"M1 with 105mm gun colour/camouflage?" Topic

Hi

I am going to paint original M1 Abrams with 105mm gun in 15mm scale and I want it to look different from M1Ip, M1A1 and M1A2.

I plan to have a platoon of M1, M1IP, M1A1 and M1A2 and want them to look different from each other.

I found many photos where first M1s were served in Germany painted in plain green color. So are there any orginal M1s in Merdc camo? And will it be OK if I paint M1 in green, M1Ip in Merdc, M1A1 in woodland NATO camo and M1A2 in desert camo just to make them different from each other.

This isn't my area but…
From here link I get the understanding that the Merdc and NATO woodland patterns would be appropriate for the periods the M1IP and M1A1 entered service.

There are some good examples of MERDC here:
link

The M1s that shipped to Europe were indeed in a plain green scheme (in this case Forest Green FS34079). At least some M1s that were stateside received a pseudo-MERDC scheme in the Summer Temperate scheme (Light Green FS34151 base, with camo of Forest green FS34079 and small patches of Sand FS30277 and black FS37038). I say Pseudo because it was not a set pattern, but happened to use those colors (see: link

The IPM1 IIRC was also Forest Green, but at least some received the Euro 3-color scheme (I recall some IPM1s of the 28th Infantry Division in this scheme). I have some B&W photos that suggests the IPM1s might have gotten some sort of MERDC (the black squiggles look to be the same pattern), but I have no idea which MERDC scheme they received.

Damon.

The M1IP's we received from Europe in Fort Polk, La., for 3/77 Armor, 5th ID (M) to replace our M60A1's were in the Forest Green color. My new M1 was a Bravo Company Commander's tank from the 3rd ID (M) in Germany.

in '86 at Fort Hood, ours were Forest Green. After 2 days at the NTC they were a dust grey/tan

The one company of M1 IPs with 2/69 AR, 197th Mech (SEP) Bde when I was there, '85-'90, were the standard Euro 3- color scheme … as were all the vehicles in the Bde …

Thanx.