That it might. The mantlet is kind of funky though. I haven’t looked closely yet but it looks like they made a 120mm gun tube with an integral “adapter” that sticks onto the old style 110mm mantlet. Not a big deal with a little parts swapping. Also, didn’t the M1E1 have the NBC equip on the left hull side? This kit does not.
Re that funky basket: was that just on the experimental/proposed auto loader turret or actually a production item? I can’t find pics of it in the Hunnicutt book, but then I haven’t looked hard yet.
I’m thinking a very early production M1, but I’m always open to ideas. I have a fair amount of spare parts but would need a gun tube. Time to look on eBay.
To the best of my knowledge, the rear turret basket was a one off when trying to decide how to add one on. Basically, it did not win but they made at least one prototype (photo above) but it may have been rebuilt with the winning type, hence no museum piece.
As for M1 vanillas and 120mm guns…there is still some mystery as to what was done under what label. The M1E1 was fitted with a 120mm gun, but also with the newer armor. 14 pilot tanks built. Probably one of these pilot tanks had that funky rear bustle.
IPM1 tanks had the upgraded armor and new bustle but retained the 105mm main gun.
IT was POSSIBLE that a M1A0 (initial M1 build) tank could be refit with the 120mm gun. Obviously it would be a LOT of work, and would retain the lesser armor of the M1A0 vehicle. I have not yet positively identified if any were built, even experimentally. I believe that Tamiya’s first M1A1 kit would be this, if it was a real thing, as that kit is known to be missing the added turret armour of the actual M1A1.
Just to help clarify the naming and build possibilities.
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Agree with everything above!
It is a mystery as to what all they actually built, just pick a certain tank and build it, that’s just what I did with my E1.
You can find a dozen pics of an XM1, E1 etc, and they will all damn near be slightly different 
That’s the fun in it!
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One more rabbit hole to explore!
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The rabbit hole has branches… 
I recently received rhe Academy M1A1 “Iraq 2003” kit, deal off eBay. I need to compare the turret length with one of the Tamiya M1A2 kits in the stash, see what’s really in the box.
In the meantime I’ll be playing with what’s currently on the bench. I have three in primer and two almost ready to prime. I’m running out of space.
And I need to order some more CRS tracks.
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The box art was great on Esci’s stuff - I remember with awe their East German T-72 - and the abysmal mess within the box! Talk about caveat emptor.
I did however, in my opinion of course, just about manage to get their Dutch Leo 2 looking presentable - having messed up the smoke dischargers, but then, etched foliage can be your friend here(!)
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The one i have has the Dutch smoke dischargers in the box…
Well, that’s the one - hopefully managed (just) to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse!
I recall that the smoke dischargers didn’t angle particularly well - though it may have been me.
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That looks much better than it should, given what’s in the box.
Actually that just plain looks good.
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I need to compare the turret length with one of the Tamiya M1A2 kits in the stash, see what’s really in the box.
No - need - you can find it here: Vodnik’s M1 kits comparison
Sadly, Academy’s old M1A1 kits have the short turret of the M1.
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Thanks Russell - probably the camouflage actually doing its job(!)
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If i remember correctly from images from the hunnicut abrams book the M1E1 did have the angles bustle rack
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“Sadly, Academy’s old M1A1 kits have the short turret of the M1.”
True, but they’re cheap, and Tamiya turrets fit. eBay is my friend here.
And on another note, I was at a slow spot on everything, so I decided to take a good look at the Esci kit. Eek. The roadwheel centers have horrible sink marks, so I thought, “use some Dragon wheels from that partial kit”, but again, sinkmarks. So I said heck with it, I’ve got a couple of extra sprues of road wheels from an Academy kit, they’re better than junk. So then I thought I’d look to see if the Esci upper hull fit a Tamiya lower, and it was so close… so instead of monkeying with a bunch of wheels of different axle that put them too far away from the hull…
IMG_5219 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The white strip at the rear is all they were off, the Esci hull top being .040" short.
And then asked myself why I didn’t just use a Tamiya upper hull. Backdating that would have been easier than using the Esci hull at all. Oh well, I’m just having fun sticking parts together now.
There’s not gonna be much of the Esci kit here when I’m done.
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Nice save, that’s what modeling is all about
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I wonder,do you ever use parts from just one kit? 
You must have a stash of half used kits, none complete except the one you bought last and haven’t opened yet… 
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Bert, my stash is over 50% partial kits. At shows I like to buy kits just for the parts, knowing full well I’ll never use most of it. And then on occasion I’ll build a whole model from leftovers, just to see if I can, or do something like what I’m doing with this Esci kit, see if I can save a rat.
I’ve been something of a kit basher from the beginning, I suppose because there were no kits of what I wanted to build.
Once a year or so I’ll go through and cull the extras, but as soon as I do I’ll need something I just tossed.
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Well, I sure do enjoy your builds 
I am the opposite, I mainly build the model from the kit but will add extra’s, like now with my Nagmachon.
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I’m a big AM junkie, another way to blow the bucks. I actually have tracks for a couple of models I don’t have… yet.
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Hahaha, you should see my supply of figures, stowage, ground materials, vegetation…
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A stash is a good thing.
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