HL M1A1 Aussie version...

[HvyCgn9]

The last thing I did yesterday before I had enuff was to add the plate Aussie tanks have which has a number and letter on it (tank no' I presume??)

Primered the rear rack this morning before work, then gave it a coat of Humbrol desert yellow tonight once I had relaxed a bit..

Should get the Green and black done Saturday if weather stays nice....got too remark camo so it will match the tank.

[BarryC]

[quote="HvyCgn9"]Actually nearly went up to Bunnings when I knocked off from work....but then I got sidetracked!!

Will have a look next time I'm in there,I've got some brass mesh for my ship building but its much to fine for the tank, also have some stainless steel TERMI mesh that a mate gave me but its also to fin a mesh for the tank.

Going to replace the HL 0.50 and 0.30 with these from Shapeways: (the 1/16 version)

Good find I'll have to check them out. Please post some pics when you get yours. I am still a ways from neededing them for my Abrams.

Barry

[HvyCgn9]

I actually asked him to enlarge his 1/35 set but I haven't had the spare $$$ to do the order yet...lost my 0.30cal turning the tank off one day it wasn't attached properly oops.....

[HERMAN BIX]

Two really top-end Abrams builds going on ..................different paint, different theatres of operation, but both promise to be award winners

[HvyCgn9]

Thx mate!!

Its not gonna be super detailed....Just needs to be better than the way it comes out of the box!!

Scored a couple of red kangaroo decals off a club mate while helping him sort the electrics out in his carrier. Finished painting the rear rack, just want to touch up a few spots on the turret....

Will strip the gearboxes and rx18 out of the hull tonight so I can fit some strengthening around the suspension arms and cover up the slots for the arms to keep dust and mud out. And I think I will move the switch to the rear panel and hide it behind the infantry phone....

some pix of the rear rack....getting some gear from Rocketman to fill it up.....

[HvyCgn9]

Have been busy this week each evening copying the hull strengthening ideas from BarryC's Xcellent build..
First I used some 1.5mm stryene scrap sheet to block off the old switch hole and the large hole in battery tray, the rummaging in my box of Evergreen styrene found a fresh A4ish sheet of 2mm Evergreen, So it was used to make the two longer sections or blocking the swing arm slots's and the two front parts. Until I started cutting these bits out I had not noticed the roadwheels are actually staggered on each side I suspect this is for the torsion bar suspension on the 1:1 sized M1...
Made up aft bulkhead out of the leftover 2mm sheet and font bulkhead from some 1.5mm scrap sheet....

Bruce

[BarryC]

Coming along nicely Bruce.

[HvyCgn9]

Coming along nicely Bruce.

Thanks mate!

hey with your Ultimate II gearboxes do they give better speed??

Cheers Bruce

[BarryC]

Hi Bruce,

I can not honestly say having not run the tank in it's original configuration enough to judge. I wanted to get all metal gears and a better quality assembly. The stock gear boxes are pretty cheaply built and the Ultimate II are far better IMO.

I have run the tank a little with the new GBs and the ElMod Fusion Pro controller and it seems to have good top speed along with a nice low speed. Once the GBs are run enough to break them in I expect they will be even better.

Sorry I could not be of more help,
Barry

[HvyCgn9]

Did some touch up repainting of the rear rack on the weekend as the paint had flaked off in a couple of spots that had been bare plastic.....so rubbed back with some sandpaper the redid the areas. Then sprayed some green and black into spraycan lids to brush touch up some areas on the hull and turret edges that need it! Much better now.

Ordered my stowage stuff from rocketman too

Now just need to wait for next pay to order metal roadwheels/suspension set ,idlers and sprockets from tank army. new g/boxes and henntech idler tensioner will have to wait till a later pay.........to many household bills to do it in one go!! drat

Bruce

Edit: And I picked up a new better quality on/off switch to use too, going to hide it in the infantry phone box on the rear corner for easier turning on....no more turning it over!