Can anyone ID the M1 Abrams in the image below? Is it an M1A1 or A2? What is the barrel name and what unit?
I found the image here on Armorama from the link below posted by SableLiger.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Name on the barrel seems to be Hat Trick.
It’s an M1A2 SEPv2.
The tank above is an M1A2. You can tell by the TC’s .50 cal mount. It is a standard A2 mount on the cupola, not a remote mount like the M1A2 SEP v2. Also, there is no VCU in the turret bin and no armored hose covers under the turret rear, all M1A2 SEP features.
Here it is bigger.
Looks like a M1A2 to me .
It´s no A1 TC cupola.
On closer look, it may be an M1A2 Sep, but not an M1A2 SEP v2.
Thanks for the replies, greatly appreciated!
Does anyone have anymore photos of the specific M1A2 from my original post?
Another question, is the DUKE antenna on the vehicle in my original post mounted on the bustle rack the same way as the USMC version or does the US Army use different mounts? Here is the mount from the Meng USMC kit and on a USMC M1A1 from Afghanistan.
I its a base line M1A2 it doesnt appear to be a SEP or a SEP V.2
I think it’s an M1A2 SEP. You can see the ducting for the VCSU under the turret bustle.
I don’t see a VCU nor any of the armored ducting underneath the turret rear. Maybe still a straight M1A2. It does appear to have UAAPU covers though.
You can see the bolt holes I think. And you can see the cutouts on the upper edge of the rear hull side characteristc of a M1A2 SEP.
I haven’t seen a photo of a baseline M1A2 with TUSK, but happy to be proven wrong.
There is something on the lower underside on the right side pointed out in the image below. Looks like a partial conduit. Unfortunately, I already glued the conduits in place on my kit so will have to leave them on. It’s hard to tell if the VCU is fitted or not as there is a Pelican case and backpack in the BRE blocking that area. There is also a duffle bag on top of the turret in the area where the VCU would be. I haven’t put the VCU in the bustle rack yet on my kit so if it is indeed not on the specific tank in the image then I would just leave it off mine.
This image was posted by majjanelson on another post here on Armorama. Great view of the undersides of the turret showing the conduits.
The above image came from this post.
EDIT: From the image majjanelson posted, you can see the pyramid shape at the bottom of the VCU showing through the bustle rack so it looks like the VCU is definitely not on the M1A2 from my original post.
Thanks! I was just pointing out that it looks like the VCU was missing from the vehicle in the image I originally posted.
You could be right. Although the bustle rack extension seems to be mounted lower down - could it be hiding the ‘pyramid’?
Is there something where I’ve outlined in blue?
Squinting at blurry pictures isn’t good for my eyesight - sorry, you’re on your own from here 
Yes, I did notice the BRE was attached slightly lower. It could be blocking the lower part of the VCU.
To my eyes, the area you outlined looks like the background sand/dirt. That’s just my observation. I could be wrong.
In the original image I posted, I can just make out the loader’s gun shield as pointed out. Would it be safe to say it also has the blast shields as on the Tamiya instructions? Parts L21 and L23.
Yeah! It’s a baseline M1A2, but with the added ERA bricks on the side skirts. It does have the extended bustle rack, DUKE Antenna, along with the VHF antennas. One thing I’m curious about, is the plate on the left hand side of the engine deck area - the one with the four bolts on. What’s that for?
