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M1 Abrams (Paperback)

Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives

Colour Books Military > Pre-WWI > American History Military > Tanks Photographic Books WWII > Photographic Books

By David Doyle
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
Series: Images of War
Pages: 227
Illustrations: 325
ISBN: 9781526738776
Published: 8th January 2019

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The M1 Abrams has been the principle main battle tank of the US military since 1980. Conceived to counter the threat of a massive Soviet armored incursion in Europe, the tank gained considerable fame during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and its combat record has continued to climb. With such a long service life, the Abrams has undergone continual improvements and upgrades, which are illustrated in great detail in this volume. The unique features of the various models are detailed in stunning color photos, and the combat use of these fearsome vehicles is richly illustrated through previously unpublished photos.

The story of the Abrams begins in the late 1960s when the threat of Soviet Armor developments forced the U.S. to look for a suitable replacement for the M60 series. A joint venture between the U.S. and West Germany to build a suitable common Main Battle Tank brought about the unorthodox and terribly expensive MBT70. It never saw series production. When this program was cancelled in 1970 a quest for a more cost-effective tank was begun.

The constant development, upgrade, and conversion of the series have kept the Abrams at the forefront of main battle tank technology, and it has proven itself on the battlefield time and time again. The Abrams is entering its fourth decade of service with U.S. forces and the plan is to keep the vehicle in the United States’ inventory through as late as 2040.

The original design of the M1 was conceived to allow the installation of the smooth bore M256 main gun with only minimal modification. The gun was a German Rheinmetall design for the Leopard II. With additional improvements to the armor, transmission, engine, and the addition of an integrated nuclear, biological, and chemical system, the new production M1A1 Abrams was standardized in 1984. Production at the Detroit Arsenal was now under the control of General Dynamics Land Systems. The production of the M1A1 ended in 1993 with over 4500 produced.

The new main gun greatly increased the tanks firepower. In 1988 a layer of depleted uranium (DU) was added to the special armor array in the front of the tank. This gave the tank unprecedented protection for the crew. The tanks were also equipped internally by powered blast doors which separated the turret crew from the ammunition storage in the turret’s rear. This also increased crew survivability in case the tank was penetrated in this area.

The story of the M1A1 will be forever linked with images of the 1st Gulf War of 1991. Never in the 100-year history of armored warfare has such a dominant weapon appeared on the battlefield with almost complete impunity form its adversaries. In that brief conflict the tank achieved an almost perfect balance of firepower, mobility, and protection.

Verdict: Well illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs. Certainly worth getting if your interest lies in modern armour or if you have others from the Images of War series.

Classic Military Vehicle, September 2019

First-class documentation.

Read the full Spanish review here

Miniaturas JM

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Images of War series is a great visual delight for the modeller. It directs you to look at details that may easily be missed due to size and or location along with captions that do an excellent job of identifying what you are looking at.

read the full review here

Armorama

Another fascinating slice of military history, this time featuring the US army’s main battle tank, the M1 Abrams, in a series of amazing photographs from its frst use in the 1980s through to the Iraq War of 1991.

Books Monthly

A book that for anyone who wants to get acquainted with modern means is essential, anyone who is fond of tanks cannot fail to include it in his library.

Read the full Italian review here

Old Barbed Wire Blog

The 227 pages in this book are packed with a very complete and detailed photo coverage of both internal and external features of the evolving Abrams over the years and perfect for the armour modeller as they are all in colour. Definitely recommended.

Read the full review here

Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland

About David Doyle

An avid military vehicle enthusiast whose collection includes 10 Vietnam-era vehicles, it is not surprising that most of his 100+ published books focus on US military weapons of war. In June 2015, he was presented the coveted Bart Vanderveen Award by the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, given in recognition of "…the individual who has contributed the most to the historic preservation of military vehicles worldwide."
Some of David Doyle's published works are - U.S Vehicles and Heavy Weapons of the Vietnam War; M65 Atomic Canon; M7 Priest, M12 Gun Motor Carriage; U.S. Half-Track Vehicles In Action; The Complete DUKW Historical Reference; P-47 Thunderbolt In Action; USS Iowa (BB-61)

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