Takom recently announced M103A1 & A2 in 1/35 scale. Today the company shows some of the kits features.
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/m103a1-a2-from-takom
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/m103a1-a2-from-takom
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Anybody want to buy a DML M103?
M114s last year, M103s this year… oh yeah!
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Imagine this “What If” scenario.
An M103A2 is US Army markings, rolling down a battle scarred street in… say Germany… 1950s; with an M114 CRV as a recon vehicle to the side, guns pointed to a side street while the M103A2 drives down the main dragway.
Similar to the box art of the M114A1E1, but instead of a wide field area, make it a narrow, bombed out street.
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Were they actually painted this camo scheme?
It’s a USMC tank, probably came from the west coast. Armor in the West Coast (Camp Pendleton) was painted in MERDC Grey Desert.
The Gray Desert scheme was used on vehicles based at Fort Hood in Texas and some units based in California.
If the interweb is to be trusted, the M103 series was withdrawn freom service in 1974. Trials for the MERDC pattern were not complete until 1975. You may draw your own conclusions, although a gate guard can be painted any a commander wishes. 
Thats what I thought-some thought it looked cool in this scheme but it probably never used it.
Hopefully it did, as it looks pretty neat.
Two more kits to get this year.
I may decide to get one eventually, but one version or the other will suit me fine. I still have so many other unfinished projects, as do we all, I’m sure.
One thing I was certain of - there was no point in getting the DML kit. It was too far off for someone else not to come along and produce a better one eventually. And while Pawel made great use of my measurements and did a great job correcting it, life is too short.
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I arrived at Ft Hood in 1974. When I arrived, all or nearly all, of the vehicles were already in MERDC - mostly winter verdant but at least one tank battalion in grey desert. I don’t recall seeing any M103’s.
The M103 A2 is on my bucket list of kits. I am hoping that they remember all of the sweet talk around Dragons version and focus on getting it right.
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Maybe for a wrecked M103.
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The Army phased out the M103 with the arrival of the M60 MBT in the early 1960s. No more Heavy and Medium Tank Battalions. The Marines kept the M103 in service for a few years longer.
Ditto and ditto.
KL
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At least when only the Dragon kit was available, I had an excuse not to buy a kit. Now there’s another on my “must have” list dammit.
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I arrived fresh-faced at Ft Hood in June 1973 (2nd Armored Division) and our Mech Infantry battalion had the majority of our M113s already painted in the gray desert MERDC scheme, as were the other battalions in our Brigade. The other two Brigades were in the European color MERDC, reflecting our CAPSTONE directions if sxxx hit the fan.
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