Hey guys, over the weekend I managed to score the old Academy IDF M60A! with Blazer armour & mine roller, for like $12! I know the kit has some issues, but I see that this one has not one but TWO .50 cal M2's mounted at the barrel. I do not recall seeing this before, especially in Lebanon where this would likely have been used - did the Israeli's really do this?

AFAIK this setup was tested but never actually put into service...

There's a picture of the setup in an OLD Concord book, I think about the wars and border actions in Lebanon, of the dual-50 setup, but I'm thinking, as already stated, it was at best a one-off, according to the caption. Keep in mind my memory here is just as grainy as the picture I remember. I'll dig around today and see if I still have the book I'm thinking about.
The cut-down metal jerry cans in the kit are useful as a diorama accessory though.

Ditto on previous comments. However, we all know how soldiiers are when it comes to field mods. It's well within the realm of possibility some tank commander saw it and decided he had to have it.
I modeled this way back in the day (can post photos next week) before the Academy kit. I'd say to make it a feasible setup, look at why it might have designed:
Left belt could be all AP with every fifth round a tracer, Right belt could be all tracer so commander can designate to adjacent elements where he wants fire concentrated. That's how SF rolls, and I'm sure we didn't invent the concept.

So both .50s are not fired at once?
If they did that would be quite a strain on its mount.
Dan

Thanks For posting this, I also have this kit so now I know to go with the single mount instillation. I am not a rivet-counter but I like to make them as accurate as possible.

The photo you are reffering to is in Samuel Katz's book "Israeli Armoured Might".

It is a Magach 6B vehicle, similar to what the Academy kit is supposed to be.

It must have been a oneoff display, not used in combat only tested in training.From the angle the photo was taken it seems that both mg's are fired simultaneously.

If one wants to be on the safe side, a single mg is the best choice.