My next build is an M48A5 in Korea during the early '80s. The Korea-based M48A5s had a .50 cal mounted on the Urdan cupola, as opposed to an M60D as on stateside M48A5 tanks had.

Here is an example of what I am building, minus the dozer blade.


A few unique features of the Korea M48A5s were added smoke grenade dischargers and storage boxes and the aforementioned .50 cal and its mount. The mount is taken from an M551 Sheridan. Here is a better image of it.



I am still waiting on the Sheridan mount to arrive. I found the sprue that contains it (C sprue) from the new Tamiya M551 on eBay. It should arrive later this week.

To build it, I started with the left over hull from the Dragon M48 AVLB kit. You may remember I used the bridge parts on a Takom CM-11 hull to make my M60 AVLB (long before Dragon announced their M60 AVLB). I swapped out the upper hull for one left over from one of the many M48 multi-kits so I would have a 5 return roller hull as that is what M48A5s were built on. The turret is also left over from the Takom CM-11 kit. They married together quite well. The gun pintles and smoke launchers and their storage boxes are also from the Takom kit. I used the D Vision metal 105mm M68 barrel on it in the Takom mantlet with baffles cut from the D Vision resin mantlet. I didn't use the D Vision mantlet as it didn't fit well and the kit one looked much better. It looks like a copy of the Tamiya M48A3 chunky mantlet. The search light is from the old Legend M48A3 update set, modified with a Dragon mount.

Here it is so far.




I used the Def Model sprockets with mud release holes molded in them. They fit the rest of the Dragon sprocket parts perfectly.



These are the guns. The .50 cal is from the Takom CM-11 kit and the M60D is from Dragon's Vietnam Helicopter crew set. The M60 mount is from an Academy HMMWV, I think.



More to come once I get the Sheridan .50 cal mount in.

Is that second photo a ROK tank or US? Guys on the turret look like ROKs. Other three look like big , corn fed, round eyes. And there is a US looking A- 32 on the hull.

Looking good Gino, off to a good start. I built the Academy M48A5 in 2011 and would love to build another one.

Quick question: Why did you glue the bipod legs to the M60D's gas cylinder? They should connect between the flash suppressor and the front sight.

Thanks guys. It is coming along.




It is a US tank. The guy on top is a KATUSA - Korean Augmentee To the US Army. KATUSAs are assigned to most units there. They are mainly guys who have been to the US or speak english well. They are integrated into the unit and are a great help when dealing with locals and local customs, etc. I had some great KATUSAs when I was there. One grew up in Boston, but was a Korean citizen and had to serve his mandatory time in the Korean military. It was weird hearing a Korean guy with a New England accent.




Lapse of reason. I don't know why I attached them like that as I know where they should go. Easy fix and good catch.

Nice Gino, I’ll be following this one, the elusive A5 👍

Gonna watch too, very interesting.

Thanks guys. It has been fun so far.

I had a surprise when I got home tonight. The M551 C sprue containing the gun mount piece was supposed to come in on Fri. It was at my door today though. Here it is installed and the actual to compare it to.





I fixed the M60D as well. I had the bipod legs too far back.



I hope to get some paint on it by the weekend.

Looks awesome, good fix Gino.

Funny enough, everyone I see online building the Kitty Hawk UH-1D Huey is gluing the bipod legs of the sixty to the gas cylinder.

Looking forward to the progress on the tank. Love the M48 series.

Thanks Keigan. I don't know why they are doing it. It is easy to mess up though as there are no positive connection points to guide you.

Brings back memories when I was station in Korea with 1/72nd Armor (1st Tank) back in 1984-1985.

I was there when we exchanged our old and tired M48A5s for new/rebuilt M60A3s in the summer of 84. The M48s were shipped back to the States, but several of the better conditioned tanks were given over to the Koreans... I'm sure that the ones that made it back to the States ended up as target vehicles on the various types of qualification/testing ranges. With the Sgt.York program being Sh!t canned, the Army didn't need anymore M48s in their inventories since forward Active Duty units where trading in their M60A3s for M1s since the early 80s. Those M60s where often arsenal cleaned-up before being issued to Reserve/Guard Armor units in the mid/late 80s.

During that time period, I saw more Korean M47s than their M48s in the field. Heck, when I was stationed in Germany in 1980, I saw several "Germanized" M48s still running around, definitely saw far more Leopards 1A3/4s.

I'm hoping to pick up a Dragon M48A5 kit soon and use what ever "conversion" parts I have on hand... I'm a very basic builder, so I'm OK with not super detailing my builds.

I'm glad to see that the M48 is still receiving "love" cuz it was a good tank, especially when armed with the 105mm gun!!

The M48A2GA2 (yes, I can say that three times quickly) was used by the Bundeswehr into the early 1990s. It served in the tank batallions of the Territorial Army and in platoon strength the heavy companies of the Jägerbatallions that used the 2to "Unimog" as transport. The Territorials tank batallions where partially "to be activated in case of war" so they where less often seen.

Leo1A3/A4 where far less common in german service but more concentrated so if they where around they where around in large numbers. And all where active.

Gino,

There is a very good M-60D gun with M142 mount on Shapeways:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/72NT5RHJW/1-35-k6-m60d-mg-set

Paired with the (I believe) ROK version of the .50 cal. The -D looks beautiful, and around $14.00 for the set. I've used that designers straight M-60 guns and mounts for my M151 trucks.

I have seen them and ordered different sets from him. That .50 cal is a S. Korean version though for a ROK M48A5, not a US M48A5. I am happy with the guns I have now.

I was able to get some paint on it this weekend. It will be in the MERDC Winter Verdant scheme. The green and tan are airbrushed. The sand and black squiggles are by hand.





I also painted the road wheels alternating tan and green as they will alternate on the hull.



Next up is some detail painting, adding the accessories, and weathering.

Good progress on the build mate. I have several finished M60 and M48A5s that I wanna do in MERC. Eager to try out the scheme myself.

Finally I am back at it on this one. Its crazy how life gets in the way. I had a week-long business trip to Germany and then the Thanksgiving holiday was upon us, etc., etc., etc...

I have a question at this point. Hopefully the guys who were there (John, Rob) can answer it.

For the bumper numbers, was the background white or sand? In the below pic, it looks white.

Gino-- only you! Magnificent as always
Stay safe
DJ

Gino,
Typically a sand colored background was used back then in the 80's, just like when you were there in 1-15FA.

Saying that, when I served under COL(R) DJ Judge (he was a LTC then) in the 194th Armored Brigade, our vehicles in the Cav troop (M60A3s and M113s/M901s) has sand bumper numbers on a dark green background.

John

Thanks DJ and John. I need to get back to this one, but the holiday season is full of other commitments. Hopefully soon.

I have completed my M48A5 in Korea, late '80s. I made the bumper numbers myself using computer decal paper over sand paint. It is marked as a tank from B Company, 2nd Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. AKA - B Co, 2nd Tank.

It is hard to see in the pics, but I extended the MERDC camo onto the sides of the lower hull below the fenders. For weathering, I used a dark brown wash and then a lighter sandy-brown drybrush to bring up the details. Let me know what you think.

Looking good Gino!

Thanks James. It was a fun build.

Just the right amount of dust lingering in the nooks and crannies when the tank is in the motor pool. Looks great.

Thanks Steven. That was the look I was going for.

Nice work, Gino! I was stationed in Korea in 81/82 and frequently saw these tanks. You've nailed it.