M48A3 gun mount question

Here's two that I got from Stik a while ago.

 Commanders hatch.

It was usually just a pipe w/a pintle mount welded onto the top of the cupola.  The internal .50 cal was usually removed and the hole for it was either left open or welded over.

Tamiya adressed it like so...

This pic looks like it has an M113 pintle mount welded sideways to the top of the  cupola.

Skinner asked about a .50 mounted in fron of the loader's hatch. Those photos do not show a .50 mounted in front of the loader's hatch. Those are on the commanders cupola. 

Interesting bit of trivia, a beer can is just the right size to plug the hole in the mantlet when the .50 is mounted as indicated on top of the cupola.

Hello!

I believe there is a photo of the .50 mounted in front of the loader's hatch in the Concord book about armour of the Vietnam war. This was a tank given to the South Vietnamese. It is supposed, that the Vietnamese preferred this arrangement because of their soldiers being smaller, and putting the M2 there gave them better leverage to maneuver the heavy gun.

In a model I'd probably show a piece of M113 commander's mount crudely welded to the topside of the turret - I believe that's just the way it was done in reality.

Hope it helps - good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

OldGoat

Skinner asked about a .50 mounted in fron of the loader's hatch. Those photos do not show a .50 mounted in front of the loader's hatch. Those are on the commanders cupola.

Whoops, misread his post.  I have never seen a .50 cal mounted in front of the loader's hatch on a US M48A3.  On the outside of the comander's cupola was the most common since the cupola was pretty cramped with the internal gun and traversing it was slow at best, also the range of vision for the built in sight was very limited.

HeavyArty

 

 

OldGoat

Skinner asked about a .50 mounted in fron of the loader's hatch. Those photos do not show a .50 mounted in front of the loader's hatch. Those are on the commanders cupola.

 

 

Whoops, misread his post.  I have never seen a .50 cal mounted in front of the loader's hatch on a US M48A3.  On the outside of the comander's cupola was the most common since the cupola was pretty cramped with the internal gun and traversing it was slow at best, also the range of vision for the built in sight was very limited.

Here are a couple of photos of tanks like the one I'm modeling. They are all from the same Army unit if not the same tank. Interestingly, it appears there is a small shelf installed on the front part of the turret.

Cheers, Aaron

Great pics.  They all look like the same tank to me.  The "Snoopy" tank was C35 from C Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor.  Markings for it are included in the Dragon M48A3 kit (3546).  They include the white 35 and yellow circle for the turret sides, registration numbers, and the Snoopy artwork, along w/ common US Army markings and stars, etc.

The shelf was also specific to 1-69 AR.  It was intended to be a C-Ration box holder.  It looks as though the MG mount is either the pintle mount from either an M113 or an M551 Sheridan, welded onto the top of the turret. 

The shelf and 40mm ammo cans on the turret sides, along with a bunch of other gear, are included in the Legend M48A3 Vietnam Stowage Set II (LF1269).  This set would be perfect for the tank you are building.

HeavyArty

Great pics.  They all look like the same tank to me.  The "Snoopy" tank was from C Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor.  The shelf was also specific to 1-69 AR.  It was intended to be a C-Ration box holder.  It looks as though the MG mount is either the pintle mount from either an M113 or an M551 Sheridan, welded onto the top of the turret. 

The shelf and 40mm ammo cans on the turret sides, along with a bunch of other gear, are included in the Legend M48A3 Vietnam Stowage Set II (LF1269).  This set would be perfect for the tank you are building.

Thanks, Gino! I appreciate the assist. I was trying to scratchbuild or kitbash many of details on this build, so I'll probably skip the Legend set. But I have an old M113 kit that should provide the pintle.

Cheers, Aaron

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Rob Gronovius

Some time ago (at least 10 years ago), I recall a discussion about the .50 cal mounted in front of the loader's hatch in 'Nam. I remember the consensus was that they repurposed .50 cal mount from M24 Chaffees and welded them to the top of the turret.

I did a quick search of the forums I normally haunt, but could not find the discussion. It might have been in a forum I no longer utilize though.

This is a Prime Portal photo of a Chaffee mount (on a Chaffee) that might give you an idea of scratchbuilding one or swiping one from a kit.

 

Thanks, Rob!

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Aaron Skinner

 

 

HeavyArty

Great pics.  They all look like the same tank to me.  The "Snoopy" tank was from C Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor.  The shelf was also specific to 1-69 AR.  It was intended to be a C-Ration box holder.  It looks as though the MG mount is either the pintle mount from either an M113 or an M551 Sheridan, welded onto the top of the turret. 

The shelf and 40mm ammo cans on the turret sides, along with a bunch of other gear, are included in the Legend M48A3 Vietnam Stowage Set II (LF1269).  This set would be perfect for the tank you are building.

 

 

 

Thanks, Gino! I appreciate the assist. I was trying to scratchbuild or kitbash many of details on this build, so I'll probably skip the Legend set. But I have an old M113 kit that should provide the pintle.

Cheers, Aaron

After going back and forth a couple of times, I ordered the Legend set afterall. I won't use everything, but it'll get me closer to what I was looking for. Thanks again, Gino and Rob.

Cheers, Aaron

Aaron Skinner

After going back and forth a couple of times, I ordered the Legend set afterall. I won't use everything, but it'll get me closer to what I was looking for. 

Good deal.  In my opinion, the Legend set has way too much gear for one tank.  I used select pieces on my last M48A3 Mod B build.  I still have a bunch of pieces left over for another too.  A good buy overall.

I was googling mounts on top of the cupola and came across this article.  Concord's Vietnam Armor in Action by Rottman and Spaulding has a closeup of the mount on page 57.  It shows the mount from an M113 bolted on sideways.  The caption says it is bolted onto  the auxiliary antenna mount in front of the loader hatch.  Hope that helps

HeavyArty

 

 

Aaron Skinner

After going back and forth a couple of times, I ordered the Legend set afterall. I won't use everything, but it'll get me closer to what I was looking for. 

 

 

Good deal.  In my opinion, the Legend set has way too much gear for one tank.  I used select pieces on my last M48A3 Mod B build.  I still have a bunch of pieces left over for another too.  A good buy overall

You ain't kidding about how much is in the set. I used what seemed appropriate for photos of the tank I'm modeling. Here are a couple of photos of it before heading to the paint booth.

Cheers, Aaron

Looks good.

One thing you want to remember, these were house and home to the crews. It always seemed to me like circus wagons heading into town.

I did learn one thing. RPG's cut through the turrets like butter and that hydraulic traverse system just lit up like a match. That's why there were so many things like track links and boxes hanging fronm the turret rails. 

The jerry cans mounted where you have them are a prime example. That is an extremely vulnerable area.

This one definitely has a tripod with the legs cut short welding on to the cupola.

This one is interesting...

just a couple more....

this one looks to have the 113 type .50 mount on the turret top

and this one has the mount wrapped in a tarp... but it also may be the 113 type from the shape...

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Rob Gronovius

Does the Legend tripod resemble the M24 mount?

Hi Rob.  There is no tripod in the Legend M48A3 Vietnam Stowage Set II (LF1269).  I believe Aaron scratch-built the tripod in the latest pics of his M48A3 above.

HeavyArty

 

 

Rob Gronovius

Does the Legend tripod resemble the M24 mount?

 

 

Hi Rob.  There is no tripod in the Legend M48A3 Vietnam Stowage Set II (LF1269).  I believe Aaron scratch-built the tripod in the latest pics of his M48A3 above.

 

The tripod in the photos is from the Bronco M24. Since those were taken, I've replaced it with an M113 pount from a Tamiya kit. That was after getting a closer look at the photos.

Cheers, Aaron