Kit: No. 3535
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Dragon, from Dragon Models USA, 626-968-0322, www.dragonmodelusa.com
Price: $41.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 693 parts (105 photoetched, 4 formed metal, 1 paper)
Pros: Accurate, very detailed, good use of photoetch, many options and extras included, anti-skid texture molded on
Cons: Correct usage of optional parts not explained in instructions, many tiny parts
Dragon Models' M1A1 AIM is a new kit using no parts from the company's earlier Abrams releases.
The kit's well-detailed parts include dozens of options allowing you to build just about any M1A1 currently in service. Clear parts are provided for periscopes, head and taillights, and the clear hubcaps unique to the M1A1, a first in any Abrams kit. Dragon makes smart use of photoetched-metal parts for items like engine deck and turret basket screens. A turned-metal barrel is also included. Decals are provided for nine different vehicles, including eight serving in Iraq. Paper "stickers" are used for the turret-front IFF panels and a sheet of printed paper provides several MRE boxes. No figures are included.
The 19-step instruction diagrams are crowded and care needs to taken ensuring each step is completed. The instructions are vague about the location of some parts and I needed reference photos to correctly install them. Optional parts are included, but the instructions are not clear about which ones to use with which vehicles. Photos of specific M1A1s will help.
I started assembly with the lower hull, leaving off the running gear until the hull received a base coat. I assembled most of the upper hull but did not attach it to the lower hull until the tracks were installed.
Assembly of the turret was problem-free. The machine guns and rear turret basket were left off until final assembly. After painting the tank Tamiya's NATO green I installed the running gear. The "Magic Tracks" required the removal of a small sprue from each track link, and a small ejector pin mark on the inside of each link was easily removed with a sanding stick. The links fit together snugly but need to be glued; I built them like a set of link-and-length tracks and painted them before installation. I had a bit of trouble getting the links to fit properly on the drive sprockets.
The upper hull had a ridge under each fender near the front preventing it from fitting to the lower hull when the tracks were in place. Once they were removed everything fit fine.
The side shields are the most accurate of any M1A1 yet. Once they were installed I painted the camouflage colors using paper masks to get a hard edge. After the decals were applied, I washed and dry-brushed the model before airbrushing a very thin mixture of Tamiya desert yellow to simulate dust.
It took 29 hours to build Dragon's Abrams. The finished kit matches exactly the dimensions in Squadron/Signal's M1 Abrams in Action.
This is the best kit yet of a present day M1, but you'll need to be an experienced modeler to get the best out of the kit due to the large number of small parts. With all of the extra goodies provided in the kit, it is an exceptional value.
-John Plzak