Rob - thanks for the link to the M-48 AVLB kit. I found another company (A.E.F. Designs - http://www.aefdesigns.com/aefcat.html ) who used to make a M60 AVLB conversion kit, so maybe one will show up on ebay. They presently have conversion kits for the CEV and the -A2, if anybody's interested. Tamiya used to make a kit for the A2, but I don't think it was around much longer than the real thing!
Interesting info on how y'all came up with a solution to raise the blades. As I've been thinking about it, I think I do remember the lines running under tank. Seems to me, in rocky terrain that could be a potential problem. If my memory serves me correctly, the driver had to lean out of his hatch and pull a D-ring handle to unlock the blade. Does anybody else remember that?
I've always been intrigued about how the Army keeps reflagging units. I gather it's got something to do with lineage/history, honors, etc.
7377Tanker - Our times in 3ID had quite a bit of overlap. I arrived in A-burg (4/64) in May of 72, spent a couple years there; then got exiled [after a disagreement with the new Bn Cdr] to 3/64 in Schweinfurt where I spent another 15 or so months. It's interesting 1/64 had blade tanks. We didn't have them in either 4/64 or 3/64; and I don't believe 2/64 had them either, though I'm not totally sure. Being closer to the border, maybe y'all had an additional mission?
I remember the yellow hydraulic fluid - they came with RISE tanks we got at Polk. Seems like the "cherry juice" was back within a year.
You're right - there was some brown and a little green in the camo pattern. The green we used was more of a true green than OD. The 4/64 took at least four or five people from each of the five Companies and created an assembly line to paint the BNs vehicles. The first team chalked the pattern, and as soon as they moved to the next vehicle a team with brushes would start applying the first color. They ran two 12-hour shifts. The rush job was supposedly because we'd been placed on alert for deployment to the Middle East, but the war was over before we moved out of A-burg. Interestingly, the two Infantry BNs (remainder of 3rd BDE) across the strasse did not go to camo. Because they were brush painted, lines between colors would [obviously] be fairly sharp on a model as opposed to the later spray painted patterns.
We went to Graf twice a year - once in January/February for qualification and once in July (always there on my birthday!) for practice. We only went to Hohenfels for manuever training (even when I was with 3AD (77-78)), although I know other units did fire there. I only went down Range 80 once as a gunner (1973) - I screwed up on the day run, but pretty much maxed the night run to pull out a qualifying score. The other times I went down as a TC. When I rotated back in '77, Range 80 was Platoon qualification, and Range 42 was individual qualification (or was it 45?). 1978 was the last time I saw either place as I got out in time for Christmas, got a degree and went to work for Club Fed (DoD).
On a different note - one of the diorama's I want to build is an M88 pulling a pack (engine & transmission) out of a M60A1. However, I can't remember for sure what the sling looked like (must be an age thing!). I think it was basically an aluminum I-Beam with two cables at each end to hook to the pack. Any help would be appreciated.
BTW Top - nice job - can't wait to see the finished model!
Andy