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USMC M1A1HA Abrams in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Decal Sheet No. T35004
Review by Terry Ashley

Echelon
Echelon Fine Details have released their second sheet with markings for six M1A1HA Abrams from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF) during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

The decal sheet is of excellent quality with clear well printed markings with good colour register and very thin carrier film that is cropped close to the edge of the printed image that should react well with any decal setting solution.

The sheet has full markings for six vehicles which include the unit chevron markings, vehicle registration numbers plus the individual artwork applied to the barrel fume extractor on most vehicles. Also included is a good selection of stencilling including warning labels for the External Auxiliary Power Unit (EAPU), Shipping labels, Missile Counter Device ”dazzler” (MCD) and warning labels for the CIP panels, barrel inspection date markings and a selection of generic registration stencils for a range of fine stencilling usually seen only on aircraft decal sheets.

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Of special note as well as the decals themselves is the instruction sheet entirely in colour with small images of the six vehicles as well as illustrations of each showing the location of the individual decals and stenciling plus larger diagrams of the EAPU, MCD and CIP panels showing their stencil data location.

The vehicles included on the sheet are:

  1. Platoon Commander, 2nd Platoon, C Company, 2nd Marine Tank Battallion, 1st Marine Division.
    Has the vehicle name “Sinister Minister” on the fume extractor and a large array of kill markings on the right turret face with the vehicle in overall sand.
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  2. Platoon Commander, 3rd Platoon, C Company, 2nd Marine Tank Battallion, 1st Marine Division.
    Has the vehicle name “Big Pito” on the fume extractor and “Lil Pito” on the co-ax MG tube with the vehicle in overall sand.
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  3. Unidentified B Company tank.
    Has the vehicle name “Kitten Rescue” on the fume extractor with the vehicle in overall sand.
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  4. 2nd Platoon, D Company, 1st Marine Tank Battallion, 1st Marine Division.
    Has the vehicle name “4 Play” on the fume extractor and larger unit numbers on all four corners with the vehicle in overall sand.
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  5. Tank of Executive Officer, D Company, 1st Marine Tank Battallion, 1st Marine Division.
    Has the vehicle name “Saddamizer” on the fume extractor and reclining girl silhouette of the front and rear fenders with the vehicle in overall sand.
    Echelon
  6. B Company, 1st Marine Tank Battallion, 1st Marine Division.
    Has the vehicle name “Hard Lighter” on the fume extractor and large skull charactures on the turret front plates, although the name does not appear on the fume extractor in some photos it was obviously added later and there are two types of skull image with and without the shading so you can add this yourself if you wish or depict the artwork without shading as it appeared at one stage. This Abrams is also fitted with mine plow on the hull front with the vehicle also in overall sand.
    Echelon
Conclusion:
An excellent sheet with well printed and researched markings that along with the detailed colour instruction sheet with a good choice of markings which could well see you building more than one Abrams to make full use of the sheet and just the thing for the Dragon or Tamiya kits of the USMC M1A1.

Highly Recommended.

Click on images for larger view of the real Vehicle
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Thanks to Larry of Echelon Fine Details for the review sample.



Page created 22 April 2004

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