Specifically referring to the Revell M60A3 kit with the M9 dozer blade, does anyone know if this came with the same parts at the M60A1 kit? Or if I wanted an M60A1 ERA, I would have to buy both kits?

The M60A3 w/D9 does not include the ERA that the USMC M60A1 RISE/Passive has. The ERA is a separate sprue as is the dozer blade so if you wanted an M60A1 with ERA and a dozer blade, you would have to buy both kits.

I have not looked at my M60A1 kit as closely as I have the M60A3 kit. The M60A3 kit is missing several parts to make an M60A1, namely the non-thermal shrouded barrel, the regular non-LRF blister, and the plain gunner's primary sight housing (aka "doghouse"). You can make the M60A3 into a version without the blade though so if you swipe the blade to add to the M60A1 kit, you won't waste the M60A3 kit.

Just like all the 1/35 scale dozer blade kits, the 1/72 scale dozer blade is incomplete. It does not include the hydraulic reservoir for the left rear fender nor does it include any of the hydraulic plumbing that runs from the blade to the rear engine access panel.

HTH

I checked my M60A1 kit #03168 and it does not contain anything for the dozer blade. The ERA sprue just includes the plain 105mm, right side blister, regular doghouse and the ERA. It's interesting that they don't add any parts to make an A3 in the A1 kit or any A1 parts in the A3 kit.

Thank you very much. I know with the M1A2 1/72 Revell kit you could make it into a M1A1 as well, but not the other way around. Wishful thinking, but I honestly didn't expect ERA and dozer blade parts in both kits. It was helpful to know if the A3 also contained the A1 parts though.

The Revell M1A1 came out before the M1A2 which is why it can't be made into the A2, but the A2 can be made into an A1.

The missing parts thing was something they did with the M2A2 Bradley. Some kits included the miniscule parts to make an M3A2 CFV, others only included the parts to make the M2A2 IFV. The main problem was that there was no way to tell which one contained the bonus conversion parts until you bought it and opened it.