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Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 9:22 am
by atcttge
How could I have forgotten that pic! I have that in my reference folder, but completely forgot about it hahahaha!
Yep, the "This Side Off" has the CARC paint, and the opposite side has the thermal tape. Yep, those are the velcro strips sticking it to the glacis.
The louvred frames are attached by wire IIRC to the tank. They have tie downs on the side. I won't bother making that detail, decided to just glue it to the tank
The image above BTW is an M1A2 SEP in Korea. Hence the camo pattern and the dude on it.

I just belatedly realized it was in Korea because I can be slow in the head hahahahaha!
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 9:26 pm
by ALPHA
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:46 pm
by HERMAN BIX
All the detail on these Abrams thingos................I have a headache !!
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:20 pm
by greengiant
Herman Build an Aussie version. They are much different then the US army versions.
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:29 pm
by atcttge
Moar custom decals!
I've decided on a unit and tank, and it's 1st tank of 1st Platoon, Charlie Co., Task Force 1-37 Armor.
Why? Well....
- Abrams commanded the 37th Tank Bn during WW2. 37th Armor Regiment is the successor to 37th Tank Bn.
- Charlie Company of 37th Tank was the first US tanks that entered Bastogne to link up with the 101st during the Battle of the Bulge. Hence, Charlie Company, 1st platoon for my tank.
Battle board reads 1-37 Arm., Charlie Co., First Platoon. I looked for pix of 1-37 Arm in OIF and found that "2" referred to 1-37. "3" stands for Charlie Co., and the up chevron is 1st Plt.
During OIF, TF 1-64 Arm had rings of different colour and number around the bore evac. Colour for platoon, number of rings for tank. Red was 1st Plt, White was 2nd, Blue was 3rd.
I forgot all of that and so I thought the rings stood for company and platoon. Hence the white ring which should be been red since this tank is a 1st Plt tank.
But because I like how the white contrasts with the tank, I'm leaving it white instead of painting it over red. Besides, it seemed that these bore evac rings and their colours weren't standard unlike the chevrons so I guess I can get away with that.
A bit of Future improved the look of this decal.
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 3:15 am
by atcttge
The rest of the Pikachu crew and upgrade parts have arrived. The M1's new loader is happy:

Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 3:52 am
by ALPHA

So where's the rest of the Crew?
ALPHA
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 2:27 pm
by greengiant
Atc I don't recall if you added weight inside the hull but if you did you may find after running it over rough terrain a lot the hull will start to flex in just in front of the point where the hulls inner fenders shape stops( just in front of where you have your hull brace).
I started to have tracks try to run off the drive sprockets yesterday because of this and had to add another cross hull brace right at the top at that spot to keep the hull front squared up and the front idlers from being canted just enough to cause the track alignment problem.
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:23 pm
by atcttge
Giant, that part of the hull has already flexed before I placed the alum tube. I'll be adding another brace after I've sorted out where to put the front speaker. Additional weights will be one of the last things I'll add. Thanks for the tip!
Re: Something I've been doing the past days
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:36 pm
by greengiant
I ended up using a paint stirring wooden stick cut to about halve inch wide (clears the speaker which I put right under the hatch opening) with a notch ground out where it passes right under the drivers hatch. Still had to modify My driver so he would still fit in the hatch opening.