Darren Baker takes a look at the latest offering from Revell of GHermany, the M48 A2GA2 in 1/35th scale.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Terrible moldings...

Dang, Darren, you're quick off the mark! I've got one coming, so will see how good the whole thing is.

With the low asking price, I can see a lot of Revell/DML kitbashes in the future! (At least this gives us the A2 engine deck & grilles...)

Long awaited, mine is on order. As for the gun, maybe a Leo1 replacement barral could work.

Well gents I knew this kit was eagerly awaited and so I pulled out the stops.

Dmitriy I think that is a little harsh as I thought it was pretty fair as models go when you consider Revell of Germany's pricing with what you get.

Yup, terrible moldings... just like a real M48. But why is there casting texture on rolled steel items like the driver's and loader's hatches? They're smooth in real life. And some M48 driver sprockets did not have mud holes. Get out the e-tool and dig.

The one in Munster, possibly the one RoG used

www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/in_detail/m48a2ga2/m48a2ga2.htm

I'm waiting this set for a long time. But now I don't know - to buy it or not. For example my Revell's Leopard 2a6 has lots of sink marks and rollers are some wavy.
But in any case - Darren, thanks for a good review.

There are some shrink marks present as indicated in the review, but I did no detect any on faces that can be seen other than the tracks.

MBR thank you for the link, but this one does have the holes in the drive wheels. What is that exhaust pipe from beside the driver?

Produced the link since there is a decend chance Revell/Germany went to Munster tank museeum to take the measures so (like with Dragon and the MBT70) this might be the original rather than trying to show a version without holes.

As for the pipe: IF my health holds up I plan to go there during the next month. Maybe I can get more information there

Thank you MBR I look forward to hearing what you discover.

Isn't that the crew heater exhaust?


Does the profile of the hull front look off to anyone?

I could only compare it to images Erik and nothing jumped out at me.

Got it, seeing in person is always better than pics on the internet. The test shots just looked off to me.



Has this kit hit US stores yet?

It is a very recent release, but I would have thought it should be available now or very soon in the US.

Finished mine after a two day quick build. If it goes for ejector marks, I found four on the inside if the front fenders, easily fixed by filling and sanding. After all a very pleasurable build that brings back some memories when two of these beast rolling thorugh my hometown, making a stop for checking the suspension and giving a salvo of blank 7,62 mm rounds for us children. Unforgettable!

Nice Review, Darren.
As for the shape of the hull nose, it may appear to be off because it is actually correct. We're used to seeing them with too shallow of a "point." I don't have anything to compare to at the moment but I suspect that is the case.

Well, no more bashiing old Monogram kits with Tamiya kits.
Although you'll still need to bash two kits together tot a nice IDF version, you're a lot farther along with this kit, not having to remove so many cast on details. (Tools, tow cables, spare track, etc.)

The spotlight won't go to waste either - you can use it on an Egyptian T-55 from the mid '80's.

It doesn't look bad at all and fills a missing niche long vacant. Something Stephen noticed and I have to concur is that they went a little overboard on the cast texture. I checked Prime Portal which has the M48 well represented.
The back deck is a mix of cast and rolled plate welded together and the access hatches are not cast. Its a small nit pick and fixable with a little work. It does not detract from the kit.

Now I haven't been under an M48 since 1989 so I don't recall if the belly plate was rolled or cast. I don't think the hull was cast in one piece. I never took a picture while doing maintaince under the hull.

I saw some German M48A2s in Wildflichen back in the day doing tactics while we were there for gunnery.

Tom

Guys don't forget Revell is also putting out a standard A2C.

Even better.

Looking forward to it--no doubt it will show up on this side of the pond shortly. Be alert when placing your order, though--Revell USA has recently reissued the nostalgic (but dreadful) Monogram M48A2 Patton kit from 1957.

T'anks for the announcement and link to the review. I will look for this one to add to my Cold War armor colection.