Quoted Text
Regarding headlights, the type depended on which base model of M48 the vehicle began as before it was rebuilt into a diesel M48A3. If it was an M48A1, it had the round headlight guard and five return rollers. These were rebuilt into M48A3's in 1963.
The later combination headlight was used on the M48A2 and the M60 series. The M48A2's were rebuilt into M48A3's in 1968 (the M48A3 Model B or Model 1968), and retained the more modern headlight assembly. Like the M48A2, these had only three return rollers. Only a few outfits had them in Vietnam, as most equipment had been shipped over prior to that date. Newly deployed outfits did have the late version, though. Some of these later types also had the Y-shaped blast deflector seen on the prototype T-95 tanks around 1959.
Gerald,
Good to see you back at Armorama.
If you have copies or locations of pictures of M48A3s that were former M48A2s, could you send me the link, location or picture. My research has indicated, atleast to me, that most times that a picture shows a tank with three support rollers, the caption will say "M48A3" but they are usually M48A2s, which did serve with 5th Mech (1-77 Armor and 4-12 Cav) or post Tet replacements.
John
