GHQ Models Forums

GHQ,

That is a BEAUTIFUL model of the M103A2. I am impressed, as usual, and looking forward to seeing it on my table. Ordering my first company tomorrow.

Thank you.

Yes sir, certainly another beautiful miniature from GHQ! Unusual to pose the tank with the turret turned backwards though... Intentional?

Big tank, long gun barrel - maybe it helped get the model large enough to see the detail and small enough to be completely in picture.

New pic with turret to front posted by GHQ.

When i was a kid I used to get to the Fort Lewis (Washington St) military museum every once in a while where they had an M103 on display outside. It is a big tank.

Nice model GHQ!

A question for those who may have been around these tanks, I'm working on a 1/72
scale version of the M103A2, and the manufacturer, as does GHQ, has 5 gallon gas/diesel
cans on the sides of the turret. Would this actually be in place during operations, or would
they be removed before hand? I can't imagine having flammable material to add to
a incoming tank/anti-tank round explosive power, to cause more damage...

I saw some Marine M103A2a still in use at Fort Knox in 1973, but that doesn't give me any live info.

I happily yield to any Marines out there with personal experience, but this is what I can offer...

In some pics I've seen, the 5-gal cans are clearly labeled "WATER."

Diesel is much harder to ignite than gasoline, so does not present the problem gasoline might.

It's POSSIBLE that some cans may carry fluids for transmission/engine. They would be clearly labeled to avoid confusion.

I'd bet with water first.

In one M60A1-equipped Army battalion I served in, the water cans were on the turret (clearly labeled) and the POL fluids were strapped upright on the left and right rear fender, clearly labeled with the viscosity (because they are different for engine and transmission) and tops painted in the company color (A Co - red; B Co - white; C Co - blue). I've seen no evidence this was done in the heavy tank units for the Army or the Marines.

Haven't found anything in Hunnicutt's "Firepower" to the contrary of above.

Considering that the A2s carried 440 gallons of diesel giving them a range of 300 miles, I'm not sure there would be much point in carrying an additional 5 gallons of fuel.

Go with water cans. Paint "Water" in white across the top on the exposed side. All 5-gallon cans during that era were metal. The hard black plastic ones didn't come along until much later.

Just received my first shipment of M103A2. WHAT A THING OF BEAUTY! The money can't roll in fast enough for me to get more! Still aiming for 72 of the beasts.

Now I am daydreaming of seeing two battalions of M48A1s with extra 55-gal fuel racks on the back sitting beside them and another of M59 APCs (note the BROOOOOOAAAAD hint, GHQ!).