Dragon M1A1/2/USMC Abrams Updates - 1:35 ET Model

[Mike]

M1A1/2/USMC Abrams Updates (Dragon)
1:35 ET Models

The Dragon kits of the US Army and US Marine Corps Main Battle Tank, the M1 Abrams is widely considered to be the definitive kit in 1:35 scale, especially the later mouldings of the AIM and SEP versions that have upgraded parts and additional detail. The USMC kit is still available, although the AIM and SEP kits are becoming a little harder to get hold of as time goes by.

AIM - Abrams Integrated Management was the end of the line for the M1A1 variant, with old units reconditioned back to factory fresh, and brought up to a common standard. A FLIR infrared position was added to the front of the turret and an infantry phone was installed on the rear, well away from the 2000^oc exhaust vent.

SEP - Systems Enhancement Package was based on the M1A2 chassis, and added armour improvements in the shape of depleted uranium mesh and graphite coatings added to the armour panels, with some older M1s being upgraded to this standard.

M1A1HA - the Heavy Armour variant fielded by the US Marines, with depleted uranium mesh embedded in the armour. The Dragon kit is an earlier incarnation of more modern AIM and SEP kits, the comes with snorkel for deep water fording operations, most recently in the orange boxing of Cyber Hobby.

I reviewed the TUSKII set a while ago here, but there are many other sets available from ET Model to improve the fine detail of your Dragon kit, including a TUSK kit, which is retrospectively known as the TUSKI kit, originating the Tank Urban Survival Kit after combat experiences and unexpected losses of vehicles and men in towns and villages in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have seven sets in total, some of which are brand new and some of which have been with us for a month or so.

M1A2 MBT TUSKI Set (Dragon 3536)

This set is very similar to the TUSKII set for obvious reasons, and includes many of the same parts because the TUSKII is a progression of the original. The main differences are the lack of the curved "shell" plates that cover each of the reactive armour blocks, and that will save an awful lot of consternation amongst modellers that weren't looking forward to that part of the TUSKII set!

Inside the box are sixteen frets of Photo-Etched (PE) brass, a number of separately bagged resin parts, including some clear, and a bag containing two squares of 1.5mm thick acetate sheet that were missing from early editions of the TUSKII kit at least. In the original review you'll note that I mentioned that its absence was a shame. It's good to see that ET are thinking, and that not everyone will know where to get acetate sheet from. The instructions are typical ET Models, and are printed on light green paper over eight sides of A4.

Construction is very similar, starting with the keel in thick PE, and then the 28+2+2 armour blocks are built up, with the two pairs of different shaped blocks adorning the front and rear of the side-skirts. The skirts are then built up and the block rails added along its length, before the blocks are slid down into them in pairs. Take care here, as you could get yourself in a knot if you don't follow the instructions carefully.

The gunner and commander's cupolas and their weapons are again protected by screens of a similar but less advanced design, and the thick bullet-resistant windows are built up as frames around the clear acetate, then added to the panels, with mesh side-panels backed by a hinged armour plate. The front of the commander's gun is without the clear panels of the later set, so he is left a little exposed, while the gunner is more exposed around the sides and back. It's easy to see why the second upgrade was called for when you see the two side-by-side.

The centrally mounted remotely operated M2 .50cal Browning that sits above the gun mantlet is supplied as a resin breech with opening top, a short cooling jacket, and a hollow tipped resin barrel that sits on a large PE mount and ammo can. The electronics are portrayed by their armoured conduits that run from the rear of the mount to a position forward of the commander's cupola, where it enters the turret. The infantry telephone box is quite complex and is supplied with a resin handset to complete the look if you are planning on modelling it open. It attaches to the right of the rear bulkhead, just inboard of the light-cluster.

It is easy to get a little flustered with ET Model instructions when you first see them, but once you realise that you will be building a number of assemblies that are assigned a letter, and these are later added to another assembly or attached directly to the hull, the pressure subsides, and you can concentrate on each little aspect of the kit in turn, without getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of parts that are depicted on the sheets

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

M1A1 AIM US Army Set (Dragon 3535)

This was the first AFV and first Dragon kit I built when I good hooked on armour by a good friend who shall remain nameless, but we'll call Dan for the purposes of this review. I wish I had been in possession of this set then, but as an armour novitiate, I'd probably have gone insane! It contains some pretty comprehensive "detail-up" parts for the exterior, with a great deal of emphasis on the turret and rear bulkhead. It consists of nine frets of PE, plus a small bag with some thin braided metal cable and three tiny springs that are tapered toward each end.

The spare smoke grenade box on the side of the turret is replaced with a super-detailed PE assembly with full interior detail, including individual grenades and working hinges. The two ready-ammo boxes at the front of the side stowage bins are replaced with PE alternatives, as are the bases on which they are tied down. The stowage bins themselves get new detailed handles, but don't forget to add the textured anti-slip coating to the top of the bins first if you plan on upgrading them.

The commander's M2 Browning is upgraded with a new cooling jacket, barrel handle, upper breech parts and ammo can with bracket. The gunner's L249 is similarly improved, with an incredibly detailed ammo-can for the 7.62mm ammunition, and a new mount for the gun to traverse upon, the rail for which is also replaced by a new PE part. On the top of the turret, the chunky hold-downs for the armoured electrical trunking are removed and replaced by new PE parts with cylindrical stand-offs made from 0.5mm that is not supplied. The kit smoke dischargers are mounted on new scale-thickness mounts, and the tow cables that are attached along the bottom edge of the turret sides get a set of more realistic hooks. The rear bustle is detailed with four PE rails for sundry equipment with tie-down handles placed between them on the turret back, and the infra-red detector on a pole in the centre of the turret back is given hinges that (in the real world) allow it to be folded flat for low clearance areas, and the instrument on the top is replaced by a rolled PE cylinder. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that sits on the rear of the turret is adorned by additional handles and vents, while the stowage are that it sits within is given a new mesh floor.

The coaxial machine-gun in the mantlet is shrouded in an armoured cover which is fashioned by rolling a piece of brass, and the cover that sits to the rear of the large angular mantlet is made up from a sheet of brass with a folded edge, and working hinges to allow it to conform to all elevations of the barrel. The tiny springs are inserted into the antennae bases to represent the flexible part of the mount that prevents damage to them from low hanging obstacles.

Moving to the engine deck, the various grilles are replaced by more detailed versions, with applique retaining bolts, realistic operating pull-handles on the various maintenance panels, tie-downs and hooks and retaining chain for the fuel and water filler-caps fore and aft. The fenders are given edge detail, and the curved rear section is replaced completely with a more detailed part with more working hinges, courtesy of a piece of 0.5mm rod that you will supply. At the rear of the vehicle, there are a number of grilles to vent heat from the engine, and these are all built up from individual slats and short lengths of 0.3mm rod, which are assembled on PE jigs for accuracy. These are added to the rear louvers, and the large central "hot" exhaust is given a deflecting bucket to prevent it sizzling accompanying troops, a problem that doesn't seem to have occurred to the original designers. This is often seen hanging off the rear of the turret bustle when not in use, and soon becomes rusty due to the extreme heat it has to contend with. The final parts are the circular rear light protectors with armoured cable conduit, plus a wrap-around fender piece with retaining chain.

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

M1A1 US Marine Corps Heavy Armament Set (Cyber Hobby 9125)

The Dragon kit is an older tooling of the Abrams, and this boxing has a set of US tank crew to sweeten the deal. The set is designed to bring the vehicle up to modern standards, and consists of eleven sheets of PE, a number of resin parts, a length of braided wire, 16 brass grenade launcher tubes and two small springs that taper at each end.

The set contains all the elements of the M1A1 US Army set above, but also adds the alternative smoke grenade launchers that are curious to Marine machines these days. The complex mounts are built up from PE parts, using some 0.6mm rod, and the resin launcher base is then added. Eight brass launcher tubes are then added, and it's worth noting that these have all been turned so that a nice crisp lip is evident on each one. Into these slide the resin grenades, which are long cylindrical parts with a concave tip. They project quite a way from the tubes, which gives them a peculiar look. The Marines have a Missile Countermeasure Device fitted where the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer is normally fitted in front of the gunner's hatch, and this is supplied as a rather nicely detailed resin item with delicate cooling vanes to the rear, which was wrapped separately in foam to protect it from damage. Additional PE parts in the form of carry handle, additional grilles on the sides, and of course the mount that attaches it to the circular port on the roof of the turret are added, and it is this part that causes USMC Abrams to be mistaken for M1A2s on occasion.

The other main difference between the sets is the inclusion of two additional circular parts on the outer faces of the drive sprockets, which project further than the drive teeth, increasing the overall diameter of the sprockets.

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

M1A1 USMC Snorkel Set

This is a small set that is presented in a small plastic clamshell box, as it mostly consists of resin, with a small fret of PE. The four resin parts make up the three extension tubes to the engine that are used by the Marines to ford deep water. The largest part with the direction altering adaptor handles the hot exhaust from the gas turbine engine, while the two thinner tubes attach to the upper engine deck with the aid of some nifty PE parts.

The resin on the tubes is very thin, and although well cast, there are a couple of bubbles here and there, and my example had a slight crack in the wall of one of the tubes. Nothing that can't be fixed with some super-glue, and a lot better than the clumsy looking kit parts with a full-length seam, but worthy of note.

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

M1A2 SEP US Army Set

This set is designed for the Dragon kit numbered 3536, and includes the majority of parts from the M1A1 sets, with a number of the additional parts from the USMC version, and some parts peculiar to this set alone. It consists of two larger sheets of brass, and ten smaller ones, a resin infantry telephone handset, three tapering springs and a length of braided wire.

Construction begins with the ammo and smoke grenade boxes, updates to the gunner's hatch, small weapons upgrades to the M2 and L249, smoke discharger mount and bustle-mounted stowage area from the other sets, augmented by two additional racks on the side of the area that take additional cans of fuel or water, complete with strapping, but not the cans themselves, which are supplied with the kit anyway. The mesh floor on the bustle rack is replaced by two parts from the set, and a louvered third section goes under the new SEP APU, which is also tweaked with a new stowage box with working hinges on top, and some grab handles.

The armoured conduit on top of the turret is different from the AIM, and has new tie-downs in different places accordingly, while the gunner and commander's hatches are updated with extra detail. The co-ax MG and mantlet cover are present, as are the replacement mesh grilles on the engine deck, side-skirt updates and general engine deck detailing with lugs, handles and retainers. The rear bulkhead gets the same louvers that are built on jigs, and the infantry telephone is also the same. The wrap-around fender parts, exhaust deflector and light protectors are present from the USMC set, and are joined by a small triangular sectioned appendage inboard of the left light cluster, the reason for which isn't immediately apparent to me at least.

M1A1/2 Bustle Rack Extension Set

Some Abrams are fitted with additional stowage space on the rear of the existing bustle rack, and styrene parts for the largest of these are included in the kit. This set replaces that rack with a much more detailed and scale accurate assembly, plus a couple of other smaller and simpler racks. It consists of two sheets of brass, six lengths of 0.7 brass wire, and two resin jerry cans.

The main rack, and also the one most likely to be used (mainly because it looks more professional) is made from a PE frame with mesh floor, and brass wire representing the tubular framework to support the weight of stowed gear. It attached to the back of the main bustle rack at three points, corresponding with three of the existing vertical rails, and is fitted with a pair of small mesh-floored side-panels for the stowage of fuel or water cans, complete with strapping to hold them in place. There is also a small rack made of L-shaped section and mesh that is seen carrying 2-4 jerry cans, and is welded to the bustle rack. Another rectangular racks are supplied as single pieces of etch, representing simple a L-shaped rack with mesh floor, and finally one large rack of similar simplicity that spans the full width of the turret can be built, again from one large piece of PE.

Crew personalisation has resulted in a number of "unofficial" solutions as well as the clearly well-engineered official rack extension, and this set gives the modeller plenty of options, which can be spread over a number of Abrams projects as you see fit.

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

M1A1/2 CIP Panel Set

Combat Identification Panels were created hastily during the first Gulf War, to enable crews looking through thermal imaging cameras to identify friendly forces by a dark panel with a lower heat signature than the rest of the vehicle. They were used a great deal by Abrams crews, who adorned their vehicles with them whenever they could.

The set is supplied on one thin gauge sheet of PE and includes parts to build three of the louvered panels, plus two of the type often found on the "cheeks" of the turret either side of the gun, which have raised corners. Two simple panels with rounded corners and one square panel are also included, and all but the front turret mounted panels have mounting loops. The louvered panels have straps with full buckle detail that are folded up from the supplied parts to give a realistic, working strap that is synched up around the railings on the side of the turret, as well as having a pair of weight bearing hangers on the rear.

The turret front panels are supplied as a sticker (not a decal) with all the Dragon kits, which is not the best thing to use for realism, and although the louvered panels are supplied in the AIM, USMC and SEP kits, they are made of styrene, and simplified for easy construction. Replacing them with these detailed assemblies should result in a much more realistic looking vehicle.

Available soon from White Ensign in the UK

Conclusion
Any M1 Abrams lover will be drooling by now, as these sets take a good kit and make it a great kit. The USMC specific sets add much needed detail to the early tooling, and either of the TUSK sets will result in a head-turner if done well. The CIP panels and bustle rack extensions allow personalisation to make your Abrams stand out from the crowd, and if you go crazy and order the lot, you'll have some of the most detailed, not to mention heaviest Abrams models around.

Very highly recommended.

Review Sample courtesy of