Need help on a M1A2 Abrams Coloration and weathering.

[michaelwhittmann]

Please see the pictures.
I was going for a Desert Storm look.

Did a get the color correct?

What color should the friendly fire prevention panels be?

Any weathering tips?

The tire wheels and tracks are incomplete.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thx.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

As I am weak on MBTs, I cannot be of much help. The experts here, some of whom know the Abrams inside out, will be better. My usual "self-help" recourse is to books:

Doyle, David. M1 Abrams. In Action. Squadron/Signal, 2013. ISBN 978-0-89747-733-8 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-0-89747-734-5 (Softcover).
Zaloga, Steven J. M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 1982-92. Osprey/New Vanguard. 1993. ISBN 978-1-85532-283-7.

There must also be ooh-goo-gobs of Abrams photos and videos online. Google search, especially Google Advanced Search (https://www.google.com/advanced_search) should yield many, even from Desert Storm.

[BarryC]

If you are actually building the A2 version there were none in Desert Storm that I'm aware of, only A1s.

Barry

[michaelwhittmann]

Oops! Maybe an Al-Fallujah theme.

[Mithras]

There is no "perfect" color. During the First Gulf War, the paint trucks were literally just spraying them down, and so the color varies dramatically from tank to tank often in long, messy drips. Your color looks fine to me!

[michaelwhittmann]

Any ideas on the proper coloration of the infrared "anti- friendly fire" rectangular panels on the turret?

[tankme]

So the way the combat identification panels (CIP) work is that on one side there is a tape applied to the surface that reflects IR (appears cold). On the other side, regular paint. The side that says, "This side off" is the regular paint side. You normally see them in this configuration because the tape they use on the "active" side is UV sensitive. It degrades over time so they only expose it when in a combat or simulated combat situation. The "off" side is usually painted with CARC paint (CARC tan or CARC NATO green). Just because the tank is tan or green doesn't mean the panels will match the tank color. Units will apply spare parts of the wrong color if they are available rather than waiting for the right color part which is why you will see green wheels or fenders on a tan tank or vise versa. Some panels in the off side look like a cardboard brown color.

So, cardboard brown, NATO green, or tan...pretty much your choice how you want the panel deployed.

Contrary to how people show the black "brackets" on the panels, it is velcro - not paint. It's so they can easily and quickly flip the panels from on to off or off to on.

[michaelwhittmann]

thx tankme. for your response and obvious knowledge.

[zooma]

So the way the combat identification panels (CIP) work is that on one side there is a tape applied to the surface that reflects IR (appears cold). On the other side, regular paint. The side that says, "This side off" is the regular paint side. You normally see them in this configuration because the tape they use on the "active" side is UV sensitive. It degrades over time so they only expose it when in a combat or simulated combat situation. The "off" side is usually painted with CARC paint (CARC tan or CARC NATO green). Just because the tank is tan or green doesn't mean the panels will match the tank color. Units will apply spare parts of the wrong color if they are available rather than waiting for the right color part which is why you will see green wheels or fenders on a tan tank or vise versa. Some panels in the off side look like a cardboard brown color.

So, cardboard brown, NATO green, or tan...pretty much your choice how you want the panel deployed.

Contrary to how people show the black "brackets" on the panels, it is velcro - not paint. It's so they can easily and quickly flip the panels from on to off or off to on.

That is really helpful info Derek .

I hope to add an Abrams to my modern tank fleet sometime in the near future and I was wondering about the colour of those CIP panels.

Bob.

[Meter rat]

Hopefully this will give you some ideas. Based on a couple of photos of actual tanks.

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