Hi all,
I would like to find out all I can about this photo

If anyone has any 'back story' to this photo , like unit, location and time period of photo, where the photo was published (maybe more photos or info on this tank) I would be grateful. All I know about it so far is it appears to be an Army M48a3 mod b watching a road somewhere.
I am also wondering what they used to make the awning with? Looks like 2 uniformly sized pieces, tent halves? And what is the large stowage item leaning against the cupola?
Thanks in advance!
Sean
(pic is in my gallery if I botched up the link )

Here it is with a fixed photo link.



It is a standard M48A3 though, note the round, multi-light assembly, but does have the cupola riser added, so a later M48A3. The lean-to is most likely two tent pieces or tarps tied together. I can't make out what is on the turret, but it looks like it could be an ammo box for the main gun or mortar rounds. It is most likely being used as storage.

Hi Gino, thanks for reply and for fixing pic for me.
Ah, ok, having the riser doesn't necessarily make it a mod b. I hadn't noticed the light cluster either.
I am currently working on Dragon 3544 and was hoping for a match, ah well.

According to the original caption you can find here :

http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/mounted/chapter6.htm#p2

this tank belongs to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor.

H.P.

It is an M48A3 Model 1963, based on a M48A1 with five return rollers and the early headlight assembly, as previously noted, though retrofitted with the vision riser. Interestingly, it has the late style, Y-shaped blast deflector, an item more commonly seen on the M48A2 (and on M48A3 Model 1968 tanks, based on the A2). Revell Germany's M48A2 kit has this gun.