I had the M48A2GA2 from Revell and wanted to do the earlier 1970's era M48A2G as pictured in the old Squadron M48 in Action. The Lo Model conversion had all the West German bits for the M48A2GA2 and I had the whole West German accessory sprue from an AFV-Club M41G.
These are the differences.
After everything was don I found out the I put the convoy marker and lights in the wrong place but they do match what is in the M48A2GA2 instructions.
The pictures I had showed the "gumball" light on the turret rear and a Hoffman device. The Bundeswehr had them a few years before the US did. Surprisingly the Lo Model headlights and guards were an exact drop fit onto the Monogram hull almost as if it was the intended kit for those parts.
This time around I used as many spare parts as I could find to dress up the M48. So it has new drive sprockets (as if you can tell under the mud) and a new cupola from an Academy M48A5K. I couldn't come up with a way to simply fix the bulged hatch and the Monogram one just did't look right so there's a figure sitting on it.
The figure is a conversion. He's a WWII German with the winter coat. I modified the closure to make it look like a typical rain coat. The head is from a Heller Leopard kit with the hat cut down to a beret. Viola! Bundeswehr tank crewman circa 1976. I could have done so much more but I gave up AMS a long time ago for mental health reasons.
Since the guy is in a raincoat the tank is in the rain. The original pictures had it in a muddy German field so I went with that. No fancy stuff for me, the mud is sifted earth mixed with white glue. And you would be surprised where splatter gets. Rev the engine to get out of a puddle and it can smack the tank commander in the face. And never forget the muddy shoes of the crew. Not every tank commander is fastidious enough to make the crew wipe their feet before climbing aboard.
Compared to the newer kits this is an old dog. But I couldn't wait and it was cheap. So I built it. Now I can do my Revell M48A2 as Israeli. And no, I can't afford a Dragon kit.
