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Forums - Modelling / Kits |
The kits forum is for the discussion of model kits. Typically questions on availability or certain subjects and quality of existing kits are posted here. Short reviews are good here too. |
| Topics | 1240 |
| Messages | 7575 |
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| Subject: | Re: M1A1 AH Abrams - best kits |  |
| Date: | Aug 14, 2005 |
| From: | Gino P. Quintiliani | |
Tamiya's new M1A1/A2 OIF kit is the easiest to build and the newest tooled. Not necessarily the best. They all have their goods and bads.
Tamiya's lacks the prominant anti-slip coating. It does come with a noce USMC MCD, APU, and soe modern stowage and two descent figures.
Dragon's is a close second to Tamiya. It is a little harder to build, but does have the anti-slip coating. All of Dragon's M1A1/A2s also come with a partial interior. The newest Dragon USMC M1A1 Baghdad kit also comes with a nice selection of gear, MRE boxes, and PE for the Bustle Rack Extension (BRE), however, the BRE is a US Army 3ID type, not USMC type. Dragon has also announced an all new tooled M1A1 to be out this fall. The M1A1 AIM will share most of its componenets with their recently released M1 Panther II mine clearing vehicle. Many improvements have been indicated over the Panther II as well. http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr3534.htm
Trumpeter is about on par with Dragon. It also has the mud relief holes in the rear sprockets. It also comes with some extra ammo boxes and gear.
Academy's is horrible. It has a sprue with some updated parts that are great for OIF, such as USMC Bustle Rack Extension, new style sprockets with mud relief holes, smoke grenades for launchers, USMC MCD, nice APU, etc. Other than the new items, it is the same old bad Academy kit with short M1 turret and old style T-156 tracks that haven't been used since the early 1990s.
Italeris is an improved copy of the Trumpeter M1A1HC.
Here is a side-by-side review of most M1Abrams kits out there.
http://vodnik2.republika.pl/pages/m1-comparison/m1comp1.htm
Review of new Tamiya M1A1/A2 OIF kit:
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/tamiya/tam35269.htm
Review of new Academy M1A1 Iraq, 2003 kit:
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/academy/acd13202.htm
Review of Dragon M1A1 USMC Bahgdad 2003 kit:
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr3533.htm |
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 | M1A1 AH Abrams - best kits - jose cesar - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . Re: M1A1 AH Abrams - best kits - Gino P. Quintiliani - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: M1A1 AH Abrams - best kits - jose cesar - Aug 21, 2005 |
| . . . Dragon's NEW M1A1 AH Abrams are the best kits - Saul Garcia - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Photos of why Dragon's NEW Abrams will be the best [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . more photos [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . even more photos [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Upper hull photos also [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Magic Tracks [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Last photo [IMG] - Saul Garcia - Aug 15, 2005 |
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