Hobby Craft HC6001 USMC M1A1 Abrams?

[Tankbuilder]

Shalom.

This is an interesting kit to assemble or try to assemble. Any one else build this kit?

I have a gap about 1mm high between the rear turret back D26 and the turret base B2. I don't think that gap is supposed to be there. Unless the bottom od the rear turret basket fits into that gap. Does it?

Also, are the tops of the large side tool boxes supposed to be level with the top of the turret rooof?

I'm also wondering, is this kit a clone of the Tamiya M1A1 kit #35156 (ODS)?

Thanks and cheers from Peter

 

[Tankbuilder]

Shalom.

This is an interesting kit to assemble or try to assemble. Any one else build this kit?

I have a gap about 1mm high between the rear turret back D26 and the turret base B2. I don't think that gap is supposed to be there. Unless the bottom od the rear turret basket fits into that gap. Does it?

Also, are the tops of the large side tool boxes supposed to be level with the top of the turret rooof?

I'm also wondering, is this kit a clone of the Tamiya M1A1 kit #35156 (ODS)?

Thanks and cheers from Peter

Shalom.

If anyone was/is interested in this topic.

Well I have it all figured out after looking at a lot of images and zooming in on the details.

The gap should not be there and i undid the joints and reglued them and used small bar clamps to hold it all together until the glue fully cures.

The tops of the tool boxes appear to be level with the rest of the turret roof.

This Hobby Craft kit is a clone of the Trumpeter kit.

Cheers from Peter

 

[jknaus]

Sorry no Peter. Can you put a plastic shim in? I think the only HB kit I have actually built is the RK7.
James

 

[moon puppy]

No help either Peter but thanks for the heads up.

 

[Tankbuilder]

Shalom.

Well, I used Tamiya liquid cement to loosen the joints of the rear turret panel and then used two small bar clamps to close that gap. It should be okay tomorrow after the glue has cured again.

Here're two images showing the bar clamps holding the now closed gap that was on the bottom of the vertical rear turret piece.





Cheers from Peter

 

[moon puppy]

No wonder those things are so tough, they tough to put together!

 

[Tankbuilder]

Shalom fellow armour modellers.

I've done some more research on this beast and also on this kit. If you build it OOB you'll have an interesting model of a very early M1A1 in a TRAINING role.

This is because Hobby Craft includes a Hoffman training device over the main gun barrel This is not, repeat NOT, smoke dischargers as the instructions state. Another interesting item are the three antenna rods (that's what the instructions call them) that you make from stretched sprue and that fit lengthwise between two kit parts and this assembly then goes onto the commander's .50 caliber machine gun. Ah, believe it or not this assembly is actually a blank firing device for the .50 caliber machine gun. Great parts if you want to depict a tank in training but not so great to have on a combat tank.

For an early M1A1 you get an auxilary power box assembly to go on the right rear of the hull. You also get two perforated discs to place (one each) on the outside of the rear drive wheels. These were to aid in keeping the track on but were soon dispensed with.

The worst thing about this kit is the poly hubcaps to keep the road wheels on. Since these are separate from the wheel you get a slight gap that should not be there in the center of each wheel.

The turret roof blast doors also have three protrusions each that should be removed unless you're building an early M1A1 tank.

Cheers from Peter

 

[moon puppy]

And at this point, I have to add

:nopics

 

[Tankbuilder]

And at this point, I have to add

:nopics

I didn't include images because I started this as BUILD thread not a review. I'll post some images of the parts I was talking about in the post I made above.


Here's an image of the rear of the turret with the clamps removed and the gap closed up. I'm glad I didn't need to putty this.




Here is an image of the road wheel showing the separate hub cap. For more accuracy the hub cap should be part of the wheel and not a separate piece.




Here is an image of the two turret blast doors. These are for an early M1A1 variant and the 3 large circular objects on each door should be removed for any later variant.




Here is an image of the instructions for the auxilary power unit (APU) that was only on early M1A1 tanks.




Here is an image of the track guard on the drive wheel. In the photo above with the road wheels you can see this track guard part on the right of the image. I will not be using these unless I decide to build an early M1A1.

With the track guard:



Without the track guard:




On to the parts for a training variant.

Here're the instructions for the .50 cal. HMG blank firing device attachment:




Here're the instructions for the Hoffman training device for the main gun:



Remember that neither the blank firing device nor the Hoffman device would be fitted to tanks in combat.

Cheers from Peter

 

[reconron]

Here're the instructions for the .50 cal. HMG blank firing device attachment:

Pivoting .50 machine gun?Cool!

,Peter!


Greetings,Ron.

 

[moon puppy]

And at this point, I have to add

:nopics

I didn't include images because I started this as BUILD thread not a review.

Cheers from Peter

Personally I don't get the difference. Some of the best reviews you can get is a build thread. Thanks Peter

 

[Tankbuilder]

And at this point, I have to add

:nopics

I didn't include images because I started this as BUILD thread not a review.

Cheers from Peter

Personally I don't get the difference. Some of the best reviews you can get is a build thread. Thanks Peter

Shalom.

Good too know that people don't mind that sort of stuff being included in a build thread. I didn't think thy'd want images along with the text. I'll keep it in mind as I continue this and any other builds I post.

Thanks and cheers from Peter