Meng Abrams M1A2 SEP Tusk II Build in 1/72 Scale

Every manufacturer in the 1/72 armor game seems to have issued an M1 Abrams in one version or another, often many types. In 2023 Meng threw their hat into the ring with their M1A2 SEP Tusk II. This kit looks great in the (end opening) box, let’s see what’s inside.

The hull is built up from flat pieces, a perfectly reasonable approach given the low-slung design of the Abrams. The parts are well-molded with sharp details and are flash-free.

Tracks are molded in sections, there are no individual links to assemble as the runs over the drive and return rollers are molded in short, curved sections.

I assembled the hull tub and weighted it with BBs and casting resin to give it some heft.

Here is a simple trick to get the gears on the drive sprockets to align properly using a drill bit as a guide. When the bit rests perpendicular to the sides of the sprocket your gear teeth will line up and the track will fit properly.

The kit goes together well with no surprises. The kit has the option to pose the turret hatches open, but any crew figures will have to be sourced separately. I have gone around the edges of the armored glass panels with a black Sharpie to eliminate refractions and masked the panels with Tamiya Tape.

The model was sprayed with a thin layer of Mr. Surfacer 1000 to check for flaws. The only fit issue on my build was the tabs holding the turret in place had to be shaved back to allow the turret to rotate.

The color is tan, tan is the color. Not a lot to this camo but it looks good on an Abrams!

There are a few ammo boxes and Jerry cans included with the Meng Abrams but not much else in terms of stowage. I supplemented these with Value Gear and Dragon bits along with some masking tape tarp rolls to fill up the bustle. The Meng kit fits great, goes together well, and looks the part when done.

Completed model photos here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/11/18/meng-abrams-m1a2-sep-tusk-ii-in-1-72-scale/

Picture of the Week 96

On 29OCT43 this U.S. Navy Coranado flying boat lost its starboard wing float while landing in Jamaica Bay, New York and rolled onto its side. Here a U.S. Coast Guard boat is attempting to right the Coranado. Note the crewmen on the engine and securing the tow line under the wing, one has to wonder how they climbed up there.

Tankenstein Vehicles of the Russia Ukrainian War Part VII

Welcome to the seventh installment of the Tankenstein Vehicles of the Russia Ukrainian War series, we’ll call this one the “bad hair day” edition. Passive drone defenses have become standard equipment, but the actual construction is anything but standard, plus there are a few vehicles from earlier in the conflict. All make for interesting modeling projects for scratch building and conversions.

That’s dread, mon! This crew has added steal cable “dreadlocks” to a typical “cope cage”, providing layered anti-drone protection. The cables form a barrier while still retaining their flexibility and not impairing movement of the turret. Plate armor covers the running gear.

Another version of wire cables protect this T-72. The reactive armor on the side skirts has been augmented with unwound wire rope “split ends”. Camouflage netting and a mine plow complete the look, suggesting this vehicle may be intended for breakthrough operations.

Another view of the same T-72 from the rear, showing the unwound cable has also been applied to the overhead protection. Multiple views of the same vehicle are invaluable for modeling purposes.

Business in the front, party in the rear! This T-72 wears a mullet constructed of steel cables along with additional side skirts.

A factory fresh BMP-2 with a high cope cage and netting. Slat armor on the hull was originally conceived as protection against RPG rounds, but all these measures are potentially effective against both drones and missiles of many types.

This T-80 employs a variety of protective measures to increase survivability. Reactive armor covers the hull and turret. The cope cage has been enhanced with wire netting, the hull sides are protected with slat armor. Rubber skirts have been added to the hull front, and camouflage netting helps reduce visibility.

A view of captured Russian vehicles from the early stages of the Special Military Action. The two MT-LB APCs in the center are interesting for their twin 14.5mm machine gun mounts, both of which are types normally carried aboard naval vessels. Vehicles armed with re-purposed naval weapons systems are not uncommon, se previous postings for more examples.

The Ukrainians have also fielded modifications to their fleet of MT-LBs. This one sports a Grad rocket launcher. Grads have been added to a variety of platforms including pickup trucks.

This Russian Msta-S 152mm self-propelled howitzer is equipped with both a cope cage and rubber sheets to protect the turret. This vehicle is typically a Divisional asset and would normally be expected to operate behind the front lines, the added protection is a testament to the reach of drones on the battlefield.

Diorama bait! These two tanks appear to have had a junkyard dropped on them! Crews are improvising protection from any scavenged materials likely to afford even a small bit of enhanced protection.

Part I here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/tankenstein-vehicles-of-the-russia-ukrainian-war-part-i/

Trumpeter M1126 Stryker ICV in 1/72 Scale

Trumpeter’s Stryker Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Stowage is resin casts of Dragon gear and is typical of what is seen on U.S. vehicles.

Construction here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/trumpeter-m1126-stryker-icv-build-in-1-72-scale/

Canadair CL-415 Fire Bombers of Bridger Aerospace Part IV – Interior

Photographs taken by Don Gilman at Easterwood Field, College Station, Texas.

Part I here: Part I here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/canadair-cl-415-fire-bombers-of-bridger-aerospace-part-i/

Don Gilman wishes to thank:

Chasen Urban of the US Forest Service, https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire

Captain Brian Iriks of Bridger Aerospace, https://bridgeraerospace.com/

and Lindee and John from Austin Aviation, https://www.astinaviation.com/

Canadair CL-415 Fire Bombers of Bridger Aerospace Part III

Photographs taken by Don Gilman at Easterwood Field, College Station, Texas.

Part IV Interior photos here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/canadair-cl-415-fire-bombers-of-bridger-aerospace-part-iv-interior/

Don Gilman wishes to thank:

Chasen Urban of the US Forest Service, https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire

Captain Brian Iriks of Bridger Aerospace, https://bridgeraerospace.com/

and Lindee and John from Austin Aviation, https://www.astinaviation.com/

Women Warriors 343

Sofija Jovanovic Krsmanovic, Serbian Army WWI

WWI Ambulance Driver Wilhelmina Drummond Harland

US Army Captain inside a UH60 Blackhawk in Iraq

USAF Capt. Laney Schol – F-35 pilot, Eglin Air Force Base, March 24, 2022

ATS girls using an identification telescope (IWM)

Officer using stadimeter aboard USS McCampbell (DDG 85)

USMC Lance Cpl. Amber Duggins, OPFOR during exercise at Camp Pendleton

Capt. Cathyrine Armandie, F-15E Strike Eagle Weapons System Officer

WREN cleaning a Lewis gun aboard a coastal craft. (IWM)

Corporal Clara Grundon Women’s Army Corps 1944

ww569c_CVN74 — **US Navy sailor aboard the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis (CVN-74)**

ww569e_USN_RAN — **USN and RAN quartermasters**

ww571_USMC_F35B_MelanieZiebart — **USMC F-35B pilot Melanie Ziebart**

ww372 — **Jadwiga Pilsudska, Polish ATA Pilot**

ww172CanadianWAC1 — **Canadian WAC operating foot pump**

For more Women Warriors, click on the tag below:

Dragon M2A2 Bradley Build in 1/72 Scale

Dragon issued their M2A2 Bradley kit in 2004 and has reboxed their sprues with various additions regularly ever since. Many of these use the same box art but can feature additional parts, so be sure to check the fine print to see what’s in the box. Recent editions contain resin printed interiors which open up a whole new range of display opportunities.

The sprues contain a multitude of finely-detailed parts, the molding is crisp with little flash. The turret hatch can be posed open, but there is no interior on either of these boxings, and if you want crew figures they will have to be sourced elsewhere.

The hull comes in two pieces of slide-molded goodness. The DS tracks respond well to most modeling glues, but exercise care if using thin glues as these can dissolve the tracks if too much is applied.

The ERA blocks are on an additional sprue and some parts are modified to account for the differences in vehicle types. The stowage is nicely molded in a flexible vinyl, these are useful sprues for a variety of modern vehicles and a nice bonus.

The lower hull has the torsion arms molded in place, I prefer this approach as it results in a strong assembly and eliminates one source of potential alignment problems. Here I have used stretched sprue to fill holes in the bottom of the hull, these are melted in place with thin glue and form a tight bond.

Both hulls were weighted with BBs fixed in place with casting resin. If you use this method you must ensure all the gaps and holes are filled tightly as the resin will seep through even the tiniest of openings.

Here are the hulls during assembly with the running gear in place. The biggest problem in getting these kits together is Dragon’s famously ambiguous instructions which can leave you guessing if you’re not careful.

All the lifting eyes were cut off and replaced with wire, the antenna bases were drilled out and thin Albion tube inserted.

Both kits were primed with Mr. Surfacer 1000.

Here are the colors used. It was not unusual to see vehicles deployed with mixtures of woodland and desert camouflaged components.

Both Bradleys together with Nitenol antennas and external stowage. The stowage has additional straps made from Tamiya tape, “magnetic stowage” is a pet peeve of mine. These are good kits but the instructions could be better, I might try another someday with the interior set and a full complement of figures.

Finished model photos here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/dragon-m2a2-bradley-in-1-72-scale/

Picture of the Week 95

U.S Navy armorers preparing to sight in the guns of an F4F-4 Wildcat. The tail is elevated and jacks are being adjusted to level the wings.

Tankenstein Vehicles of the Russia Ukrainian War Part VI

The sixth installment of vehicle modifications from the Russia Ukrainian War, this one focusses on the measures taken to protect vehicles from the ever-increasing drone threat. From factory-installed “cope cages” to field expedient junkyard armor these efforts reflect both ingenuity and desperation. Modified vehicles make for interesting and unique modeling subjects, for more of these “Tankenstein” subjects follow the links at the bottom of the posts.