I have been doing some research on the M48-A2 tank and ran across the M Company, 11th ACR in Vietnam site. It is a great place for information and to learn about this unit. Well, they have tons of pictures of M48-A3's, but none of A2's. Does anyone know if they deployed with A2's? They used to paint a skull and cross-bones on the searchlight cover... I have some pictures that would make great reference for an A3 and intend to build one of their tanks... but would also like to build the A2 the same way...

Thanks for the help.

The only difference was one gas and the other diesel.
http://www.patton-mania.com/M48/m48.html

one more this is a question for the Rob
http://www.kithobbyist.com/AFVInteriors/m48/m48a.html

http://www.soft.net.uk/entrinet/armour3.htm

I recall that there were some M48A2Cs in Vietnam. They were gasoline fueled, but have the "infared suppression" rear deck, same ae M48A3 and M60-series. I believe the old Monogram kit is an M48A2C. D, H & M companies were all tank companies in the 11th ACR, one per squadron.

Off hand, the obvious differences between the A2 and A3 (besides gas to diesel engine) was the back deck and the commander's cupola hatch. The A3's hatch had a bump added to give the TC a little more headroom when closed, the A2's hatch was rounded. Some A3's also had the turret vision block risers as depicted in the Tamiya kit.

OK, that answered it... thanks. Now, anyonw know if there is a dozer blade made for the M48 chassis and who would make it? I read some info about the 11th ACR... they had an engineer unit attached in Vietnam that used the M48A2 Dozer tank... but the hull is different from the M60, so the M-9 dozer kit would not work, would it??

If you look on page 15 of Squadron Signal's M48 Patton in Action, you will see photos of M48A1s with the M8 dozer blade. I imagine you could mount the M9 on it and be close enough. The mounting points will have to be modified, but it will look "close enough". There are a couple of other photos in there, one a US tank in Beruit, the other in Vietnam.

As you know, the M-48 has a rounded front slope and the M60 has a flat one... OK... I can do that. I have a dozer blade kit... the main difference was probably the mounting hardware, anyway.

Besides all differences was said above, there are three others, The M48A3 is diesel, and A2 is Gasoline, so the box like air cleaners that can be found on the A3 is deleted on the A2 rear fenders.
Due this, the rear deck is also different on the side grids.
Another difference is the the A2 has only 3 return roller just like the M60 and all M48A3 have 5.
If you are going to adapt the dozer blade kit there is also another detail you must be awere of. The dozer weight over loaded the from suspension so the tank usually it was more compressed in the front them in the rear, If you 'll really will try to get a accurate realistic look on the model you will have to reposition all suspension arms to get some few degrees angule of the tank relatively to the tracks plane.
Aldo

I have the Mono A-2 so the hull should be OK... will count return rollers, though. Yeah, I should do something with the suspension...will have to look at that one..

Thanks for the tips. I have been working on this for about 2 weeks, gathering pictures, etc. I think an A2 dozer tank would be too kool... so I will probably attempt that. Besides, I want a Vietnam tank and I know that A2's were used as dozer tanks over there. U also must remember that there were additional things added when they added the dozer, including a hydraulic PTO assembly on the left rear fender...

It ought to be cool. I just ordered an ACAV on Squadron and will be building a three-vehicle diorama... sometime in the next 5 years heheheh