Bulgarian OKB Grigorov has released a 3D printed model of an 18" searchlight for M47 and early M48 in 1/35 scale (4 pcs. in a set)
These look good - I had to pinch one from a Dragon M46 to use on my M60 “slick”.
Exactly (though I lost an Accurate Armour one somewhere) - and filched same for my mad TV-8 project.
Four in a job lot is about right I reckon - M46 , M47 possibly, but certainly looking forward to putting one on an M48A1.
Incidentally, was this ever fitted to the M103? It sort of feels like it should have been - or would the gun’s range have outdistanced the light?
Good question!
Well, the fittings for it on the M48A1 look like it must have been a bespoke job - ie support stanchions presumably welded on and a pivot at the top for the light; presumably, a similar set up could be modified for the M103A1?
I mean, it must have been at least trialled I should think; the US, as were the rest of the young NATO, would have been well aware of the Soviet fit to all their armour, medium tanks as well as heavy.
There is more to it then simply attaching the searchlight-it needs alot of power and does the sight on a 103 even have IR capabilities?
Or-are they only using it for white light?
Dunno to be honest. We do know though, that the A2 version had the same light as on the M60; what was going down during the A1’s tenure I have no idea, but it just looks to me that a searchlight on the A1 would really be something(!)
But I just wonder if the gun - and range - were too much for the searchlight to handle as conceivably there must be a sort of range match?
That would be an excellent addition to make an early M48, like the ones facing the Soviets in berlin in 1961.
Seek and ye shall find
The issue of range was really “how far can we see”, as the light’s range did vary a bit with fog/mist, rain, dust, etc. Even my M551A1 Sheridans had lights, and I once (ONCE) hit a target at 1400 meters in an otherwise pitch dark night.
Here’s the secret: searchlights are literally line-of-sight. The guns all (to one degree or another) require superelevation. Our battle drill was to light up the targets with backlit mortar illumination rounds (first: 4.2” is great for this), and then blind them (briefly) with the searchlight. A second tank was the shooter, and did not use the light in typical gunnery situations. Coax against troops and lightly armored targets could be done (coax max effective range is ~900m) with your own light, but we emphasized using the light for VERY short periods of time.
In this view are important details: zoom in.
The socket on the turret roof (just below the line of the rangefinder bulges) is the electrical power supply for the light.
The mantlet/dust cover has two protrusions between the telescope (far side) and the coax (near side), and a third “uphill” to form the tripod-like base. The balls, similar to tow hitch balls, were often NOT threaded to the tabs on the mantlet.
The T43 PV (pilot vehicle) did NOT have searchlight tabs.
These are all the A2 versions which clearly have searchlights, the questions are about the A1.
Thanks, Dan.
I’ll check back on this. My memory says most of the systems were upgraded, and I recall (hey, I can say that at 72!) at least one gasser M103 with searchlight stubs. But I am not certain!
not only that but the searchlight is different type.
Yes, the round vs the rectangular. I should’ve read the question more carefully.
Those look like steam punk goblin explosive barrel backpacks.
Right - now I know I’m in a parallel universe(!)
Says he, making a TV-8.
So does anyone know about the Couse-Hinds 18" version being fitted to the M103A1?
