So, I'm looking at a tank, and need some part-source ideas...

[Diamondback]

I've been looking at trying to plan a tank build, and need some ideas--it's been described as a mix of an Abrams and a Leopard 2, with some features from a T-72 AA variant (Tunguska? ZSU-57-2?).

So, let's meet the enemy...


And with a little more modification, can't tell if those tubes are for TOW or Stinger:


I'm not necessarily concerned with "Screen Accurate"--I'm just looking for ideas for where one might start building this monster around an Abrams kit (if necessary stretching the main turret and possibly extending the M256's barrel), what the second turret might come from and what the real-world mechanics of making it work and managing to load both main and secondary magazines through that upper turret might be, along with cramming in the crew. (I'm assuming all weapons would be fitted with auto-loaders, which would free some room.)

I also have a few other ideas for "new' add-ons for the monster, like slapping the turret system onto an Assault Breacher hull, but I'm trying to make sense of the basic start-point first.

Also, point to anyone who sees the Easter-egg about the movies this design of "Super Abrams" was used in... LOL

[father ennis]

First off ,what scale are you going to build this in   Those road wheels look to be similar to the steel wheels from a Brumbar or you could just use Panzer IV roadwheels.  That would be a lot cheaper,unless you are willing to cast yourself up a full set. Using the Abrams as your base ,sheet plastic could be used to construct the turrets and body changes. Main gun from an M-60 or use a Lepord II  might be time consuming but can be done. Since all these kits are available in all three common scales you can take your choice. 1/35 is my preferred scale but its up to you. Hope this.is a help but if you need any help pm me and I'll do what I can.

[Diamondback]

FE, my absolute preference is 1/48 IF I can find the Tamiya kit in that scale and IF it can be reasonably reworked into a decent scale-model, 1/72 being "Plan B"--build philosophy was keep as much "stock Abrams" as possible at least for first-draft penciling--those side-skirts will help hide a lot (the actual prop vehicle was built on a chopped-down Freightliner truck chassis using rubber construction-equipment treads; mainly because real M1's are a little dicey to get a hold of LOL.)

OK, I'll tip my hand: the vehicle in question was used in both xXx: State of the Union (bad guys' "stealth tank") and Transformers (Brawl/Devastator, another bad-guy tank), and build is predicated on an assumption of keeping the Rheinmetall-RIA M256 120mm main gun. (Why downgrade? LOL) Maybe a Leopard muzzle-brake. TBH, I am a "Complete Fracking Noob" at Armor... I can tell a Lee/Grant from a Sherman from a Churchill, some PzIII/IV or Tiger variants, Maus, Sheridan and Abrams, but beyond that I'm lost being primarily a Death From Above specialist.

[LemonJello]

I'm no expert, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I'll throw my $0.02 in here:

If you're going with a 1/48 kit as the base, could a 1/72 Abrams donate the smaller, secondary turret?  It'd give you similar shapes to start from, I'd think.

Those tubes on the top of the second turret look to me like TOW tubes on a simple pintle mount.  Plenty of helo kits could donate those, or you could scratch some with Evergreen tubing.  Or, I'm pretty sure I have some 1/35 TOWs left over that could be donated.

Keep us updated as the build progresses.

[deathjester]

Yes, they definetely look like TOW tubes - the four pack should come with Lynx kits, and early Cobras.  Does the Airfix 1/48 Lynx have them??

[Diamondback]

LJ, it might, but then there's vertical clearance--apparently Turret II is also intended to be manned, albeit only by a single gunner is my guess. TF fans describe the upper bores as 37mm's, but that seems a little small for a DP or modern AA battery. (Maybe I should look at the Gepard SPAAG, too...)

At this point, I'm not even sure if I really want to TRY this--and if I do, I'm tempted to try to find the Transformers Leader Brawl figure (which is supposedly 1/24 in tank mode) to use as a reference...

[father ennis]

Diamondback,I think you should go for this build. However,I would suggest you go for 1/72 scale. You can find anything and everything in that scale and since it's a small scale for armour ,you can make it far more easily. I would suggest you make the turrets from laminated sheet which you then sand the angles on.  More importantly, it's cheaper and kits ate easier to find. It really looks to be a simple build and a good first attempt. Besides, if something goes wrong then you can go with the flow and still salvage it.   Give it a try ...

[Old Wombat]

This might be a bit rough but the main hull looks more Russian to me - T80, perhaps? The main turret's weapons are certainly M1-based, so that could be a starting point, &, maybe, M2 Bradley as a basis for the upper turret with a pair of 40mm guns. The TOW tubes could come from a helo or replace them with M1097 'Avenger' Stinger 4-packs (boxed, rather than individual launchers). It wouldn't look identical but it would have the same desired result.

I'd start with a 1/72nd build for this. Then, if you like the results, scale up to 1/48th.

[Diamondback]

Interesting thought, OW--part of why I'm kinda married to an Abrams chassis is that I'm assuming that if DOD or DARPA actually built one as a prototype they'd find it easier to start with a junkyard M1 than importing a T-72 or T-80. Idea's on the table and under consideration, though...

Hmm, if Italeri ever comes out with a real CH-53E (not a Sea Dragon) in 1/72 maybe I should kick that project over... build my Academy as "stock" and build the chopper to accompany it to fit the tank, rather than trying to backfit tank to bird. Better still would be if I could get it to work in 1/144 and somebody still made a C-5--or, maybe I can do a rough-cut with one of the Abramses that came with my 1/700 SkyWave C-5s for "scene work".

[Buzzbomb]

My first thought on the hull was a surplus BMP series, due to the smaller roadwheels.. but there are too many of them, a BMP has 6 roadwheels this has 7.. so a bit of a mystery so far.
Maybe it is Abrams based as the roadwheel count fits and scale could be all out due to the extra height.

But really looking forward to how you tackle this beastie.