M10 probably qualifies for Hot Out of the Molds 2025.
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If it’s been cancelled, it’s in! But if I was the crew I’d rather have the Leopard…
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@ Jakko: doesn’t the cupola rotate? I’ve seen pics of it in use on US and IDF Shermans and IDF M48’s in several positions…
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The “vision” cupola with the single round hatch didn’t rotate - it was bolted down. The hatch itself had a rotatable core, so the commander’s periscope can swivel. But - the cupola used the same ring of bolt holes in the turret that the earlier split hatch did, so it could be unbolted, rotated, and re-bolted in a new position - IIRC it had six options. The earlier split hatch ring did rotate…
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As Tom says, the cupola was bolted to the turret roof, both on the M26 and the M4. You can see it in different orientations, but the standard one on both those tanks was with the hatch at 4 o’clock — however, on early T26s it was at 6 o’clock:
The photos of the T26E4 in a vehicle dump in Germany, that are in Zaloga’s article in Military Modelling about the conversion, show it also had the hatch like this. That’s why in the photo I posted earlier, you can see I carved off the cupola from the Accurate Armour conversion set and put Tamiya’s part on instead 
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Sorry VT.This is the first time I’ve had a Takom,apart from a bit of lower hull warp it’s a very nice kit.I’ve bought their Swiss Hetzer G13 which also looks pretty good.
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Here you go:
Of course, the VT 1-2 was never intended as a fighting vehicle — it was purely a research project to see if hit probability would increase sufficiently with two guns firing at the same target to try that in an actual tank. It did prove that this was indeed the case, but then the new Leopard 2 fire control system turned out to offer about the same increase while using only a single gun.
Also, IMnsHO you need to do more to a VT 1-2 than just paint it in in-service colours to make it a plausible AFV. Here’s my take on it:
Might not look too different from what you get in the kit, but:—
Those are Leopard 2 wheels, tracks, guns and commander’s hatch, BTW, and KPz 70 rear grille and exhausts.
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That’s nice work Jakko - and pretty much what |I was considering on my (stalled!) VT project; the tools fit is more or less what I would have fitted. However, at the end of the day I think I’ll do it just as the prototype - though I am sorely tempted to do otherwise - not least because of your rendition(!)
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The tools on my model are what they are because I had them from an Italeri Leopard 1 My reasoning behind the decisions for this model were that Leopard 2 wheels and tracks would be likely if that tank had been developed as in the real world (for those who don’t know: VT 1-1 and 1-2 used a shortened KPz 70 hull, but the wheels and track from that were different than was developed for Leopard 2 after), and that’s also why I used Leopard 2 “production” guns instead of the “prototype” 120 mm guns that the real VT 1-2 had. I added KPz 70 exhaust grilles because I thought the weird, big exhaust mufflers on VT 1-2 would be unlikely.
The rebuilt glacis is because I doubt a fighting vehicle would have those large panels on the side it presents to the enemy, seeing as how they’re clearly a weak spot. I also rearranged the crew to have the driver on the left, using the old commander’s hatch with its larger number of pericopes, putting the commander in the middle with a Leopard cupola because it makes the vehicle much more fightable. The gunner is on the right with a Leopard 2 sight, for the same reason.
Then I also had to add an autoloader on the left, since the VT 1-2 was supposed to have two but got only one. I just copied the one from the right in plastic card etc.
The pioneer tools, tow cables, smoke launchers, ice cleats etc. are there because you can’t have an in-service vehicle without all of that stuff. I just stuck them where I felt they would be plausible without being in the way.
Oh, yes, and I added clues that both main guns have a coaxial machine gun.
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That’s what I like about What-If - the plausibility of it all and then adding details where they make sense.
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Same. I don’t like what-ifs that consist mainly of sticking stuff together because it looks cool without any thought of plausibility. I’ve mentioned it before in another thread, but I consider that “soft” what-if, whereas my own models in this genre are “hard” what-ifs, as far as I’m concerned. The changes have to make sense to me, and the whole has to have a realistic, believable path to its development — just one that wasn’t followed in the real world
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Oh yeah. That’s the real fun/challenge of doing a “what-if”: would it have worked, would it have been logical, is/was there a reason for it.
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Thanks and nice work. I was thinking of finishing it as the museum example ( Kiel ?) but without the black and yellow hazard tape on barrels.
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This arrived yesterday, I’ve been trying to avoid buying any more models , but I couldn’t resist this ridiculous beast.
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I was hoping that a prototype had been built ,having seen a photograph ,but apparently the project never got beyond full size mock up, this was also the case with the FV215b SPG on conqueror hull as far as I know.
I have a few Soviet Object tanks such as the 279 so this would add to the collection of wierd and wonderful.
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Dave, you might find my rendition of Object 450/T-74 of some interest:
As expressed above, the fun is initiating the plausibility of it all, and deciding what might have worked where.
I find it amazing that Trumpeter bothered to produce such a wide range of Soviet experimental types.
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Thanks for that.I can see where a few field mods could be made to the 490b.A diorama with the (2) man crew trying to free the front track after it’s broken /shed and stuffed itself into the rear set following a high speed reverse would show one of the likely flaws in the design.
Extra range fuel tanks as on your vehicle would look good , but I can’t see where they could be mounted without compromising the R.W.S.
I agree that it is interesting that Trumpeter have released these obscure afv’s.I find them more interesting than the ‘paper panzers’ that never even got to mock up stage though.
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I guess this would provide a likely pointer if the vehicle had ever seen service.(As usual with me it’s never got beyond primer and I haven’t fitted most of the pioneer tools.I can’t even recall what it’s called Revell kit Jagdpanzer Kanone ?
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