Urban Combat Abrams M1A8 (Urban)--- Finished

[buzzbomb]

Another of the type of machines I have been hankering to do, largely inspired by the description of the advanced Abrams in the Weapons of Choice series of books.

I have read several articles around the web about how Main Battle tanks are not really suited to urban situations, the main gun not having enough elevation to target taller buildings and the available ammo not being perhaps of the right type.
So I decided to use a pair of larger calibre autocannons, probably 50-75mm, with increase elevation. I reckon that an autocannon could chew up a building pretty well. It looks a bit Sgt York, but works for me.
Also planning to add a dozer blade

So it is bit like the Russian T-72 Urban Vehicle the BMPT in a ways

Plus I plan to add some point defences and anti missile/personel subturrets, using a type of Metal Storm defence.
Finally I plan to add bar armour over the turret and sides.. just in case one does get through.. besides it looks sexy.

Anywaysss...I put saw to plastic starting out with an older 1/35 Italeri M1 Abrams and this is where I am at as of now



Turret Mods.. I removed the gun sight box as it was not needed and plated over it


Fixing the texture over the new plate with some green putty and laquer thinners stippled in.


Soldering up the bar armour


And yes.... it will get an urban camo scheme based on the Berlin Brigade type pattern.. that is really where I am up to as from past experience with the Berlin Brigade scheme, you cannot have too much detail on or masking becomes a nightmare of Tim Burton proportions.

More shortly.. I hope

Cheers BT

[Joe C-P]

 
Keep going! 

[lenny100]

look good keep going

[Weaver]

Wow - neat project.

How about a .50 cal sniper rifle on a precision remote-mount for proportional response, i.e. kill the sniper without dropping half his building onto the school playground next door?

[nev]

Bar armour and urban camo?  Good luck mate, you'll need it............ *shudders*

[Sauragnmon]

Oooo I like the twin autocannon fitting... and to think Chris and I were joking not an hour or two back about fitting some interesting monster turrets to some of the known tanks of the world...

[batmancustoms]

awesome my man!

[philp]

Looking  good BT.  Think you can get it done in time for the Whiffies this year?

[ChernayaAkula]

Whoa! Cool project!

Really like the Metal Storm turrets!

Weaver's idea of a remote-controlled sniper weapon sounds pretty cool, too. 

[buzzbomb]

Thanks for the encouragement so far.

I intend to put a remote Weapons station on with a standard .50 cal.

Well the urban camo is pretty much done.. even went a little digital. Not as hard as it look really just a lot of masking but to my eye worth the effort



next is putting on all the major components after painting them now I know what colours are where

[sudzonic]

WOW that paint job is stunning nice work 

[Logan Hartke]

That looks awesome, buzzbomb.  The colors are almost the same as the Czech Hinds that I love.

Cheers,

Logan

[frank2056]

Wow, this is a great idea and the camo looks fantastic! Are you going to leave it as a relatively low contrast paint job, or go with the higher contrast dark gray/light gray version?

[Sauragnmon]

Man, that camo is absolutely wicked.  Seven shades of awesome.  Definately Bravo Zulu on that.

[Taiidantomcat]

Gorgeous Camo  I love the cylinders you added to the turret corners up front-Ingenious