I'm going to be cynical.

The only thing different is the decal sheet and the gun tube. Funny that the "early" one has the later paint scheme, track and markings. And though not visible on the box art the "early" could also have side loading air cleaners too. Or it could all just be a sham to sell two kits rather than have the options in one box with the "early" and "late" being completely arbitrary.

Yup, just a new barrel, T142 tracks, and new decals.

Taliking about an early version, check out the inclination of the stowage bins on this vehicle:

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Taliking about an early version, check out the inclination of the stowage bins on this vehicle:

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TOO early. That's one of the M60A1E1 prototypes.

KL

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Yup, just a new barrel, T142 tracks, and new decals.

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I just noticed something else - the "early" kit has aluminum wheels while the "late" kit has steel wheels.

That's right. I forgot about the CBSS bulge being absent on the early ones.

. . . . it outlines that the testing on the M81 Gun Launcher occurred in 1965-66 where the issue arose with the combustable material remaining in the chamber. Solving this took approximately 6 years and with production of the M60A2s began in 1973, it is probably safe to say that all fielded A2s had CBSS. There were a number of turrets that were built in the late 1960's, which probably accounts for the Gun/Launchers mounted in A2 turrets with with as well as without the bore evacuators (fume extractors, for you Commonwealth tankers) - as Pawel mentioned above.

Jason,
Nope. based on my research for the forward of Volume 1, I used the Patton bible, Hunnicutt's Patton, The History of the American Main Battle Tank as my primary source. In it it outlines that the testing on the M81 Gun Launcher occurred in 1965-66 where the issue arose with the combustable material remaining in the chamber. Solving this took approximately 6 years and with production of the M60A2s began in 1973, it is probably safe to say that all fielded A2s had CBSS. There were a number of turrets that were built in the late 1960's, which probably accounts for the Gun/Launchers mounted in A2 turrets with with as well as without the bore evacuators (fume extractors, for you Commonwealth tankers) - as Pawel mentioned above.

So, I would state that there is no Early or Late versions on the M60A2. The early or late would more specifically relate to the service life of the vehicle and is associated with the changing of components that usually wear out (track and roadwheels) with improved items (M48 steel roadwheels) or newly fielded components (T-142 vs T97E2 track). That is just my offering to this discussion

John

Thanks very much John...let the building begin!

Were the dozer blades an enigma on the M60A2s or issued one per Company? I have a Verlinden M9 dozer blade looking for a home.

Gunner, M60A2, C 1/37 armor. (C-23)
We turned in our mixed battalion of M60's and M60A1's.Starting in Dec 1975,C company drew A2's in January 1976.
Some tanks, had bore evacuator tubes (NON FUNCTIONAL)
Some had the bosses on the tube, where the bore evacuator would mount.
Some had smooth gun tubes.
All developmental test vehicles may have been on early M60 /A1 hulls, with the side loading air cleaners.None of the tanks we drew, had those. My M60 (first ride) had side loading aircleaners.
Our vehicles were issued with the T-97 chevron based track. Around Sept 1977, we swapped to the T-142 track.
NO M60A2 in our battalion had a dozer attachment.The CBSS took up the space for any connections.There would be no way to attach a pump to the end of the transmission, as the 2 high pressure compressors were hooked up there.
(Anyone remember Turboshaft oil?)
Now, I have to buy this kit, as it has 1/37 markings, and is 1 number off from C-23.The markings on the box art commemorate when 1/37 was the top gun battalion in that years' seasonal gunnery.

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Gunner, M60A2, C 1/37 armor. (C-23)
We turned in our mixed battalion of M60's and M60A1's.Starting in Dec 1975,C company drew A2's in January 1976.
Some tanks, had bore evacuator tubes (NON FUNCTIONAL)
Some had the bosses on the tube, where the bore evacuator would mount.
Some had smooth gun tubes.
All developmental test vehicles may have been on early M60 /A1 hulls, with the side loading air cleaners.None of the tanks we drew, had those. My M60 (first ride) had side loading aircleaners.
Our vehicles were issued with the T-97 chevron based track. Around Sept 1977, we swapped to the T-142 track.
NO M60A2 in our battalion had a dozer attachment.The CBSS took up the space for any connections.There would be no way to attach a pump to the end of the transmission, as the 2 high pressure compressors were hooked up there.
(Anyone remember Turboshaft oil?)
Now, I have to buy this kit, as it has 1/37 markings, and is 1 number off from C-23.The markings on the box art commemorate when 1/37 was the top gun battalion in that years' seasonal gunnery.

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Very good first hand info. I had read in previous posts on other forums that there were issues with mounting the dozer blade on the M60A2 due to the CBSS bulge and only a few were trialed and long derelict or museum examples.....none of them had actually been assigned to tank Companies.