Meng 1/35 Abrams M1A1 Aim

[digger303]

Great work sticking with the tracks - they really look worth the effort!

The whole beast is definitely starting to look the part

Take your time on the weathering and build it up slowly until you're comfortable & happy with it.

960 parts for the tracks.....wow, but they do look very good as does the build as a whole.
What look are you going for with the weathering ?

Thank you very much Gentlemen, I actually really enjoyed doing the tracks strange as it may seem to some.

I have found a few video clips of M1A1s in Afghanistan and all look fairly clean, maybe a dusting of sand and the occasional marks where the crew have climbed over it. I don't want to over do it but I want it to look used. This is all a bit new to me and I'm frightened of completely ruining what has been a really enjoyable kit so far.
Any guidance and/or tips would be most welcome!

I think in regards to weathering your right on the mark. These didn't chip up very much except where the tracks toss up small stones on the under side of the track guard and that,s mostly not seen. Perhaps a little on the side guards at the edges near the rear drive and inside the road wheels. Lots of dust if it's been in country and rubber track pads chopped a bit.
LOVELY BUILD

[RangerNeil]

Great work sticking with the tracks - they really look worth the effort!

The whole beast is definitely starting to look the part

Take your time on the weathering and build it up slowly until you're comfortable & happy with it.

960 parts for the tracks.....wow, but they do look very good as does the build as a whole.
What look are you going for with the weathering ?

Thank you very much Gentlemen, I actually really enjoyed doing the tracks strange as it may seem to some.

I have found a few video clips of M1A1s in Afghanistan and all look fairly clean, maybe a dusting of sand and the occasional marks where the crew have climbed over it. I don't want to over do it but I want it to look used. This is all a bit new to me and I'm frightened of completely ruining what has been a really enjoyable kit so far.
Any guidance and/or tips would be most welcome!

AFV's of any kind will have paint chipping around the edges of hatches, access covers and tow eyes. Also any hard points for securing external stuff. Lower front glacis will have marks - scratches and a few chips - from moving cross country Generally thats it. In action the end of the main gun barrel might be blackened and - depending on terrain there will be sand or mud etc on the flat upper surfaces and road wheels. Track will be age darkened or even rusty except where its in contact with the drive sprockets, idlers and road wheels. There it will have a bright burnished finish. Track pads will be chipped and scored.
Hope this helps.

[WordenB]

I think in regards to weathering your right on the mark. These didn't chip up very much except where the tracks toss up small stones on the under side of the track guard and that,s mostly not seen. Perhaps a little on the side guards at the edges near the rear drive and inside the road wheels. Lots of dust if it's been in country and rubber track pads chopped a bit.
LOVELY BUILD

AFV's of any kind will have paint chipping around the edges of hatches, access covers and tow eyes. Also any hard points for securing external stuff. Lower front glacis will have marks - scratches and a few chips - from moving cross country Generally thats it. In action the end of the main gun barrel might be blackened and - depending on terrain there will be sand or mud etc on the flat upper surfaces and road wheels. Track will be age darkened or even rusty except where its in contact with the drive sprockets, idlers and road wheels. There it will have a bright burnished finish. Track pads will be chipped and scored.
Hope this helps.

Thank you very much chaps, I really do appreciate your help. Unfortunately I fear I may have left it a bit late to do much to the track pads, i think pre assembly would have been the way to go. I've had a couple of links come apart whilst fitting them (it looks as if they were dodgy pins that I missed) so I'm reluctant to mess with them too much. Lesson learnt for next time. I have some bits to add to the railings and baskets to busy it up a bit and if I have time I would also really like to make a base and even add some figures.

[WordenB]

Getting close to the finishing date so thought I should update the thread.
I think the tank itself is pretty much done, I've had a go at weathering and am reasonably happy with some of it, other bits not so much but have had fun and learnt a lot. All of the reference pictures I have show spare track links and wheels on the turret sides so I made some up and added those (I had plenty of the faulty track parts left over). I also bought the Tamiya US modern military equipment set and added some stowage as the kit doesn't come with any.
I have some figures and if time allows would really like to make a base and add these before it goes in the finished section.

[aur0ra145]

Looking really good so far!

[digger303]

[Stokesy44]

Thats a cracking looking M1 mate. Great work.