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REVIEW
Dragon M1A1 AIM
Teacher
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 05, 2003
KitMaker: 4,924 posts
Armorama: 3,679 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 09:45 PM UTC
You''ve enjoyed the anticipation, you''ve had the preview................... now it''s time for the review you''ve been waiting for. The Dragon M1A1 AIM.

Dragon M1A1 AIM



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
Gunny
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: July 13, 2004
KitMaker: 6,705 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 09:49 PM UTC
Great review, Jim, thanks!
So far, looks to be as good as promised. How about a full build review now, mate?
~Gunny
Teacher
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England - North West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 10:01 PM UTC
A full build of the model will obviously be posted eventually. He's only had it a couple of days.

Vinnie
viper29_ca
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New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: October 18, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 10:08 PM UTC
Why do I have the feeling that not "IF", but "WHEN" I buy this, that its going to relegate my other 5 Abrams kits way to the bottom of the pile???? LOL

NIce kit, PE, metal barrel, and indy link tracks....what more could you ask for?????
pascalbausset
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Moselle, France
Joined: February 05, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 10:53 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You''ve enjoyed the anticipation, you''ve had the preview................... now it''s time for the review you''ve been waiting for. The Dragon M1A1 AIM.

Dragon M1A1 AIM



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!



Many thanks, but where we can buy this marvellous thing ?
TIA
pascal
keenan
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Indiana, United States
Joined: October 16, 2002
KitMaker: 5,272 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 11:04 PM UTC
Just about all the hobby shops are taking preorders on the interwebs...

Shaun
Epi
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Texas, United States
Joined: December 22, 2001
KitMaker: 3,586 posts
Armorama: 2,556 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 11:04 PM UTC
Hey Teach, great pick on the reviewer!!!!!! Jim, you did a great job, I enjoyed reading your review!!!!!!!

If I remember correctly, I'm not sure if Pawel told me personally or posted it here, the "7201 U" that you mentioned Jim, is his birthday month and year. He wanted to add a personal touch.

Oh, and of course all the measurements should match what you have in your books, I spent several days out in the Texas heat with a camera and a tape measure on the Abrams we have here in our motorpool. My knees are killing me from jumping up and down off that thing. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

It really makes me feel so good that I had a small part in this kit by reading all what you are saying about it.

Mark,
Rob and I are in the middle of building ours right now, and Rob has been posting pictures of it in another thread.
BroAbrams
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Washington, United States
Joined: October 02, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 11:21 PM UTC
Pascal, SprueBrothers.com has it in pre-order for $32. It should be out by the end of the month, from what I understand.
Vodnik
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Warszawa, Poland
Joined: March 26, 2003
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 11:23 PM UTC

Quoted Text

If I remember correctly, I'm not sure if Pawel told me personally or posted it here, the "7201 U" that you mentioned Jim, is his birthday month and year. He wanted to add a personal touch.



That's correct, but in fact this number is as correct as any other above about 6000 or maybe even lower. One of the tanks for which markings are provided had 6186 U turret number, another had 7121 U. Usually M1A2 tanks have higher numbers and I have a photo of M1A2SEP tank with turret number 10,255 U (yes, with the coma!). The number will be changed to something above 9000 for M1A2SEP release.
Of course I can't be sure that turret 7201 U was used on M1A1HC (and not on early M1A2) and that this tank was already re-built as AIM, but who knows? Maybe it was


Quoted Text

Oh, and of course all the measurements should match what you have in your books, I spent several days out in the Texas heat with a camera and a tape measure on the Abrams we have here in our motorpool. My knees are killing me from jumping up and down off that thing. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)


Thanks a lot once again for that!

Pawel
Petition2God
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Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 11:34 PM UTC
Great review! It makes me impatient even more. This kit will arguably be the best 1/35 modern armor kit ever produced! I don't know how other manufacturers will compete with DML when it comes down to Abrams now.
jazza
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Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: August 03, 2005
KitMaker: 2,709 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 02:54 AM UTC
I can see what you mean when you say the build instruction can at first appear overwhelming.

Based on the price thats currently set in US dollars, i can only fear what the final price would be in NZ dollars.
mightymouse
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British Columbia, Canada
Joined: June 25, 2006
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 03:51 AM UTC
God, yet another model I am compelled to purchase... I've spent way too much money in this summer on models. Oh well, what else am I going to do with my money?
GunTruck
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California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 05:52 AM UTC

Quoted Text

A full build of the model will obviously be posted eventually. He's only had it a couple of days.

Vinnie



Heh heh - actually - it came in last night's mail delivery! I promised Vinnie I wouldn't do anything until I got that review done and up on Armorama. I stayed up late last night checking and typing early this morning until 15 minutes before work!

Mark - I'm salivating over building this one up - already got a little plastic trimmed away...

Huge thanks to Dragon for sending Armorama this review sample!

Jim
Gunny
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: July 13, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 03:14 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Mark - I'm salivating over building this one up - already got a little plastic trimmed away...

Jim



I'll bet, my friend!
I've been following along with all the announcements, reading the previews, and other comments of this anticipated kit...and I'm really anticipating seeing exactly what a master like yourself can do with the kit, Jim. Thanks again to you and DML for the experience!
~Gunny
ok3wire
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Washington, United States
Joined: October 31, 2004
KitMaker: 4 posts
Armorama: 3 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 12:12 AM UTC
Sorry, but I need clarification: your coment about "Code '7201 U'" doesn't mean anything to me. What are you talking about? Could these be the panel like markings which appear on many of the photos of the Abrams (often shown with either green or brown corner markings)? Do these panels/markings have a name for those of us well versed in the M1A1 Abrams?

Thanks,

Bob
StukeSowle
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Washington, United States
Joined: November 08, 2002
KitMaker: 599 posts
Armorama: 357 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 12:38 AM UTC
Here's a pretty detailed blog over on PlanetArmor for those of you chewing at the bit to see it:

http://www.planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2360

Burik
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: March 12, 2002
KitMaker: 1,437 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 12:43 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Sorry, but I need clarification: your coment about "Code '7201 U'" doesn't mean anything to me. What are you talking about?
Bob



Bob, I think this is a serial number welded onto the turret near the front. So, on the model it would be molded onto the plastic and not a decal.

Bob
barron
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Virginia, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 666 posts
Armorama: 598 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 01:45 AM UTC
This kit looks great. I hope DML will start redoing their other Modern Armor kits like the t-72,T80 ect. Thanks DML on a job well done.
Trisaw
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California, United States
Joined: December 24, 2002
KitMaker: 4,105 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 02:36 AM UTC
I saw it built up (but unpainted) in a hobby shop. The amount of detail, open hatches, sleek lines, and fine touches really make the model look like it's worth the price. It's quite large too.

What makes the DML M1A1 AIM impressive is how the PE and extra parts just add "layers of detail." This kit is not some hollow shell.

ShermiesRule
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Michigan, United States
Joined: December 11, 2003
KitMaker: 5,409 posts
Armorama: 3,777 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 07:30 PM UTC
I was looking at doing my first modern built and thought this kit would be a good start. I want to add a humvee too, but that's for another discussion later.

Using one of the designer's birthday as a casting mark is not too far off the mark actually kind of cool. As I understand it the casting mark is the "birthday" of the piece being used in the up-armoring. I didn't think it went back to 1972 but more like the 90s. I suppose that is why the reviewer said that error needed to be changed to 95xx.

Too bad the designer's birthday didn't fall within the proper period or it would have been perfect.
210cav
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Virginia, United States
Joined: February 05, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 07:42 PM UTC
Jim-- as always, you did a great job. Many thanks
DJ
Jurgen
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Limburg, Belgium
Joined: October 29, 2003
KitMaker: 651 posts
Armorama: 510 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 21, 2006 - 04:59 AM UTC
loved reading the review, thanks...

(I think this is gonna be my christmas present looking at the creditcardbill my wife used last week)

dexter059
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Region de Valparaiso, Chile
Joined: July 28, 2005
KitMaker: 1,569 posts
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Posted: Thursday, December 21, 2006 - 07:39 AM UTC
Got my beast too. I was very happy to see it in my LHS just a couple of months after its international realease. Guess it will be a great project for summer break. What can I say, I alredy studied the box and the only thing I didn´t like was the instruction sheet,

Cheers
Jurgen
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Limburg, Belgium
Joined: October 29, 2003
KitMaker: 651 posts
Armorama: 510 posts
Posted: Monday, December 25, 2006 - 07:29 AM UTC
GOT IT!!!



this is gonna be sooooo SWEEEET to build....
(me and my Abrams addiction)
amoz02t
#192
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Kentucky, United States
Joined: November 25, 2009
KitMaker: 1,383 posts
Armorama: 1,281 posts
Posted: Monday, October 20, 2014 - 12:21 PM UTC
I guess this has been discussed, but was told 10-20-2014 that the new 3535 is shipping today. 1/35 M1A1 AIM Abrams - All New Tooling w/Bonus Parts



Dragon USA online and eBay both running under $70 US

 _GOTOTOP