Looking at the latest M1A2 SEPv3, & in anticipation of the first Australia’s new Abrams arriving in 2024, I’m after some details on the commander’s cupola of this variant.
Bottom line: how tall is the spacer, inside the red box?
The plain Jane M1A2 had the “improved commander’s weapon station” with a flex mounted .50 cal that couldn’t be fired from under armour. Once CROWS was introduced, the mounting plate over the Gunner’s Primary Sight meant that the cupola had to be raised.
Thanks.
I’m not sure that’s the case, I think the cupola just looks taller because the flex mount has been removed
I agree. The cupola has not been risen, it just has all of the MG parts removed, making it look taller.
The photos I took at Fort Hood (Cavazos) of the V3 show no riser. Just the absence of the rail mouint.
Okay, I gotta jump in now, lol, so it’s the same cupola but without the outer ring for the .50?
Exactly.
Thank you gentlemen, that actually makes sense, can see it now. It was doing my head in.
Are you able to share your pics, 18Bravo? Happy to remunerate you for your time, ofc.
Great pics did anybody else find in ironic that the is a HET on a trailer in the background.
Two of them actually, but yeah; the HET-T has plenty of muscle.
Great pics of the original M1A2 ICWS - thanks!
So, the SEP v3 has the entirety of the machine gun traverse mechanism deleted?
Send me your email address.
I got 4 pics of the JLTV chilling in my old motor pool if you would like them, I can send them over to add to the library.
Sketched up the ICWS with the MG mount & traverse mechanism removed. First cut, using the Tamiya 1/16 ICWS as a model.
Lots of work to do: the Tamiya example is very simplified when compared to the 1:1.
Need to consult the SEPv3 references. Tamiya looks like it used the lower one for the basis of its representation.
Looking at this picture, you can see there are no spaces between each periscopes, so is really hard to tell without actually looking at the Commander’s station.
