M1A1 Abrams USMC Trumpeter/Dragon kitbash

[RonW]

In order to get my flow back I threw aside all running projects and opened up a box with a previously started kit; Trumpeters Abrams. It ended up in there due to inaccuracies and the plastic that will not glue… untill I got my hands on an incomplete Dragon Abrams. Its hull was missing.
So I will mix the 2 together and hopefully end up with something resembling this:

What I am working with:

And I am using Vodnik’s comparisson as a sort of guide:
Vodnik’s Abrams comparisson

Progress so far:

The Trumpeter tracks, allthough more accurate then Dragon’s, are a nightmare to glue! I sloshed quite some Tamiya glue onto them, just to get them to stay together! Contacta would not hold.
The wheels are Dragon’s, so no Trumpeter polycaps, the turret is more accurate too as is the gunassembly. The tube itself is slightly smaller then Trumpeter’s.

[Tank_1812]

Look forward to this project. Why did you add the APU to rear if trying to match the photo?

[gtdeath13]

Looks more like the slim box carried by the USMC M60 tanks during Desert Storm, cannot recall the designation for it.

Judging by the mine plough seen on the photo

[Tank_1812]

Your right, looks more like the Clams system.

[tankerken]

Thats what it is. Its used to mark a cleared lane through a minefield.
Ken

[junglejim]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of the Abrams with the CLAMS mounted. Ever. But happy to be proven wrong.

[18bravo]

Interestng project. By the way, if anyone has an extra CLAMs with mount, I"d be happy to discuss obtainig it from you.

[RonW]

It actually is just clicked in place, because I was curious on how it would be carried in real life. The CLAMS box will end up on a USMC M60A1 eventually.
I am not even sure if I am going to use the dozerblade, since that was cause the Abrams to lean much lower on the front end.

[Tank_1812]

I think you can still order from here.

1/35 CLAMS Systems - Mike's MS Productions

[tankerken]

@junglejim

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of the Abrams with the CLAMS mounted. Ever. But happy to be proven wrong.

Here you go!

This was one of our mine plow tanks, they were fitted with the clams on the back. We had two of them in my Troop (company).
Ken

[Seanmcandrews]

Do you have any recollections/photos of how the Abrams mounted CLAMS was cabled ?

[tankerken]

Absolutely no clue. My tank did not have one, so I don’t know how they were hooked up. I just took the photos of someone else’s tank.
Ken

[RonW]

Thanks!

[TopSmith]

OK so where did this camo pattern come from???

[RonW]

As far as I know it is USMC Iraq 2003.
Looks like NATO colours over sand.

[junglejim]

Well there you go! I’ve got umpteen pics of plow and roller tanks, having said that most of them are from the front so it’s hard to say what’s at the back. Thanks for the pics! Did they work?

[HeavyArty]

@TopSmith

…where did this camo pattern come from???

It is standard NATO 3-tone camo. Dust/fine sand is built up on the ridge where two colors come together.

[tankerken]

I don’t think we actually used them. We never had to cross any minefields.
Ken

[RonW]

In the meantime I have taken up this one again, now that quite a few other projects have been completed. And have thrown in an Academy Abrams into the mix, because that one had the parts needed for the Marines-version.
That will cause another Abrams to see the light of day, hopefully resembling something as seen with the 3rd ID on exercise Allied Spirit in Poland.
Why this one? Well, it looks awesome and I can camouflage the horrible Trumpeter turretshape. All that camouflage makes for nice colourvariations. I also have the mineroll and tracks as leftovers.
I might need to find some parts for the turret though.

[RonW]

There are some issues with the Academy kit though: no anti skid surfaces anywhere and some turretdetails cast in place. Weird choices.
Also the turret is smaller/shorter then the Dragon and Trumpeter ones.
The wheels are useable, unlike the Trumpeter wheels with their polycaps.