M47/48 and M60

[CamoDeafie]

Need to know if there are significant appearance differences between those 3 models of Patton type tanks, because I am considering kitbashing to make a M60-2000, using an M1A2 turret and one of the patton tanks, the local shop only has a M48 Patton, but no M60 that I know of...if there are significant appearance differences between the M48 and M60 hulls, I'd like to know so I can modify the M48 or find a god M60A3 kit online not sure if anyone has done a 1:35 model of a GDL M60-2000 or even a Sabra kit (IMI M60 with advanced turret system and 120mm cannon)

[Ogstad]

The M60 mounted a bore evacuated 105 mm main gun to the M48's 90 mm, had a hull with a straight front slope where the M48's was rounded, had three support rollers per side to the M48's five, and had aluminum road wheels instead of steel.

[37thguy]

As I recall, two completely different tanks. Google them and I'm sure you'll see the differences.

 

Regards

Mark

[The Meatcan]

I doubt there's any sane way to kitbash an M48 into an M60 of any type. Look for the rerealesed Revell or even Italeri M60 series on ebay. The Revell M60A3 in particular would seem to be the best kit to base your conversion on.

HTH,

Terry

[CamoDeafie]

Alrighty going to look on epay (or find another hobby store and call them <_<)

[mpguy80/08]

To really get the lineage down, you have to look back to WWII to the M26 Pershing. That was where the lineage of the Patton series began. The M26 and M46 were fairly alike in design, with only minor differences in the running gear and such, as most M46 Patton tanks were indeed, rebuilt M26 Pershings. Both tanks had a sloping glacis plate with cast bow machinegun mountings, welded to the reverse sloped lower glacis plate along a fairly straight welded join. The main visual cue between the M26 and M46 is the addition of a small track tensioning idler wheel between the last road wheel and the drive sprocket. The M47 maintained a lot of the same hull design, with a vastly different turret. The M26 and M46 turrets were similar, the M47 turret was narrow and angular with a pronounced overhang in the back of the turret to which a storage box was attached. The German tanks in the movie PATTON and BATTLE OF THE BULGE, are M47 Patton tanks.

 

It was with the M48 that things really took off with the design. The M48 has a redesigned hull, which has a cast, upper and lower hull sections welded together, resulting in a curved glacis join and a boat shaped hull. The rear decks of the early M48s were somewhat like the M47 series, however as the gasoline engines gave way to more powerful diesel engines, the rear deck profile changed. Th M26/46/47/48 all mounted a 90mm main gun, except the M48A5, which mounted a 105mm gun. The M48 introduced a dome shaped turret, and a single hatch forward of the turret for the driver instead of two hatches for driver and co-driver/machinegunner.

 

The M60 series was an almost completely different tank. The hull was made up from welded plates, and the upper and lower glacis plates were welded along a straight line. The original M60 maintained the late model M48's rear deck arrangement, however the M60 mounted a slightly differently shaped dome shaped turret than the M48, and mounted a 105mm gun from the start. The M60A1 saw the change to the boxy shaped turret, and the M60A2 saw a complete turret redesign. The M60A2 turret was a long, narrow box shape, mounted on top of a dome shape, with hatches on either side of the box. This Turret also mounted a 152mm gun, similar to the M551 Sheridan, capable of firing the Shellalegh 152mm guided missile. Atop the turret was the commander's station with a /50 cal M85 machine gun mounted in a rather large cupola. The M60A3 saw the reintroduction of the M60A1 style turret, still mounted with the 105mm gun, however this time the gun was thermal wrapped, and the tank was mounted with the TTS, or the Tank Mounted Thermal Sight. The M60 is still used in some reserve and marine corps units, and in Marine Corps usage, is often equipped with Explosive Reactive Armr, or ERA. The hull of the M48 and M60 series tanks were both modified into AVLB (bridge layers) and the M60 hull was modified into the M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV), which mounted an M88 style boom for obstacle removal and a turret mounting a 165mm demolition gun. At the front of the hull is mounted an M9 Dozer blade.

 

Hope this helps...