1975 US M60A1

1
April 9, 2022
I love these tracks. The very first thing I did when I popped the lid off.
2
April 9, 2022
Deviated from the recommended assembly order and built the basic hull. Fit was good.
3
April 9, 2022
Found on the internet a while back (thanks internet). Jeff Lewis's M60 spotter's guide.
4
April 9, 2022
Grand plans to remove the "chin".
5
April 9, 2022
Making packing material.
6
April 9, 2022
Reinforcing just in case.....
7
April 10, 2022
While the turret dries...
8
April 10, 2022
9
April 10, 2022
Running gear was straight-forward, no surprises.
10
April 10, 2022
I vaguely remember that there was a reason that I intentionally installed the tracks going in different directions but I can't remember what it was....
11
April 10, 2022
The fenders fit on very nicely.
12
April 10, 2022
Leaving box handles A33 off until the end.
13
April 10, 2022
Basic turret shape.
14
April 10, 2022
Hopefully, the proof is in the pudding. "Chin" less.
15
April 10, 2022
This was all done by eye.
16
April 10, 2022
How accurate is it? I don't know but it's good enough for me and my display shelf.
17
February 11, 2023
I am not looking forward to this.
18
February 11, 2023
Trying to be clever... One piece at a time. Allow to fully dry before moving on.
19
February 11, 2023
...OK....
20
February 11, 2023
Ok
21
February 11, 2023
Oh, I screwed it up.... Didn't see it at first.
22
February 11, 2023
The middle crossbar (N34) is backward (upside-down, whatever). JHC! Now what?
23
February 11, 2023
While pondering fixes, I set the mesh up in its jig.
24
February 11, 2023
I thought about it for a bit and decided to cut off the ends and swap them around.
25
February 11, 2023
And..... It looks OK.
26
February 11, 2023
Glued the stowage basket on and while it was drying, started working on the Commander's cupola. The barrel of the M85 was bent inside its packaging so I tried gently bending it straight.
27
February 11, 2023
Installed the cut ends of the middle crossbar. While drying, the searchlight.
28
February 11, 2023
Second screw-up. And again, didn't spot it at first.
29
February 11, 2023
I forget where I got the power cable for the searchlight from. After much prodding and poking, its more or less in position.
30
February 11, 2023
The tow cables themselves were ok but the fiddley little bracket doohickies, I found hard to place and they do not want to stay on the turret.
31
February 11, 2023
32
February 11, 2023
Aber 35 L-297 M85 barrel.
33
February 11, 2023
Takom 2070 M47 (Sprue F) Turret Bin. I ordered from Takom. Sent them an email and four months (and $10 shipping) later...
34
February 11, 2023
35
February 11, 2023
I installed the carrying handles on the wrong sides. It's upside down.
36
February 11, 2023
It's taken almost a year to suck up the courage to attempt to fix this. In hindsight, I should have assembled everything on the searchlight before installing it on the model....
37
February 11, 2023
Turns out that I shouldn't have glued the front of the handle to the searchlight body. The cover slips under that part of the handle.
38
February 11, 2023
Old school stowage basket, stowage bin
39
February 11, 2023
40
August 27, 2025
Takom instructions are small, so this is larger.
41
August 25, 2025
MASSTER begins. (Mobile Army Sensor Systems Test, Evaluation and Review.) I'm using the Takom profile with AK's Real Colors Lacquers.
First up, RC901 Olive Drab, FS34087. Other than a slight smell (nostalgia), I'm liking the lacquers.
42
August 25, 2025
Tamiya's XF-63 German Grey for the rubber bits of the track.

Comments

18 9 April 2022, 06:20

Villiers de Vos
Nice attention to details.

10 April 2022, 00:34

A.J. Madison
Looks like you identified it correctly, the storage bin came off a M-47. I have a very old IPMS Quarterly from the 20th century that has a picture of a row M60A1s with this bin attached to the back of the rack. IIRC, the M60A1s were painted MERDC, but the storage bin was still OD. Alas I am relying on memory of the caption, as the Quarterly was only B & W pictures.

11 February 2023, 08:04

Album info

The Patton Tank that wasn't a Patton Tank.

1975 US M60A1

42 images

1:35

In progress

1:35 US M60/M728/LVTP7 M85 cal .50 Heavy Machine Gun Barrel (Aber 35L-297)

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