For those who are looking for a different take on the Abrams MBT, here is a fascinating conversion project.
Conceived in the early 1980s, the Abrams AGDS (Armored Ground Defense System) was intended to utilise the tank’s chassis and hull, with an enlarged turret housing a pair of 35mm Bushmaster Mk.III cannons and two six-bank ADATS missile launchers. The guns would be guided by a dual-beam X-band pulse Doppler radar with a range of 25km. Essentially, the AGDS was conceived as a mobile AA vehicle to target slower aircraft and helicopters, though it would be equally capable of engaging ground targets. It was an impressive and versatile weapon maybe, but the concept progressed no further than the drawing board.
The Model
As yet there are no full kits of this vehicle, so I was delighted when Alan Jamieson (founder of Scottcast) invited me to combine his recently produced AGDS turret with a suitable Abrams kit. The perfect choice was Rye Field Model’s 2016 release, ‘M1A1 Abrams Desert Storm Edition 1991’ (ref. RM 5006). While Alan had clearly based his turret on the original design drawings, I felt that the guns would be better replaced by something more impressive, so why not a pair of Oerlikon naval guns, the main portion of the barrels protected by a large housing? A further unplanned-for modification carried out was to the commander’s cupola. This was due to my damaging the resin item, which resulted in having to replace it with RFM’s standard cupola. Therefore, I was unable to include the conversion set’s remotecontrolled close defence weapon and had to settle for the M1A1’s .50cal machine gun. Alan had presented the rear stowage basket with a tarpaulin cover. However, preferring to add various items of stowage, I opted to modify the RFM’s open basket to fit the AGDS turret.
It is worth noting that, thanks to a cleverly designed lower section, the turret can be fitted to both the Tamiya and Dragon kits of the Abrams. As for my choice of the RFM kit, I generally treated the hull and chassis as an out-of-the-box build. That said, I did encounter certain problems with the construction (mainly around the engine deck), so minor surgery was required to ensure a perfect fit with some of the components. Of course, with the AGDS never reaching the production stage, I was able to make this a ‘what if’ vehicle and imagined it as part of a secret unit operating during the 1991 First Gulf War.
1 The first task was to use a sharp blade to replicate damage to some of the roadwheel tyres.
2 Due to the loose fit of the suspension components, particular care was required to ensure that the wheels were perfectly aligned.
3 Settling for the kit’s link-and-length tracks, I replicated damage to the surface of the rubber track shoes and removed any excess plastic once the task was complete. To add a touch of realism to the tracks, I also opened up the end connectors …a time-consuming operation, but well-worth the effort.