Forces of Valor Pays Tribute to the Abrams

lightning2000 · Post by **lightning2000** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:21 am

<img src="http://www.themotorpool.net/v/vspfiles/ ... 005H-1.jpg" align="left">
Forces of Valor Pays Tribute to the Abrams 
In an unexpected but certainly welcome move, Unimax has decided to bring back the M1A1 Abrams tank as part of their 2009 lineup. Painted in a scintillating desert sand camouflage scheme, the first issue Abrams tank has become one of the most important vehicles in the Forces of Valor range, and as a result one of the most coveted. Its quite possible the Abrams has been brought back to serve as the focal point for a potential Operation Iraqi Freedom Commemorative Series, although this would necesitate the resurrection of the Challenger, Humvee and Iraqi T-72 tank. Time will tell if this is the course of action Unimax plans to adopt....[posted 1/25/2009]

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.net

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:09 am

Thanks for the info Lightning, I had no idea the Abrams was one of FOV's more popular or sought after items, I know I have a couple around here someplace and I guess I will hang onto them.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:54 pm

I'm liking the weathering (or lack of it) a little better on the Unimax series than the previous ones, so this should be nice.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:53 pm

Found that same tank last year at Target, one of those enthusiast pieces in an action grade box. The weathering is perfect and the tank captures the look of a Desert Storm era M1 wonderfully. It is one of my favorite FOV modern tanks.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:18 pm

Wish they would do the late model Abrams like their 1:72 piece.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:47 am

I'm not siure what you mean Rows.... But it would be nice if they deepened the turret wells a bit.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:30 pm

ltcbj wrote:I'm not siure what you mean Rows.... But it would be nice if they deepened the turret wells a bit.

I mean the thermal vision pod or whatever it is you see on most Abrams now. It is located at the front left side of the turret top. The older FOV version just has a flat round panel where it sits. You can see it in this pic of a TUSK upgraded Abrams. They have it on the 1:72 model. Anyhow a TUSK upgraded M1 would be sweet as well.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... 165522.jpg

Ruger · Post by **Ruger** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:41 pm

I believe you are speaking of the CITV (Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer). It's the most noticable difference between the M1A1 and the M1A2. Some Marine M1A1's have something in the same place, but what exactly it is slips my mind at the moment. The Marine do not have any M1A2's, unless of course they aquired them very recently and it hasn't "hit the presses" yet.

MV

Ruger · Post by **Ruger** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:55 pm

Ok, I knew I could find info on the "other" things that can be mounted in place of the CITV. From Wikipedia:

In addition to the advanced armor, some Abrams, are equipped with a Missile Countermeasure Device that can impede the function of guidance systems of semiactive control line-of-sight (SACLOS) wire and radio guided anti-tank missiles (Russian AT-3, AT-4, AT-5, AT-6 and the like) and thermally and infrared guided missiles (ATGM).[8] This device is mounted on the turret roof in front of the Loader's hatch, and can lead some people to mistake Abrams fitted with these devices for the M1A2 version, since the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer on the latter is mounted in the same place, though the MCD is box-shaped and fixed in place as opposed to cylindrical and rotating like the CITV.

I still think there is something specific about the Marine Corps version, but that will take more looking.

MV

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:25 pm

The Marine Corps version is better....

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:22 pm

Ruger wrote:Ok, I knew I could find info on the "other" things that can be mounted in place of the CITV. From Wikipedia:

In addition to the advanced armor, some Abrams, are equipped with a Missile Countermeasure Device that can impede the function of guidance systems of semiactive control line-of-sight (SACLOS) wire and radio guided anti-tank missiles (Russian AT-3, AT-4, AT-5, AT-6 and the like) and thermally and infrared guided missiles (ATGM).[8] This device is mounted on the turret roof in front of the Loader's hatch, and can lead some people to mistake Abrams fitted with these devices for the M1A2 version, since the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer on the latter is mounted in the same place, though the MCD is box-shaped and fixed in place as opposed to cylindrical and rotating like the CITV.

I still think there is something specific about the Marine Corps version, but that will take more looking.

MV

Great info thanks!