SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

M60A1 Patton "HANGMAN" Formation/Tactical Markings?

1323 views
2 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    November 2011
  • From: Philadelphia, PA
M60A1 Patton "HANGMAN" Formation/Tactical Markings?
Posted by AUSTanker on Thursday, July 18, 2019 10:51 AM

Greetings!

You know the classic ESCI/Italeri 1/35 M60A1 Patton, with decals for "HANGMAN/SMOKING" of the 3rd BTN, 3RD AD, 7th Army in 1977? It's the cover art on the old version of Squadron's "M60 Patton In Action."

AFV Club's M60A1 also includes this scheme, and has decal #13, a tactical/formation sign worn on the back of the bustle rack, a yellow square with red stripe running diagonally from the upper left down to the lower right, and two small black (numbers?) in the upper right and lower left corners.

I haven't seen this formation sign anywhere else so would love to verify it; also in many versions of this tank, and build photos posted on the Net, I've never seen anyone include it. Not saying it's wrong, just want to verify it.

Anyone out there ever come across references for M60A1 tactical/formation markings circa 1977? Many thanks! Best, Christian

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, July 18, 2019 11:20 AM
I've got the kit, let me look at it and I should be able to decipher the codes.
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, July 18, 2019 11:39 AM

Yeah, those are the markings for my old unit back in the day.

The "Tact board" is the regimental crest of the 32nd Armor Regiment, the motto is "Victory or Death" and the red stripe is a tank track through the desert.

The bumper markings read as 3rd Armor Division, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment on the tank, but in written form would be 3/32 AR, 3AD. The kit decals are correct.

The tank is HQ 50, the Battalion XO's tank. That's also the reason why the tank's name begins with an "H".

The tact board gives other tanks a quick ID of what tank that is with the 32 for 32nd Armor and the 50 is the tank number.

Tact boards have changed several times during the later stages of the Cold War as the Army tried to standardize the various ways different units did them. The current system was adopted in 1990.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.