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New tool M-48A3


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As is often the case, it'll compete with an AFV Club item, as well.

I have a Tamiya -A3 and a Monogram -A2 ready for a Frankenstein-job A2 build. Now I kinda wonder if it's worth it. Dragon might do an -A2 kit of their own, and it wouldn't surprise me if various Israeli kits are also in the future.

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now I know there are some differences between the model "B" series and the "A' series tanks. But my question is did they use the model B in Vietnam? I see that it dosn't have the search light, but that's no biggie as I can rob that from another kit. Yet there were M48's in that era that didn't have the searchlight. Anybody here know what all the differences were between the two tanks?

gary

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Looking in my reference book it shows a 48A with and without a searchlight. The book does show an M48A3 (Model B) belonging to Comp H 11th ACR. Not sure what the Model B is unless it's an upgraded A variant. That one has the .50 cal on the pintal mount on the cupola. Not sure about an M48B tho everyone of the 48s in the book look the same. What was the difference between the A and the B?

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Looking in my reference book it shows a 48A with and without a searchlight. The book does show an M48A3 (Model B)/> belonging to Comp H 11th ACR. Not sure what the Model B is unless it's an upgraded A variant. That one has the .50 cal on the pintal mount on the cupola. Not sure about an M48B tho everyone of the 48s in the book look the same. What was the difference between the A and the B?

I've heard that the "B" uses a different headlight assembly, and the fender brackets are made differently, but otherwise I know little about them. The "B" series is the next step towards building an M48a5 and at least one other prototype tank. They did do a bridge layer off that hull, and they also built a handfull of M48a5's that used the Abrams power pack. Plus another handfull that used the same basic deisel engine, but with the "dash five transmission (similar to the one in the Abrams). For the life of me I can't remember what the back end of the gas turbine powered M48 looked like, but like I said they did about a dozen of them (all were modified production built tanks). At one time I could have looked all this data up at work, but don't have access to those files anymore.

Really and truthfully, I wish Dragon had of built a better Sheridan instead, or better yet an M54 five ton truck and an M37 3/4 ton truck. It's amazing that we have every version on the planet of the Humvee, and no M37! Just about every unit used the M37 truck, and most heavy units (armor and arty) had a bunch of five ton trucks. Arty units alone had a minimum of six to eight trucks per battery, but maybe three or four M35's. In Vietnam, most all units used either m48a2's or M48a3's. But there is a persistent rumor that very early on there was a few gasoline powered ones in country (probably in III-Corp). My brother inlaw swears his unit had a couple of them (1st/4th CAV). None were up north for sure!

gary

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Can't believe this kit doesn't include the mantlet dust cover. I'm sure there was one or two that actually had a bare mantlet in the field but 99% of them had this cover. So the modeler has a choice of trying to scratchbuild the cover (do-able but for $65 you shouldn't have to), build the kit as is or spend money for the inevitable resin add-on. None of these are acceptable.

Never understood why AFV put out their line of Centurions in this manner, now it appears Dragon is doing the same.

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