Thanks guys. I've done a little more on the turret and TC's cupola, looking for a good pic of the outside of the TC's hatch cover now. Everything I have (both Sabot books and some others) all show the hatch either open with the inside visible or if closed, out of the lie of sight of the camera.

Yeah, looks good! Really like the texture you and Stikpusher have been giving kits. 

Looking good so far.  Keep it up.

Light swapped out, and I've done some more on the turret, mostly the funky TC's cupola.

IMG_0915 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_0916 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I've been working on the turret texture and filling seams, fit wasn't great and the texture went from full-on slick to river rocks. Mr Surfacer to the rescue.

Thanks Gino.

G, sounds fun. And yeah, it's easy to see what my favorite part of modeling is......

And.....   I took a good look at the DEF spotlight, spent an hour or so yesterday assembling and swapping it out for the kit part, something I should have done anyway. Pics soon.

Very cool! And I know that feeling soooooooo well, it's so easy to pull out something new and start on it instead of finishing what you're working on off. 

Love the M60A2, a local tank museum in Danville, VA has a running 'Starship' they pull out every year or so for a demostration where they drive it over a car. 

RBaer

...something you be be able to help with: I'd heard or read that, as demonstrated by the project you just mentioned and that I checked in on, a lot of AVLBs used former -A2 hulls. I want to do the IDF version, but the only pics I have don't show the hull rear. Any idea if the IDF bought the whole vehicle from us or did their own conversions?

Good question, unfortunately, I don't know the answer.  I can tell you the US M60(A2) AVLBs were built as a later batch in the late '80s on the A2 hulls.  That may help if you can figure out when Israel bought them.

Understood, but I would have preferred using a Takom hull, they are pretty good and quick to assemble too. I have another project in mind that the other Academy hull (or parts of) may be useful, and this is something you be be able to help with: I'd heard or read that, as demonstrated by the project you just mentioned and that I checked in on, a lot of AVLBs used former -A2 hulls. I want to do the IDF version, but the only pics I have don't show the hull rear. Any idea if the IDF bought the whole vehicle from us or did their own conversions?

I wasn't saying to use a Takom hull, just noting they seem to have the best M60 kits now.

On my M60 AVLB a couple years ago, I was able to mate the AFV Club M60A2 rear plate w/CBSS onto the Takom M60 hull w/no issues.  It fit perfectly.  I bet the Academy one would too.

Yours is looking great and going old school kit-bashing is always good.

Thanks Gino.

I would have used a Takom hull if I'd seen a good way to do the CBSS bulge, I like them quite a bit. Another  reason I'm building this one from the Academy kit: I got two kits and the box of DEF goodies for less than the AFV Club kit, so I've got extras, always a plus in my world.

Looking good so far. It still takes some work to get a good M60A2, even with all the new versions out there. I hear Academy's is closer and Dragon's is pretty bad. The new(ish) AFV Club version is nice, but the cast texture is way overdone. Maybe Takom will come out with a correct one. They seem to have the best M60 tanks currently on the market.

I built one back in '05 and did a bunch of work on it as well.

From my build article:

I used the Tamiya M60A2 turret, Revell (ex-Esci) M60A3 hull (since it is the best one on the market), and a resin CBSS Bulge from fellow modeler Robert Skipper. I added new spot light and mount from an M48A3, new barrel without bore evac and correct length (kit one is 3mm too short), added cast texture to the turret and commander's cupola, forge mark and casting numbers to turret side, clips for tow cable, cut mud relief holes in sprockets, made tow cables out of ones from another kit and ship's rigging rope, added wipers to the GPS and Commander's sight, etc., etc. I used the octagonal block length and link track from the A3 kit as well.