Small Scale Military Headquarters

Hi folks,

I need your opinion about the 21st M48 Patton. Is it good or bad ?

Thanks for your comments.

Take care.

phil

Phil,

I'm not a tank expert nor a bolt-counting modeller detail nut so my opinion is only from a guy who loves 1:18 scale military machines.
That being said, The Patton tank is still one of my favorites in my collection. It dwarfs anything next to it and has enough detail that you would not think it is a toy but rather a large scale model. If you like tanks, I think you'll love this one. (my 2 cents )

Thanks a lot for your comment

I have seen some pics and I am tempting by one.

Thanks again.

Take care.

phil

It's a great tank for sure and well worth having if you like tanks. It is being reissued this year as part of the 'Sahara' movie line that 21c has the rights for. It will be in some two tone camo scheme and who knows, may be diecast too..

M48 will be reissued, that's a good news
Thanks for letting me know.

Take care.

phil

Its one of 21st's earlier releases, part of the Viet Nam line and was a TRU exclusive, though as aferg said, it is going to be released sometime soon. The tank does not have the full interior like the M-41, Tiger, Bradley, and M113, though you can close a figure in the commander's cupola. It is, however a very well detailed tank with opening hatches, elevating gun, rotating commander's cupola, rotating turret, and roling treads. The detail is great, with bags, a spare wheel, and extra track pieces. It is also a rather large tank!

It is a pretty nice model. Just wished they hadn't made it with the fording snorkel or tube set up.

I think the M-48 is a great toy/model. The snorkel comes right off, but one of my fond memories of Korea was seeing a line of 1st Cav M-48's on an exersize comes down a road and go right into a river and swim across with only the commanders copulas and the snorkels above water. It was something to see.

Detail is excellent. My only problem with the 21c M-48 is the fact that I never saw a .50 cal mounted above the copula. I don't doubt that the Marines would do that, and since the 21c M-48 is modeled after a VN vehicle so I'd concede it is correct but I never saw it either in the 1st Cavalry in Korea or with the 1st Armored in Texas.

Is the mentioned release of "Sahara" a remake of the WW2 Bogart movie? Or a remake of the Jim Belushi "Sahara" from Showtime? Both of them featured the M-3 Grant Medium. Even though Bogart's "Lulubelle" was actually a Priest 105mm self propelled gun with a mock-up upper body. Looked good, still does. That tank has been for sale on the MV market a few years ago. What a piece of history to own!

TTT

I agree that the 21st C M48 Patton is an awesome model/ toy. This tank has many possibilities. It would be up to the tank commander on which armament would be kept. I've seen many pictures of the cupola M2 .50cal
being removed and mounted in front of the loaders hatch, pictures of both M.G.'s in the factory position, one omitted with the other still in position, etc. This tank is screaming for some custom work. I already made a custom M113 ACAV and a Ford Mutt and this is next on my "to do" list.
I would buy one or two or three just because this is such a great piece. If you are looking for some pictures of the real M48, use google search M48 images and the book by Concord Publictions "Vietnam Armor in Action" has great pictures of the M48 and M113. Good luck!

I like the M-48. It is a great tank with detail and other stuff. It runs up with the better of the tanks they have made. Not as good as the Tiger, but it is or close to the M-41. I would have to say it is better than the Sherman and Panther from 21st C.

TTT,
I think the movie "Sahara" is titled after a book if I recall. It doesn't have anything to do with WWII.

With the M-48 being repainted tan and green there with be a Huey and Jeep with the same paint.

momaw nadon

The M48, being one of the few USMC items out there, is a great model. The added M2 on top of the commander`s turret was added to give a better field of fire that could not obtained with the turret mounted M2. It just exposed the user to a great degree. Again an ecellent tank.

TJ

Like many of the other ealier 1:18 21C tanks, the M48A3 is basically taken from a 1:35th Tamiya model. They scale them up, and add some big hinges for operating features. The basic criticism of the original Tamiya M48A3 is that Tamiya measured an empty tank so it sits a few scale inches higher than a combat loaded tank would. Pretty easy to ignore unless you want to realign all the raod wheels!

The M48A3 was the standard battle tank of the Viet Nam war. They often had many modifications to suit that theater of combat. Many units mounted the .50 cal on top of the cupola. Inside the cupola the gun was harder to reload and had only about 25rds of ammo. Outside the cupola the gun could use standard 105rd ammo boxes and be reloaded rapidly. The gun was also more flexible and quicker to turn.

Some USMC M48A3s did still carry their fittings for the fording gear. I just pulled the snorkel pipe off.

If you like modifications/conversions the Viet Nam Pattons offer a whole bunch of details, changes or additions.

Hey Threetoughtrucks, do you own a M37? I would like to see one in either 1:18 or 1:32/35 scale. It was one of the most common military vehicles after the CCKW and jeep and no one makes a model of it except for that English diecasting company that just went out of business. I own a 1953 M37 W/W. I had it outfitted as an M42 for a while, but converted back as the command truck equipment limited the use of the truck.

TJ

Krieg:

Mine is a 62 M37B1. I've owned three M-37's over the years, including a M-201.

Without a doubt the best truck the Army ever had. Mine is wo/w but we have one and will install it this summer. I would love to see one in 1/18.
No chance but it would be nice.

Pics are on my site:

http://www.geocities.com/m37m880/

TTT

Cool. I always liked those M715s. Not too many around though. Here are a couple shots of my rig when it was an M42...

http://www.members.aol.com/drkrieglok/m37p.jpg

TJ

Wow, I had forgotten about the 880's. We still had a few in my unit
when I first came in the Army and I remember some of the mechanics in my section had old MOPAR vehicles so they could swipe parts from the motorpool!