Grouser, thank you so much for posting this build; all hugely helpful and I’m almost tempted to re-arrange my build schedule. I hope I can do equal justice to an interior when I do get around to tackling it. I have plans to show an ammo replen utilising the interesting looking AFV Club set of 152mm ammo. We’ll see.
Anyway, thanks again. Fantastic model.
Thank you for you encouraging comments throughout this thread Boots, should I find those lost Ark interior images I will share them on here as I too will be making another one of these… in time.
Looks great. Nice job on it. Any chance you can take some pics down into the hatches to show off the excellent details you added to the interior?
You have convinced me that I need to add this to my collection. Really nice job updetailing. 
I’m just as impressed with that great hand made glass display case 
Now I may have to go and build one.
Ken.
this video shows the turret fitted with the British 105mm main gun in the factory, the shots of the turret lowered into position on the hull don’t show a drivers pod, tube, cage. The footage of it on the move with the turret rotating and the driver remaining facing 12 o’clock have been projected back to front as the loaders ands commanders hatches are on the wrong side of the turret, the mystery goes on.
MBT 70 *** KPz 70 ( Kampfpanzer 70 ) - Demonstration - YouTube
edit to add, some of the tanks being built at the beginning of the video are in fact Leopard 1, you can see the drivers hatch in front of the turret on the hull being welded.
Some of the factory scenes at the beginning are of M60-M60A1 tanks. Notice the driver’s hatch and the sponson boxes.
Ken.
At :29 it looks like an M1 hull on its side having the road arm mount openings flame cut out, notice the drivers hatch and fuel filler cap openings on either side.
Yep, and just after that is another M1 hull having the turret ring mount machined; but then the next scene is an M60A1 Turret being installed, just before the footage of the MBT/KPZ 70.
Ken.
Sounds like the typical editing done for a History Channel “documentary” show…
Grouser, this is an amazing build. Thoroughly enjoying it.
Silly me, I missed the completed photos of the build. That looks excellent! All those enhancements that you added allow you to show off the open hatches and really make this build stand out. I might also add that it was a very wise decision to place this beauty in a protective glass display case against NBC dust fallout and the Red hordes of children and cats.
Does anybody know what these boxes are on the turrets of some of the US prototypes?
Also, I found the Matt Flegal photos here: SVSM Gallery :: MBT70 Nonballistic Prototype, Patton Museum, by Matthew Flegal :: MBT_70_Turret
These include the interior photos and show the drivers position to be open.
Ken.
They’re weights which are used to simulate say the weight of a complete combat load eg fuel, crew, ammo, stowage etc.
OK, so then they would not be there on an actual production vehicle, cool. I thought they may have been early ERA blocks or something.
Ken.
Now there’s a thought Ken, a What-If - an MBT 70 with ERA! Hmmm.
Since the one with small boxes also has “non ballistic” in raised letters, I expect the turret shell is not full thickness and weight (and may even lack some internal components) so the weights bring it up to full spec to test the suspension etc.
Yeah, an MBT70 with ERA, painted for the Sandbox (1 or 2) would be cool!
There are interior photos of that tank, it appears to be complete AFAIK. Those photos and Grouser’s build are all I have ever seen of the inside.
Ken.
well done for finding those in the archive Ken, and Thanks to Matt for sharing these excellent photos with us. Frames 88,93,94,96 show the drivers position, with the hatchway to the 20mm to the left and the drivers twist grip controls to the right, they also show the drivers seat and leg shields. 96 is an upward view showing the ceiling above the drivers head, and the semi circular cut out to allow the drivers position to roatate within the turret. Amazing stuff.
