Hello everyone,
I have a question for all you Abrams enthusiasts out there.
I would like to build an M1A1 with Mine Plow (TWMP) preferably from Operation Desert Storm and am looking for suitable decal options.
I’m aware that Dragon, Trumpeter and Tamiya have released an Abrams with this configuration.
Does anyone have photographic evidence of their decal options? Dragon states that it is a 2 ACR tank.
Or does anyone have other pictures of early M1A1 with a mine plow?
I hope you can help me with this. Thanks a lot!
Lukas
The black box appears to be an NBC decon sprayer, can’t remember the nomenclature. The box is hinged with a reservoir for DS2 or STB on one side and the hose and sprayer on the other side. As far as the bustle rack damage, it wasn’t (or still isn’t) all that unusual to hit a tree with the back of the turret during training and maneuver in heavily wooded areas. It can be a bit challenging to manage the driver weaving through trees and the gunner swinging the turret scanning for targets at the same time. If the damage wasn’t too severe the unit welder could heat up the bars and bang them back straight (more or less). If the crew had crushed the TC side of the rack, they might have just had maintenance cut it off.
Hello @Neuron1
I commanded a breach team comprised from a mobilized National Guard Mech Infantry Brigade plussed up with an Armored BN during Operation Desert Storm. Our Armor BN drew the M1IP in November of 1990 at the NTC. It was unclear if we would draw M1A1 before departure to theater, and the war started before we completed trining. As a result, a USMC BN received M1A1s in place of their M60A1 w/ ERA (like the IDF).
As for marking, our Armor BN sent Co B and Co C to the Infantry BN, receiving in kind Bradley Companies to replace us.
My company was THE Breach Team of two tank platoons and one Infantry platoon, along with about 30+ Funnies from our Combat Engineers. Each platoon had TWMP on an M1IP, and rollers on another M1IP. There was no standard MTOE for this, but in our BN the swaps and vehicles assignments were according to our SOPs. It also freed up the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant to do what Tankers do!
I have pictures of our vehicles at the National Training Center. They are now almost 35 years old, but IF you’d like, I’ll open up a box of memories and share some here. Are you interested in particular details?
Amazing! Thank you so much. I’ll have a look at the book. As far as I can see, the decal options provided by Tamiya seem to be all right. Thank you very much! It looks like this particular tank has the old T156 tracks.
I plan to use the Rye Field Models M1A1/M1A2 with interior as the ODS version is not available in Germany at the moment. I will have to buy Trumpters T156 tracks for this kit. The mine plow will be the one from Tamiya’s M1A1.
@JTP Thanks for the info, I have never seen this item before. I guess I will have to 3D print it.
@Ted_Dannemiller Hello Ted, Thanks for your insights. Yes, I would definitely like to see the photos of these vehicles. Do you have any photos or memories of the markings they wore during Desert Storm?
I could use the Panda Hobby M1 IP as a basis…
Thanks for the info!
I was planning to use this kit, it seems the most suitable. Unfortunately it is not available in Germany at the moment. So I will use the RM-5007. Comparing the instructions, it seems to me that I can build an original M1A1 from the parts supplied. Only the tracks need to be changed to the earlier type.
Lukas
@Neuron1
I’ll batch them into the thread. The pics were made with disposable Kodak boxes (mostly- no smart phones) at 100 ASA (speed) and some with a camera I’d packed well. Sunshine, shadow, angles, all make the colors look different. I’ve shared a set that I hope shows those colors and patterns. It was not the chocolate uniforms that the desert guys eventually got.
My crew (B66) in a hull-down position. Notice how little spoil is around the pit. Also notice the crest is behind us. In either early morning or late afternoon, the light and shadow kept us concealed.
Somewhere in the Central Corridor. My loader Mark is listening to me and the BN net, while I fight. You can see a PLGR, the transitional M2 CWS with the remote dog bone pinned to that short upright, all there above my gloved right hand. I actually grew to like the dog bone, and got pretty good with it. I forget who took this, sadly. 35 years now. Almost.
Great memories of my soldiers and how they really leaned into the saddle to learn The Breach.
Ah yes, the big valley. I do miss it …sort of. I was a player for 6 rotations and 29 rotations as an OC. I was on the Dragon (Live Fire Trainers) and Wolf (Artillery Trainers) teams for 3 years ('03-'06). It was a unique experience.
I tried to get assigned Title 10 (?) from ARNG to OC at the NTC. I admired the Dragon Team especially.
It’s a hard job, but you guys (the OCs) train and teach and mentor like there’s no tomorrow. Our rotation was quite the political football, but I knew my BDE knew how to use the BOS, how to fight, and how to sustain.
It amused your counterpart when he asked one day why I had the FIST-O in my turret as loader for the live fire Defense. He was TCGST qualified (habitual alignment with my Battalion), so he wasn’t a a tourist. I said “because when I start to have to fight my Company, I want him to see and hear what’s going on, and leave him to do his job”. He knew his job, and we had hard-wired him over to the more or less buried FIST-V about 100m distant. And my Loader Mark was over there, translating anything I might’ve gotten wrapped up.
We killed the Krasnovian Wooden Regiment so badly that they retired.
I finished my experiences with a tour w/ the OPFOR, 5 rotations, and then the ODS ramp-up.
