Ever since Operation Desert Storm in 1991 I wanted to build a USMC M-60A1 painted in MERDC Grey Desert with Desert Tan painted Ad on armor tiles. I think I saw it in the news on CNN then and have never been able to find a picture of it since, until a few years ago where a found a single and poor quality picture of “my tank” There is also some pictures of another MERDC/Desert Tan painted USMC M-60A1 from Desert Storm, but that is a Dozer equipped M-60A1.
When I painted the MERDC scheme I only had one picture of the very vehicle that I was building, so I used the official US Army MERDC paint scheme for M-60. Normally I am very strict with reference pictures in order to get the perfect model, but this time I have to rely on the paint scheme, and everybody knows that these schemes are not followed a 100 %. I comfort my paint OCD with the fact that not two MERDC painted vehicles are painted alike. MERDC is the US abbreviation for US Mobility Equipment & Design Command.
I used Hataka Orange line for the four Grey Desert MERDC colors, Field Drab FS30118, Sand Brown FS30277, Earth Yellow FS30257, Night Black FS37038 and Desert Tan FS33446 for the Ad-on armor tiles. AK Real Color and Mr. Color was used for the details.
To make the paint job easier, I build the whole vehicle without the add-on-armor. All the ad on-armor sections were built, painted, and kept in small Ziplock bags with the instruction page numbers on each bag. These sections were mounted after the MERDC paint. All parts were painted black first, then pre shaded with an off white in order to give variations and depth in the colors.
I chose AFV-Club workable tracks over the vinyl tracks provided in the kit. To give them a worn look, I cut bruises in the trackpads. The tracks were painted with AK Real Color Dark Brown RC074 and the trackpads got some Mr Color Tire Black 137. Track work is never funny… either in 1:35 or in 1:1 scale.
The folding cot’s where from an older Tamiya kit. The rest of the crew’s gear was a mix if Legend and Value-Gear resin. I would prefer Legend resin over value-Gear any day since the Legend resin details are much sharper.
Very way cool. Camouflage and markings and weathering effects look really good. All that rich tonal variation makes the entire model pop, bringing it to life.
Your system for masking off camouflage patterns is very interesting. I have seen the technique used in the past but never tried it myself. It is very much worth learning.
Very nice, I like the damage added to the track pads, nice touch and the cam looks superb. I have the Takom A1 with dozer … so that may be next on the bench after the Merkava gets finished.
Found another btw. Caption read:
Great comparison with Iraqi tank. Marine M60A1 C-company, 3rd plt., 3rd tankbattalion, taskforce Ripper Operation Desert Storm at final position outstide Kuwait.
Which probably is the tankdozer you mentioned. If you have more pics of that one, I’m interested, as I have the tankdozer-version.
Guys
Thanks for all those nice words about my M60A1
I am “new” here. That said, I have been lurking for years. I guess that I have to start posting here.
Excellent 60.The camo looks great and nice scheme to portray.I like the m60 series and must get round to painting two i made in February.
Great job!!.
Richard
Coincidence? Two years ago I stopped by the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson for detail pics of a B-58 I was building. Parked outside was a USMC M60A3 with ERA that was certainly weather-beaten, and I obligingly took a few dozen more pics of this treasure, for a future build. I just ordered the Tamiya M60A1 with ERA earlier this morning, to build as the Pima track, and now I find your build on Armorama. It’s a sign! BTW, the Pima facility has just opened a new AFV museum next to the Air facility, although I haven’t been in there yet. Just off I-10 if anyone is passing through.
Yup. Marine 60s were M60A1 RISE (P) tanks. The one in the picture was moved indoors to the new Tucson Military Vehicle Museum, next to Pima. TEUFEL HUNDEN written on the bore evacuator.
The USMC was loaned 1 Bn of M60A3 (58) from the US Army and they did not have ERA on them (Army didn’t use the ERA). I don’t think ERA was added to them either. They were given/used for their TTS (Tank Thermal Sight) night sight capability as USMC M60A1 RISE/Passive tanks only had Passive IR sights that required a spotlight. The late TTS was about equal to the M1A1 thermal sights.
