I recently came across both these kits and was wondering which one is the best for putting on ERA? I am going to make one as a Desert Storm version and the other in the standard 3 tone scheme. Thanks in advance.

Everything Ive heard is to use the era on an italeri. Due to the academy/tamiyas suspension sitting high from its motorised lineage

They are basically the same. Academy's is a copy of the Tamiya kit with some improvement in the road wheels and commander's cupola. The best M60 kits are the old Esci ones. They have been recently reissued by Italeri (M60A1 and Israeli M60 Blazer) and Revell (M60A3).

Here is an article that compares them all.

Best way to get a good M60A1 w/ERA is to use the Esci M60A1 and add either Tamiya's or Academy's ERA tiles and top loading air clearers. You can also add the smoke launchers and smoke grenade storage boxes as well since some had them too.

Thanks for that link Gino, I just picked up the Italeri Blazer kit yesterday.

Hey whats the deal on the gunxe era set you see from time to time? Is it any better?

Nope, it is also a reboxed Tamiya M60A1 with PE ERA blocks added. Not really an improvement over the Tamiya kit and definitely not worth what they want for it.