Dragon surprises the modeling world with a new M48A3 Patton tank. Additionally, it is the never-before seen in kit form Mod B version seen late in the Vietnam war.

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Thanks!

Thanks for working on it and posting it up Darren. It has been a fun build so far.

[quote]Dragon surprises the modeling world with a new M48A3 Patton tank. Additionally, it is the never-before seen in kit form Mod B version seen late in the Vietnam war.

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If you have comments or questions please post

Hi, All! Some time ago, PASCAL started a forum regarding this new DRAGON 1/35 M48 kit. In his forum, PASCAL pictured and described some fit problems and some other modellers noted some dissatisfaction with the kit's "DS" tracks. There was some discussion over these "faults". At that time, I mentioned that I would save myself some money by NOT buying this kit because of these faults, and by continuing my own M48 Projects by using the 5 TAMIYA M48 kits in my personal stock.

Since then, I've mulled this over and I think that I will wind up buying at least ONE of the DRAGON M48 kits, just because I feel that I should give this new M48 the benefit of the doubt. The detail is beautiful, and any imperfections in the kit, I think, are not insurmountable. The Aftermarket People have already started producing sets to improve upon this kit, so I think we should give this new M48 a fair shake. How many kits have we all built that didn't require some extra fiddling-around here and there?

This new DRAGON M48 may have come out of left field, but I think that it will greatly help in rounding out the "Post-War" niche of AFV modelling- Thanks to DRAGON for taking this step! AFV CLUB will be doing an M60, (Don't hold your breath!) so you never know, maybe we'll also be seeing better kits of the M60A1-M60A3, etc in the future?

Off Topic- Also, DRAGON will be doing a re-pop of their old M46, which wasn't a bad kit, but we could use a new "state-of-the-art" M46. While we're at it, it would be great to see a new M47, as ITALERI's is getting to be a little bit "long-in-the-tooth"... What do you think, guys?

Thanks for the detailed update Gino. Pity about the lack of dust cover for the mantlet and search light. I am just happy someone besides Tamiya offers the M48A3. I'll definitely be getting one.

Nice review,I did grab one a couple of months ago,look great in box,I will try it for the Vietnam Group build later this year

I am very happy to see this model as my interest in US Cold War tanks, with the exception of the M103, ends with the M48 family. I, too, would love to have a 'modern' tooling M47 show up.

Gino, very informative review - thank you. Can't wait to see your work!

I am in the middle of building this one

So just to be clear,you removed one link on each side of the tracks ?

Also I would ask you,do you glue your ends together 1st, paint and weather, then attempt to fit them as a circle to the wheels,or did you paint and weather then attempt to join the ends while on the tank ?

thanks for any advice