Started working on my Christmas present from my wife.

Along with photo's, I will also be using the repair and parts manuals for the actual vehicle to add some of the missing details. Don't know what the end product is going to be, whether it will be in a diorama or a stand alone vehicle.

Added cables to the Power Control Unit, Thermal Electronics Unit, Line-Of-Sight Electronics Unit, and Electronics Unit





Plumbing, cables, fuel cell heat shield added to engine compartment.







Sound suppressor added to engine compartment wall



Fuel cells access plates added









Questions and comments are always welcome.

Wow! This one will be a beauty! But I do wonder how much of these goodies will be visible through the hatches... I suppose you plan to open up the engine compartment?

Keep us posted mate!

Mario

Yes Mario, the engine compartment will be open and the engine out. Unfortunately unlike Dragons latest Abrams having all the engine deck hatches separate, RFM's kit has some of the hatches molded to the upper hull. I have to try and separate them from the hull with out damaging them.

Slowly working my way forward in the hull and started a little bit in on the turret. I haven't even touched the engine yet!

This is going to look awesome Pete. Another masterpiece. I'll have to use your detail photos when I get to mine.

All of that pipework and cabling really take this to the next level. Nice work.

Nice scratching!

I'm calling the engine bay DONE! I might add the bolt holes around the final drive before I paint the bay, but for now, it is finished.







Started on the Engine:



Re-did the "COMM's" by replacing the kit VIC system with boxes from Shapeways Michael Goldberg CALLSIGN:MikeyBugs95:

Another update on the new RFM M1A1/A2 Abrams with full interior. I'm working on this one in-between the ODS 1991 Abrams review/build feature for here, Thunder Run museum project and commission work for 2 M1A2 Abrams, with with TUSK I and one with out.

Engine bay finished and painted:









Drivers compartment with first coat of paint:





Started adding missing components in, under, and around the turret basket:





Gunners sight attached, cabled up, and painted:



Turret basket with first coat of paint:



SINCGARs all cabled up and painted:

One word: Awesome!

This one is looking great too. I am liking the Rye Field kits more and more. I have this one and the ODS version as well. I may have to get started on them soon.

What colors are you using to paint the interior?

Mike

Mike,
Tamiya plain Flat White is for the interior. I know that the real thing is painted gloss white in the interior, but after a lot of use, all the grime and dirt accumulates inside and settles to the bottom and dulls the gloss white down.

Outstanding! Great attention to detail! Thanks for showing your work. I saw your post about the RFM Desert Storm kit. I just got both of these kits & intend to make one into my panzer from Desert Storm, with A Trp. 1/4 Cav. Problem is, we weren't near any CNN o other photographers, we were really small with only 12 M1A1 Heavies (9 spread between A & B Troops) and I've only been able to find 1 (count 'em - ONE) picture of our tanks. My driver has a bunch of photos although I don't know if his pics are of our tank or everything ELSE over there. It's a moot point as he disappeared into the bowels of Ft.Riley when we got back & I never spoke to him again or saw his pictures. Anyway, I certainly enjoy seeing your work!

A few more in-progress shots of my 1/35 RFM M1A1 Abrams with full interior. Still a lot more to go but I am going to have to work on this between 4 other priority projects I have, a commission work of 2 Abrams, 2 Panda Models build reviews, Another M1A1 Abrams and M113A2 for the Ft. Stewart museum project, and some figures for a friend.

That looks awesome Pete. Talk about a mass of wires under the turret. I think you may have missed one though.

Very nice, when I get back up and running and modeling again, this may be one of the first I dive into.

Pete, that is phenomenal work sir!

Regards,

Eric

Pete, Great work. I just started mine and your giving me a lot of inspiration. I have a question, i want to use the extra parts from the Academy kit I just build and a Bronco CREWS unit from the parts bin and make the Ryefields kit a V2, do you know of any obvious internal differences between the A2 and the A2 V2 ? Mark

Mark,
I not sure how the CROW's control monitor is integrated with the TC'x CITV screen, so that may be the biggest difference between the two versions.

Reference pictures I find show different screens but doesn't say what version they are.

I just picked this kit up at my local hobby store and to see it in person was jaw dropping!The amount of details and parts was out of this world.I was never really a Abrams fan but within the last 2 weeks I've bought 3 kits 2 from rye field ,and I'm waiting for my m1a2 tusk version to be delivered and a dragon m1a2 SEP.Im loving this build can't wait to see it finished!!

@Pete Becerra: Pete, I know this is an older thread, but having just picked up (December 2017) this Rye Field M1A1/A2 w/ Interior myself, wondering if you ever finished this bad boy, and if you wouldn't mind posting some pictures of the finished tank. I would really love to see how it looked, all done. The work you did up to the last posts was just spectacular!

Yes. I only see the blocked notice from photo bucket as well

Hello, he has the pics in his Photobucket, just click the link to his webpage. Quite a nice build...

Thank you. Got it now I can see the photos. Yes! Very nice build and very informative

Looking awesome! I keep waiting for you to finish it.
One question, how did you do the heat shields around the fuel tanks?
Ken.