adds great touch. If you don’t have decals, you should mask the corners and paint em. Just my [2c]

EDIT: in the picture, What are those 2 tubes hanging off the front? It looks like it’s about to fall off.

5

the tubes are a tow bar

the tank is from 2-12 Cav 1CAV Div

i didnt think that it would be that hard to make it a sep but i will be hard i may just make this an a2 and also wait for a m1a2sep kit i will look a little more but i know my skills are not that good yet

thx all sgt kopp

6

this is too heavyarty

thankyou for the great anti skid tip it worked great i cannot believe how real it does work

one ? did you sand yours alittle after painting over it to give it the worn look just wondering
build is going good should have major assemblies painted on sun then final assembly and pics soon afterwards

thx [:D]

sgtkopp

7

No problem, glad it worked for you as well. I haven’t had time to work on mine much lately. I moved within days of doing the anti-slip coating and have been getting settled in and working a lot lately. Sounds like a good idea though. Mine came out pretty fine though, not sure I will or not.

Good luck on the build and post some pics when you can.

8

heres a pic of the painting used model master sand through an airbrush should be day today hopefully

sgtkopp

9

Looking good so far. Hope to get to mine some more this weekend. I am adding a full turret interior as well. Lots of work left.

10

nice job on the painting. keep the pics coming on the progress.

11

more updates


should be 100% in a couple days i have to stop now to make dinner

any commets are welcome i am fixing a few things i over did some of the wash and will be touching it up

have to do the crew antenas and ammo cans for the bussel rack

sgtkopp

12

It’s looking good! Are you going to build it as a stand alone?
[:)]

13

sgtkopp, what did you use for the antiskid panels?
you build is lookging good.

Dave

14

Can someone also tell me what the SEP is? does sep only apply to m1a2’s?

Dave

15

if you hit the link provided by heavyarty you can see the diference between the 2 i wimped out and built a straight A2 after i have honed my skills more i will try again

i used the terra cotta paint for the anti skid surface worked great

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41769

i used masking tape for the velco used for miles gear also on the front panels is masking tape but its a little to think so i will thin it out

thx for the comments

sgtkopp

16

thanks for the infi sgtkopp…much appreciated

Dave

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Dragon SEP coming out ???when ???

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All they are saying is summer '05. No set date yet. It should be really nice though, based on same parts as their new M1 Panther II and M1A1 AIM, with further corrections. Can’t wait for it myself.

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about 90% now have to fix some periscopes and add some to the drivers hatch

also have the figues decals and such


sgtkopp

20

Looking great. Good job.