Something I've been doing the past days

[atcttge]

Yep. The SEP v2 uses a Hawker battery system instead of the Under Armour APU (UAAPU). According to this, the UUAPU was found to be ineffective. So that area where the UAAPU was is now a battery box. I reckon the Hawker battery system works like the UAAPU, i.e., provides power to the tank without using the main engine, but this time providing it electrically rather than by a small internal combustion engine. Which is why in some of the reference pix of late model M1A1 (e.g., some M1A1AIM tanks IIRC) and early M1A2SEPs, there is an exhaust at the rear left, the exhaust is for the UAAPU. A battery doesn't produce emissions obviously so no exhaust is needed.

Here are reference photos of that area from two model kits:





The second photo has the exhaust, so that would mean it has the UAAPU. Note that the panels are the same. I reckon the difference between a tank with the Hawker battery system from a tank with a UAAPU is that the latter has an exhaust whereas the former does not. Also note that the difference might also be because these could be two different models from two different manufacturers. The first could be a Tamiya kit, the second would be the Dragon kit. Anyhow, what is important here is how the panels on the deck look like.

Removing the fuel cap is easy. All you need is a razor saw. Then just scribe the panel lines like I did. Just add an exhaust to make yours look like it has an UAAPU.

[ALPHA]

Thanks for posting the photos ATC...looks like I have my exhaust a tad too high and a tad too small lol...just spent have the night scoring grooves to simulate the hatches ...What urks me is I have to make four more grab handles...and a bunch of hinges

And guess what...think you have to too grab handles...I'm sick of them


ALPHA

[atcttge]

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[ALPHA]

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

....FOUR...count them...FOUR different grab handles represented on the Hull alone

FIVE ...no...SIX... if you count the two on the right side of the turret..and the loaders hatches ... all different
Scoring the grooves for the new hatches..and filling the hole left from removing the gas filler were easy in comparison lol

Crazy stuff ATC....Crazy I tell ya


ALPHA

PS. Thanks again for the pictures ATC...really helped a lot

[atcttge]

I STILL do not want to do the grab handles:

[ALPHA]

Hey ATC...thought you weren't going to do the fenders lol....Nice job ...very clean

ALPHA

PS. Sooner or later...you will....have to make at least five of those grab handles ..........

[atcttge]

LOL!

Other than the rubber part of the fender, right fender is done and works like the real thing. Installed the spring which is a bent piece of thick-ish guitar string (dunno wot gauge/thickness exactly).





Video:

https://youtu.be/ro-VW65UIFc

[ALPHA]

WOW!!! I want to do that!!!!!!!!!!!!.................but I won't
Too cool ATC

ALPHA

[greengiant]

That's a pretty neat modification. Could even be functional if you drive into soft mud and it sticks to the tracks when you are backing out to keep the flat hull bottom from sticking the whole tank in the mud.

What could be an exhaust in the second model picture you show is glued over the rear mud scrapers, much to low to be correct position.

[ALPHA]

That's a pretty neat modification. Could even be functional if you drive into soft mud and it sticks to the tracks when you are backing out to keep the flat hull bottom from sticking the whole tank in the mud.

What could be an exhaust in the second model picture you show is glued over the rear mud scrapers, much to low to be correct position.

Whew!!!!!!!!!!!! almost moved mine

Thanks Giant

ALPHA