Hey folks. Would like to share my current WIP: ESCI M60A1 with the RISE parts from the M60A1 Academy kit to portray a tank deployed in Operation Desert Storm. I had both kits with damaged or missing parts. So I decided to kitbash both so I can have a finished tank rather than two unfinished ones. Unfortunately, I messed up some of the parts - for example I forgot to use the appropriate air filter from the academy kit. Anyway, I’m happy at how this turned up. I’m still planning on adding the antennas and maybe a spare track.
Anyway thanks for looking! Any constructive feedback is highly appreciated !
Thank you Richard I forgot to put it in the post - I used AFV Club’s nice set of workable T-142 tracks. They seemed much, much easier to use than Bronco’s offering.
Thanks Ezra! Lovely work on your Patton as well I like that you painted the canvas khaki. I was thnking of doing something similar but I chickened out in the end - I didn’t want to do contortions painting the mantlet cover which is semi-covered by ERA haha
@kunjuro Really like seeing these vintage kits. Many of them hold up pretty well with a bit of TLC. Yours looks pretty darn nice but I do think the rope holding the stowage is a bit big.
The track should not have slack on the top run and 2. The tow cables should run across the back deck. The two slim cylinders near the rear fenders on each side are the atachment points for the towcables. Otherwise, outstanding work.
Thanks DVsand I actually looked at whatever rope material I had left in my stash - I think the one in the photo looks similar in size? I’ll try looking for smaller rope in further builds if it’s a bit overscale.
The AFV Club tracks are nice but they don’t have the weight of metal tracks so they keep curling a bit whenever they’re handled. I’m thinking of just gluing them in place so they properly stretch over the whole vehicle and properly display the live track tension which they ought to have.
Also, did all of the M60A1s deployed have the tow cable at the rear? I think I saw the cable ends in my kit sprues, I just need to look for a good material to use for the cable itself. Thanks for pointing that out
The tow cables normally fit on the lower turret sides however, due to the ERA armor brackets on the turret sides they moved the tow cables to the back deck. See the back deck in the above photo.
Thanks @metalhead85! The tracks did indeed have a light sink mark on the inner shoe. However, I find it not very visible personally once it has been covered up by paint. You could lightly sand it a bit more if you so desire I guess
That’s a fine looking M60 James, looks like you did your research and followed through. Hope you’ll take time and post some more of your builds. Well done.
Thanks Terry I’ll definitely post more stuff in the coming weeks! I have an AFV Club Scimitar that participated in OP Granby lined up for paint as well.
Well, here she is after a few more layers of weathering. I added the towcables as suggested, but also some spare tracks on the turret like I saw in some photos to add a bit more character to the vehicle
