IIRC the Crouse Hinds light started life as a ship-borne device so is generally waterproof. But mounting it at the “beak” of the turret puts it in the way of waves that will knock it for six! That’s why I’d pull it back a bit up-slope.
It would be cool to see that MG replaced with a cupola from an M48A3 or an M60A2!
I’ve got to stress again, unless the USMC were operators I only envisage the odd river-crossing or wade in Central Europe. I think though I probably expressed that view on my other build thread “Chrysler TV-8”, which is my fault.
I have to say though, a dedicated USMC variant would be another lovely tangent - Schnorkels perhaps? Beach assault dio alongside an LVTP 5 or say, an Ontos? This damned hobby! Great for ideas - crap for getting builds done.
And that’s not to mention the possible Bundeswehr version, or a later US iteration - say in MASSTER or MERDC - with those respective cupolas - and even different searchlights - for a start. Aaaargh!
On page 36 of the “A History of the American Battle Tank”, Volume 2
Here is the page - click on it twice to make it large enough to read.
Are those notches in the sides meant to be hand/foot holds? I was wondering how on Earth the crew managed to scramble up that smooth rounded turret when saddling up!
They are indeed - or rather - they tie in with some hand holds. Before I got my hands on the model I thought that somewhere along the line I might have to install some type of ladder.
Still looks a bit scary - I can picture a few dismounts ending with a slide and a crunch!
Ah but Tom, such soldiers are young and bendy - they bounce! These days, I for one, certainly don’t.
But any vehicle, especially AFVs, are a nightmare say, in the wet, or the dark, coupled with never-ending fatigue and wearing a discombobulating NBC suit.
Are those MG blisters by the turret lifting hooks?
They are Dan; as I understand it to take 2 x .30 MGs. I have some brass barrels and plan on displaying just the tips in order to reinforce the message - otherwise the casual punter (to the model shows I display at) - who may well be reeling at the sight of the thing anyway - may not notice what they are.
Is the searchlight in their way?
No flies on you Dan!
It could be; the blob of Blu-tak I’ve used is quite useful, and already, CSI-like, I’ve been using lengths of brass rod to consider where the MGs trajectories go, so I’ve got to get this right.
The thing is, I sort of want the searchlight to be where it is, as it just, to me, looks both typical of the era, yet mad on such a strange-looking tank.
And to think, I thought this might be quite a straightforward build(!) I’m finding out, that even as a What-If, you still have to think a fair bit(!)
Feed the searchlight power cable through the machine-gun port behind it. Since the only real way to mount the searchlight is in front of one of the guns, it would have to be removed anyway, so they would likely use the opening for the cable. It would even serve as a kind of automatic safety: the cable will physically prevent anyone accidentally installing the gun and shooting up the light.
since i have both the Leopard 2 and Abrams in my collection Id love to have both the US and German verasion of the MBT 70 to show where both came from
Could They be collimeter sighting system,
as that was, the normal reliable sighting for tanks, around that time frame, the single sight came a lot later, M60a3
You could add a stop bar like the M48 did.
Now that is an excellent idea; sadly, I glued the coax MGs into the apertures earlier today. That is so logical and just what I need. However, I envisage a power feed straight into the turret.
I’ve also been giving some thought to how this was driven; granted there’s a TV monitor on the chassis component (to which I’ll have to add a wiper and washer nozzle) but from his position high in the turret, even if looking out, not closed down, it must have been almost impossible to judge where one was (probably not unique to driving most AFVs I should think, but especially on this one). To that end I’ve been thinking again about vehicle position poles, like one used to see on German vehicles. They’d have to be fixed to the turret at the front end (and even the rear come to that). It then occurred to me that I could incorporate one side using the searchlight platform - however I rig it; the other side would be a straightforward rod but mimicking wherever I position the light platform.
All food for thought and I must start tinkering and messing around with plastic card, lead wire and so on.
Onward and upward!
Sorry Frank - if you’re referring to the two apertures they’re definitely for the coax MGs. I fixed them in today:
I think it would look quite good offset and further back, similar to the way the spotlight was offset on the Centurion, T-55, Type 74, etc.
It would make sense to have it in a place that the crew could service without clambering along the turret top, or falling off the turret!
Just read the book pages, nothing says how they were to find distance to target. Don’t think, there tankers ,were taught bracketing after Sherman.
Someone will pipe up shortly 
