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Ramon R. Lomeli
49 articles

Academy 1/35 scale M1A1 Abrams

January 6, 2014 · in Armor · · 14 · 3.8K

Hello all!
This is a kit that I built for a buddy. I took these pics before I applied the custom decals that I had made depicting a 2ACR tank from the Battle of 73 Eastings. I should have took more after decals, but they were just the bumper numbers and the chevrons...

Anyways, I had to scratch build a few things because I either lost them or they weren't in the box. The gear in the bustle rack is from an accessory set generously gifted to me from the president of the local club chapter, who is also my friend. The sand on the base is soil from my front yard.

This was my first ever armor kit, and I am mostly pleased with it. Of course, it wasnt until after I gave it to my buddy that I got a chance to talk with a tanker! Well, as long as my buddy liked it, then we can call it Mission Accomplished!

Cheers!

-Ramon

Reader reactions:
8  Awesome

6 additional images. Click to enlarge.


14 responses

  1. Beastie Beastie .
    A lovely job there Ramon, with nothing over the top.
    Well done sir.

  2. Very nice indeed Ramon, I'm sure your Buddy was very happy with it, so will you be building more armour? I think you should 😉

  3. Hi Ramon. A change from the helicopters you posted before. I only have a few armour kits that I have completed and if this is your first then I think you should continue. Turned out very well and the added gear and base adds that "lived in" look to give the model some life. Congratulations to your friend for getting to display this.

  4. thanks guys! i have a M2 Bradley that is next in line for the paint shop, when I get that s****r painted, i will post photos. armor is fun, but the tracks are a bit tedious!

  5. Ramon,
    This looks great. I will bet that your buddy is very pleased with it. I like the fact that you did not overdo the weathering on this. It is very easy and of course acceptable to really dirty up a tank. but sometimes, like in this case it just looks really nice. The real nice thing about building armor is that if you screw up a part or make a building boo boo, you can just throw some dirt on it or throw a tarp over the spot. Great job.

    • thanks, Frank! i envisioned this one just out of the loading docks, before they went across the berm. most of the sand and dust hasnt stuck to it yet. and yes, i find armor modeling more forgiving, as you cant see the mistakes under the rucksacks!

  6. Like the others have said, it's nice to see a tank that's not very dirty. This one looks heavy, just like the real thing.

  7. Ramon you captured the menacing look of the M1. Awesome tank, awesome build. I have this kit and the DML M1 as well. Haven't dabbled much in armor though I have a few in the stash. Have 2 Hummers that are coming along, and a Panzer IV L/70 on the bench. Something I work on when wanting a change of pace away from the aircraft projects. Will agree with the others on their comments, nice work.

    • thanks Chuck! it was a fun break from aircraft, so i might seek out a few more armor kits. i have a bradley not too far from being finished, and i have a few ww2 german kits that i might kit bash into something more suitable in a mad max universe. i will post them when finished!

  8. lovely weather and storage...fine work

  9. Nice smoke effect!

  10. Ramon, @anvil6 here it is, almost 5 years after your original posting. I'm sure your Buddy was VERY happy .. I know I would've been. I was on M1A1 (HA) tanks in Desert Storm, too. While still clean like a few days off of the boat, the tank still looks great. That was about HALF the gear they had us carrying, though! LoL! Out tanks looked like Gypsy wagons because of all the junk they gave us to carry. And the biggest things (a Saudi-supplied tent big enough for 6 & the poles for it, an extra tarp, a camo net & poles, 4 cots, etc.) only got used a couple times. In 5 months I used a cot ONCE, we put up the camo net exactly ONCE, and the only time we used the extra tarp was during the monsoon we went through. THAT one "extra" I was glad we had at the time. That was THE wildest storm I've ever been through. The wind was so strong, the raindrops were flying nearly parallel to the ground! And we could see numerous lightning flashes at the same time - several of which also stretched all across in front of us 180 degrees! I'll bet your Tanker Buddy remembers that storm, too.

    Anyway; well done, Sir!

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