Working on a Vietnam diorama. It will have a M48 damaged by landmine getting a new powerpack and other repairs. Still many options to go. Have an M728 almost finished, but just got a really nice Hobby Link M543 crane truck I may use instead. We’ll see.
I am not trying for extreme realism here. Just trying to get a “feel”. Like my “Land Clearing Team” diorama, I just want to give the average viewer something interesting to look at.
Using the Dragon M48a3 “B” kit
The legend AVDS 1790 powerpack and engine bay.
AFV M728 kit or M578 conversion from the Italeri M107. Still deciding…
the gear box on the M48 is one of the last painted gear boxes that went into a track. They were painted a very glossy white. There will often be streaks of red oil on it, with a light coating of tan or red dust.
In the field (that’s where you lost 90% of the power packs); they usually were pulled via a Chinook when they flew the rebuilt power pack out, and sat it on the ground. Then pulled the old one with the chopper. The M578 wreckers were uncommon, and would have probably used a ten ton wrecker or M88 in the rear areas. Every CAV troop had an M88 for their service. It takes them about 45 minutes to change the power pack if they’ve done it a few times, but have seen it take a little over an hour in the rain. The M88 rarely went out with them in the bush; unless it was a full troop operation.
Lastly; mine damage usually occurs at the front road wheels (left or right), but the mine might be a “clicker” that actually counts. Or another might be a command detonated type. Those are usually dud 155 or 8" arty rounds, and will often flip the tank if the blast is close to the middle. Then of course there is the dud 500lb. bomb. There’s no fixing the tank with the 155 round up thru bombs. A CBL’d 48 might be drug back to the rear, and everything salvageable will be removed. From there it goes into the junk pile.
gary
the only SPG outfit I was ever around with was the 3rd of the 18th, and they never had one I ever saw. Been nice, but still rare. Ten Ton wreckers were common, and it seemed like there always was one or two in the area. Still in the bush; they were not there. A heavy lift chopper got the job done with ease. If you were lucky, they’d send two of them. The power pack under one and the cradle under the other.
Got to remember that the M48 or SPG is a “prime piece” and time waits for no one. An M113 was often simply towed out, but they didn’t break the power packs very often. I don’t know what the max weight capacity is for the M578, but I can safely tell you the M48 power pack is heavy. Probably in 9,000lb. area, and the early Chinooks were good for 12,000lb. in hot dry weather.
gary
almost daily out in the field. Remember that there’s no way to get the new stuff to you except by air, and they’ll also haul the old power pack back. So you have the Chinook there anyway. I’ve watched them change them many times over, and a good tank crew makes short work of it
gary
