I'm looking for details of the breech evacuation system bulge that was at the lower hull rear of these puppies. I can't find doodly squat on the internet and Hunnicut's Patton Book pics aren't the clearest in the world. Can anyone help out?

Ronnie,
I have some pictures at home of the "bulge" on a M60A2 as well as a A2 hull with a M60 turret, both part of the former Patton Museum collection. PM me a good e-mail addy andI can get them "on the way" tonight or tomorrow...

John

Maybe some of these pics would help ? (providing you don't know them already...)

http://svsm.org/gallery/m60a2littlefieldjh?page=2

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/david_lueck/m60a2/index.php?Page=6

http://www.kcamps.org/gallery3/reference/AVLB-M60 (the hull is a A2 one)

Here's an earlier thread from ML on this subject :

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47209/thread/1230807203/1231022218/M60A2+rear+hull+CBSS+bulge+dimensions-

HTH

Frenchy

Thank you very much gents. PM is on the way John. Thanks alot for the links Frenchy, much appreciated!

Hmmm?...An accurate and detailed M60A2 conversion would make many guys very happy!

Give us time, there are lots of things "cooking" here. We have everything but the "bulge" and a few turret pieces. I never realized that there was so little available covering the 60's to 80's US Armor time period!

If you need measurements, let me know as I have access to the one listed in the first link posted by Frenchy.

Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

Thanks for the offer Chris! Just alittle fuzzy on how far back the buldge goes under the lower hull and if it's a smooth transistion or is there a step or slight hump where the back of it blends to the lower hull. On the turret we're good. Your old buddy Bob is doing the Master. He is damn good at 35th scale as I got to examine the new Masters he's creating for me. The detailing is incredible.

AN M60A2 UPDATE/CONVERSION SET!!!!

Almost fell out of the chair there.

Man, I need a whiskey...

(Don't forget the first type of "flush" drive sprockets for the M48/M60 family.)

Cheers,
/E

Duly noted Zapper. When you do something, might as well do it right the first time! Cold War US Armor has been neglected for too long, time to do something about it!

How much will you be converting in your set?
It needs an accurate mantlet cover.
The Tamiya kit needs the correct early top loading air cleaners, not the side loaders.
It needs NO travel lock on back deck.
It needs an accurate searchlight / mount, with the mounting balls like in the M48 kit.
It needs mesh in the lower 2/3 rd of the bustle racks.
It needs covers (plugs) for the grenade launchers.
It needs the antenna matching unit to connect to the rt rear corner of the turret, not the bustle rack.
It needs shorter stiffening ribs on the long sponson box doors, middle positions only.
The transition from the bulge to the lower hull was smooth, no step.
Some hulls had many of the thick tie down points on the sides, some only had 3.



Beenn there, crewed that.

It's getting "the works" Carl, and now we can add new sponson stowage doors, all of them (with separate handles). We're looking at two different versions now though, one for the Tamiya Kits and one for the Italeri/ESCI kits.

The "ride height" has to be addressed on the Tamiya. When we picked up our A2's in 1976, they did not have the fancy armor belt around the air cleaners, or, the indicator to show when the filter was getting clogged. Also, the Tamiya rear fenders, have tie down loops on them, ours were smooth.

The height of the Tamiya M60 hull is correct. It is the M48 that is too tall on the suspension.

That Tamiya M-48 ride height problem is also just about solved along with some of the other "issues" with the lower hull. Once we get this new line in operation, we will be rockin and rollin along. Right now it's a matter of getting the first releases cast, buildups done and getting a stock of sets ready so they can be sent out right when they are ordered. Our Patton series items should be rolling out in October-November.

Good news, I would not mind something better detaiiled. Any chance of a better M60 (plain) turret.I have had to use a Tamiya M48 turret when I scratched my first tank. I went from a plain M60 to the A2 in Germany.

An plain M-60 turret is a great idea while we're busy with the M-48/M-60 Patton series. Might take alittle while though.

Find many images of hull sides, to get # of shock absorbers correct for M60 vs M60A1 / A2. Also, # of heavy tie down lugs on sides.
A2's in our Bn had:
Gun Tube w/ bore evacuator.
Gun tube w/ Lugs for, but no bore evacuator
Plain gun tube.
An ammo box, from the main gun ammo was almost universally put on back decks, as extra stowage.(see my model)

OK, let's get some facts up in here:

1st, My ADuece - C 50 -Co. C 3/33rd Armor - in the field - Hoenfels Germany circa 1977...


You can see the issues with the Tamiya turret in comparison with this photo.

Some detail on the air cleaner boxes (taken directly from the -10 manual) which I still have BTW.




The best pic I have of the ass end and the CBSS "bulge" ..note the grill door mods in the closed position to accomodate thte modified hull...


Some other interesting items:

@Crockett,
You didn't have a 2 x 4 between the headlight guards? We needed those, made it easier to climb on.

Do you guys pay any attention to the News items?

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/9637

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/photos/news/9637/dm35005.jpg

No one has made mention that the Tamiya turret is a 1/2" too long in the rear portion.

Wow, lots of good info here. Thank guys! The Tamiya Turret is 1/2" too long? Is that for certain? It's alittle difficult to tell from the drawings that we have.

Hey Carl,

Several tanks in the battalion had them. Our Charlie Co. CO was a little picky and wouldn't allow his HQ tank section to set a bad example by having non issue wood between the headlights. I did install turn signals though! LOL

Actually, using 1/35 scale drawings, it turns out to be 1/4 inch too long.

Thank you Bob! Good to know before cutting on a half-built Turret master. I take it that the Bustle is where the problem lies?