I was so inspired by my Sherman that I am attempting to build a good M-48A3. I started building tonight and have completed the road wheels and the sprockets. I used an X-Acto knive and a round file to make the lightening holes in the drive sprockets. I put them at the 12, 4, and 8 positions as recommended in the Vietnam models web sight. I have also purchased the Eduard PE set for the M-48 as well as some Legend accessory sets. I will post some pictures of my progress as I build this. Any comments or experiences are most appreciated. I am going to lower the tank as all information indicates it sits too high. I will lower it by removing 2 mm from the buffers as recommended in the aforementioned site.

AFV Club makes a very nice set of M48/60 workable individual tracks that are a dream to work with. They originally came with the Vietnam era M88 kit and are packaged separately. If you have never done a kit with individual track links before, this will hook you. Academy also makes some modern accessories that will be fun to add (and inexpensive). The TC from the Tamiya M113 ACAV is a nice, newer Vietnam era figure that would be better than the older kit figure (not that he's that bad).

If you mount the Ma Deuce on top of the cupola, you may want to get a nicer one from the Skybow M2HB set or a Verlinden one.

I just picked up a Concord book on Armor in the Vietnam War and it has some excellent photos of the various M48 series tanks that were there.

Rob,
Thanks for the comments. I have the M-113 kit (it was one of those 50% off HobbyLobby deals that can't be passed up) so I will scrounge the TC from it. I also have the AFV tracks, I think in my old box of goodies from days past. Your endorsement of them has encouraged me to dig them out and give them a try. I am also going to ding the road wheels up a bit, I remember from my tanking days that there was some damage threshold that when crossed the road wheel had to be replaced, I just don't remember what the threshold was.

I still remember the criteria. It's when 50% of the road wheel surface (width) is chunked or missing. Normally the last road wheels have the zigsaw puzzle pattern chunking due to the vibration of the centerguides against the wear plates caused when the tank is making turns.

I modified the set of the model by the recommended 2 mm. This was done by cutting off 2mm from each of the bumpers. After having done this I found that I also had to reduce the length of the shocks in order for them to fit properly. I did this by cutting the shock rod off where it attached to the main body of the shock. I then drilled a hole into the shock body and inserted the shock rod, and wonders of wonders it fit. The tank sits noticably lower and the modification is worth it in my opinion. Still to do on the lower body is fill all those pesky moterization openings, some minor filling around some of the lift rings, inflict some damage on the road wheels, and attach the remaining parts. I am considering doing some texturing to the hull as well.

I know someone once had an article on how to do that... I think he used liquid glue or putty, spread it very thin and then standed it until he got the level of roughnesshe wanted. I think it would work well on this type of hull. They are pretty rough, really. My next M48-A3 will have to be shortened up a little...

A sad demise to the M48-A3 project. What a complete mess! A terrible experience with PE. The tank hull finally sailed gracefully across the room in a gentle arc into the trashcan. Salvaged the aftermarket track and resin bits. Will try again some other day.

Oh how horrible. I was so looking forward to your progress reports as I plan to get started on a similar project shortly. What specifcally were the problems that caused you to toss the kit out?

For the most part I blame myself for the failure. First problem was my unfamilarity with PE. I was totaly unaccustomed to working with two instruction sheets and having to coordinate the two. Major foul-up with the fender braces. I found that the end brackets after folding did not fit into the slots on the braces as indicated. While trying to enlarge the slots on the braces I consistantly bent the braces, some beyond hope. I botched most of the PE, again my fault. I will try again as the kit is easy to get and is a nice one. Just needed more experience with PE. I am working on the Academy Warrior at present and am doing some of the PE that I had with it. Am having better luck with it. Like I said I blame my inexperience and impatience for the mess.