Since the commanders models US MBT-70 is long out of production has any one attempted to convert dragon/drami german MBT-70 to the US version?
They have Nick; see the topic “Modelling the MBT-70” I’m afraid I can’t remember how to link this directly so just use the search facility.
It is lengthy - as one might expect - but the modeller Jakko tackled just such a conversion - see about 2/3rd down the topic. There’s loads of other stuff about this fascinating tank as well. I posted a comparison between Dragon and Commander parts as well so one could see the scope of any conversion effort required.
I personally haven’t the skills to achieve what Jakko has, but am lucky, or prescient enough to have 2 x Commanders’ models in the stash(!)
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I remmber seeing it
Well, dig in! I’d love to see someone convert successfully and come up with a half-decent US MBT-70!
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As Brian says, I did more or less that: I scratchbuilt an American engine deck and hull rear as well as front stowage bins, but updated the rear a little and the turret a lot to represent a what-if production MBT 70. The engine deck and hull rear are not necessarily an easy conversion, but all it requires is flat plastic card (plus some mesh, strip etc.) so it is a lot easier than trying to make compound curved parts or something 
Go to the relevant message, and click on the time or date indicator at the top right of it. That lets you copy the link, which you can then paste it into another message, like so:
I put a much more detailed thread about how I built that model on Missing-Lynx. But don’t copy everything I did there if you want an American prototype, because as I mentioned above, I made some changes (which, IIRC, I all point out in that thread).
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very cool build but i dont plan to build a what if
my goal is the build the prototype that eventually led to the Abrams
Like I said: the engine deck and hull rear on my model are basically those of the American prototype — the only real differences there are the tail lights (I used some from a Bradley) and the anti-slip I decided to put on. The engine deck is the most difficult part to figure out, which is why I put a 1:35 scale drawing of it in the thread I linked to: in case somebody wants to build a model of the real American MBT 70. That’s also the reason why I made an effort to point out where I deviated from the real thing.
Just bear in mind Nick that there were around 7 prototypes built, all I’m sure, with their structural differences, so there’s a fair bit of research involved I should think.
Cookie Sewell reviewed the Commander Models kit some time ago; he refers to it a being “one of the operational prototypes” but no more than that. I’ve attached it here just for background info:
Commander Models Inc. 1/35 scale Kit No. 1-058; MBT-70 USA Variant Review by Cookie Sewell
I think if you’ve enough to go on, and you can tackle the rear engine deck successfully, then the hard work is done. (see Jakko’s helpful link above). The turret shouldn’t need too much work.
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