I've dug out a bunch of my old 1/72 scale kits to see what would need to be done to make an M1 look like a 1970s "future" tank. Good thing I kept those old half destroyed Esci kits.

I will certainly have to blank off the undersides of the sponsons and rework the gun barrels with styrene tubes and rods. I need to find some veil or mesh material that looks like scale chain link fencing and has a little stiffness to it. This will be an interesting conversion.

Sabot,
May be able to help with the chain link.
If you have a hospital nearby ask the fracture clinic if you can buy some plastic cast material that hardens when put into water. The material comes as a bandage and when dunked into water and rolled out on the persons arm / leg a chemical reaction takes place and it sets hard.
I know because I've got one on my ankle now from a double fracture of all bones in my ankle.
This material when soft can be easily cut into appropriate length and looks just right for 1/72 chain link fence. Dip into water when ready to harden.
YOU may need to do some fast talking to be able to get it but its worth a try!!!!!!!

try and find an old copy of janes fightitng vehicles, they a photo or two of the abrams before it was the abrams.i think it was the xbt-70still searching the correct designator, sorry. will repost when i know for sure

THANK THE NET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found it!!!!!! it was the mbt-70i wish you luck in the conversion



stug

Thanks Stug, I have several MBT-70 kits and many photo references. Just thinking aloud about what to do to the kit specifically.

Hmmm. Sounds like you are going to have some fun with it, then. Question from me is, are you going to work off of the concept vehicle drawings/early Chrysler versions, or are you working on something more in the realm of "fantasy"(never existed, but was a possibility)? Just curious. *grin* If you can find a copy, Hunnicutt's Abrams has a lot of references of the proposed tank between the XM8?? and the XM1. Can't remember the last couple of numbers from the post MBT70 tank.

Also, where'd you find a copy of an MBT70 model? Been looking for one for a while now.

Been looking for that American Firepower book since I turned my nose up at it as a lieutenant at Fort Knox (I'm not going to pay $50 for a book! kicking myself now). The XM803 was what the MBT-70 became once the Germans and Americans split and the US went their own way before cancelling the project altogether.

Yes, I plan on building a fantasy tank, like a sucessor to the XM803 if it had gone into production. Something along the lines of an M803A2, not quite a normal M1but more than an MBT-70/XM803.

As far as my MBT-70 kits, I have four of the old 1/48 scale Aurora kits. One I had built many years ago and have since rebuilt (old square box issue). Another is the same kit I got on eBay. Both of these are the un-modified, smooth hulled versions. I also have two of the newer version where the upper surfaces were given texture. One in a small white box and the other was a Young Model Builder Club box. Both also have the "suspension" detail molded into the hull sides. Neat kits, too bad Monogram never reissued them.

Wish someone would come out with one in 1/35 scale. Grrr. Would be a nice niche in modern tank history.

Out of curiosity, know of anything that would be a good start on a T95 chassis?