Man I didn't know that. Well crap mine is probably all wrong. Great information for the next guys.

Thanks Chris

Hi Terry,

Tracks look really nice. How would you rate them? Recommended or no? looking forward to next update!

Gary

The AFV tracks are GREAT! The end connectors fit so close I didn't need any glue on my set. On the down side there are ejector pin marks on the inside pad of each track, but they are shallow and easy to sand out.

Terry

Chris,
I know that NWM is no longer trading but do you know if the searchlight and mantlecover are still available anywhere?
Sorry to hijack your thread Terry.
Regards
David

Terry one quick note the loaders hatch on a 48 locks open flat against the turret roof. It does not have a half open position. It's closed or fully open. I crewed a 48A5 not an exact match but they didn't change the loaders hatch. Every bump would make it flop around and getting hit by an armored hatch in the back is no joke. keep up the good work.

Tom

Thanks for tip! Things will become clear as we get further along.

Terry

This is kinda a small update, but I did get the torsion arms attached to the other side. I also put the decals onto the turret along with doing preliminary placement of stowage items. Here's a few pictures to keep the ball rolling. Thanks for looking and comments are welcome.

Terry

Hey guys it's update time. I spent Saturday getting the upper hull completed and painted. I have to add the decals and weathering, but there are no more tank parts left to add. As I am heading down the back stretch here are some pictures of what things look like now. Comments and questions are welcome.

Terry

Ok I have done some more weathering. I have added more dirt to the details and also some streaking. All of the decals are on and I have started adding the crew. First one done is the driver. The helmet mic is made out of wire. Here are some new pictures and as always comments and questions are welcome.

Terry

Whoa! Beautiful paint and weathering work, Terry! I have this kit too, and hope someday to make it half as nice as you've done!
thanks for posting.
-Sean H.

Thanks Sean!

Terry

looks great nice job

Hi Terry,

You have done a great job man! Love the weathering too. Well done.

Gary

Thanks Craig and Gary for the kind words.

Terry

Ok the Marines are on board. I finished the rest of the crew last night. They are painted with oils and Tamiya paints. I think the goggle lens need to be tone down some; they are just too shinny. Here are some pictures of the crew and comments and suggestions are welcome.

Terry

I have been working on some stowage for M-48 and things are looking a little more like home. I have some more to do, but I thought I should post some new pictures. Thanks for looking in and comments are welcome.

Terry

Well I think everything is packed in the bussle rack. We got every thing we need for Nam camping trip. Next will be some spare tracks, antennas, and the base. Here are some pictures.

Terry

great looking build! Just a small note: the case of beer would not be out in the open on a Marine tank for two reasons. First was that they had a lot of trouble getting their hands on a case of beer due to Division policies back thaen, so it would have been hidden away. On an Army tank you might well have seen it as they operated under a different policey even though they all were in the same Americal Division (I know it's strange). Whenever we ran accross them in the field the first they asked us for was beer! The most used wooden crates were 105 ammo boxes and bomb fuse canisters. You saw a few 4.2" ones, but the 105 box was the most commonly used. Marines had better access to aircraft, and that's why you saw them using a lot of the large bomb fuse cases (everybody had them, but the Marines just had more of them. And no matter whatkind wood crate it was, it would have all sorts of lettering on it with rope handles normally. Also most all water cans are marked either "potable water", or maybe P.W. to make sure it was known to be drinking water. That was Americal S.O.P.

I really liked your build! Specially the figures! That flak jacket is like wearing a parka in the sometime! Glad you left the shirt off as that's probably what they wore in the day time. In the winter months up north it got pretty chilly at night, and it was not uncommon to see folks up there with field jackets on. You might want to add a tarp in there with the cots. Most tarps were simply the tarp off a duce and a half. Nobody slept inside tanks much as that was always a prime target for a recoilless rifle and you couldn't get out of it. Don't be afraid to cut the tarp down as they usually split it with somebody else.

you did good
gary

Thanks alot Gary that's some great information and thanks for the kind words.

Terry

been around a few Marine tracks that operated a little northeast of my A.O. They later moved north of Charlie Ridge to points unknown to me. I've seen them painted in the green you use, and the generic O.D. the Army used. They operated on a lot of ops with regular Army folks and vise versa. After about six to eight months in the bush, everything that could be bent was bent! Fenders were often simply torched off at an angle (a clump of bamboo two foot in diameter is very hard on an M48 tank!) A lot of the time the Igloo coolars actually had the Igloo logo still on them. I have also seen the coolars painted strait O.D. green. When you look at well used M48's, look closely at the fenders over the road wheels. You'll often see them bent upwards, and that's a sure sign that somebody ran over a mine (probably a clicker or a second and a half delayed job). The bomb fuse containers are about a 20" cube and painted a light grey. Don't remember any markings on them, but knowing the military they probably had all kinds.

My AO was just about the end of all forms of armored use unless we went a little north into the Que Son Valley. But right behind me they were a daily sight. And even then it was usually the 17th CAV or 1st of the 1st CAV. Marines usually were northeast of these guys

So in closing, and from an I-Corps Rat; "I loved it!"
gary

Oh yeah you can't run over anything and not bash something. I wish I could get an igloo label decal for the water cooler. The box cooler was probably from coleman may have been green anyway. I made it a 7-up cooler because I have one from about that time period. Something different than the typcal coke stuff you see. Thank you for your insight it's always great to get the straight dope from someone who knows.

Terry

That's a great looking model. Quite inspiring.

when your doing something that will have a couple cases of soda pop on the back in a certain time frame; it's important to know what the actually pattern is on a case. Coke made a change in early 1968, and this is an error I see, but also kinda petty to whine about. Also beer and soda brands changed by the particular zone you were operating in. Some areas had this brand, but couldn't get another common one you drank else ware. You could always find Coke everywhere. But I hear guys talk about getting Ham's Beer, but never saw a can! We bought a lot of #33 Beer on the market, but guys south of us never saw the stuff (actually didn't know what it was). So it pays to research. You could pretty much get Budwiser, Miller, and Shlitz everywhere. There also lots of Ballentine everywhere as they couldn't give that stuff away. Some places had Black Lable and Fallscity, but never saw any of it, and I bought hundreds of cases of beer during my tour.
gary

Looks great. All of your mods paid off in the end visual results

Thanks guys!!!

Terry