I grabbed one of these kits using the 50% off any one item coupon at Michael's a month or so ago making it $12.50. I plan to build it using the old Lo Models M48/M60 conversion set from the mid 80s. Although designed for the Tamiya M48A3 and Tamiya M60A1, the parts look to be a drop in fit. The set went for about $7 back in the day, but you could convert three different kits, two M48s and one M60A1, with the set which is quite a bargin.
That set would make the Tamiya M48A3 into either a US M48A5 or German M48A2GA2 and the old Tamiya M60A1 into an M60A3TTS. The set came out before Tamiya upgraded their M60 series kits and before Academy came out with their M48A5/K.
I never used the German M48A2GA2 conversion because it only cosmetically made the diesel engined A3 look like a gasoline engined A2. It added a German style cupola/machine gun, main gun/mantlet/searchlight, smoke dischargers, headlights, side view mirrors and turret stowage box. It did not address the external air cleaners that should not be present on the A2 or the 3 vs 5 return roller difference between the A2 and A3.
Having the old Monogram M48A2 reissued makes this conversion much simpler. The Monogram M48A2 was the first tank model I ever owned. My dad built it for me and I used it to play with my army men. I remember breaking off road wheels and road wheel arms, losing hatches and just about any small detail items. My dad made plenty of repairs for me; I remember globs of gray putty, probably something like JB Weld or liquid metal of some type holding road wheel arms in place.
I recently ran across one I had built as a kid and then repainted when I was in college. I painted over the Vietnam War markings to simulate my first tank, an M48A5. I'd guess I was around 11-13 when I built this kit and 20 years old when I repainted it. I'm such a packrat that I still have the original box, instructions and Shep Paine dio sheet. The bent antenna is from 20+ years of the tank sitting in a box, virtually dust free because of that.
Here's a photo of that build from around 1974-76 (estimated) and repainted in 1984-85 along with the original box dated 1972. Feel free to laugh, but I was quite proud of the kit back then.
And here's the Lo Models conversion set that I've been dragging around for about 22 years or so:
I don't know about your kit Hans, but my 1972 box, my 2011 box and my Monogram Models history book all call this kit 1/35 scale. This kit is still the best M48A2 tank model in injection molded plastic. Not bad for a model that hit their catalog in 1958!