M48A3
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 6:38 am
I notice when you filter for Israeli products, the M48A3 comes up. The M48A3, used by the US in Vietnam in fair numbers, was not used by Israel. Israel got a lot of M48A2s, particularly from West Germany. For the '67 war, they had managed to convert about a company's worth by mounting 105mm guns on them, the remaining fighting with the 90mm. After the war, they continued the conversion program, replacing the 90mm with 105mm, the gasoline engine with diesel, and updating the fire control system. It is these tanks the GHQ M48A5 kit reproduces. The 105-gunned vehicle in the kit is not an M48A5.
If you want M48A5s, your best course is to buy the Israeli Magach 3 and clip the main gun-mounted 50cal off. The barrel jacket is still incorrect, but it MIGHT have been added for combat. The Magach 3 hull is correct for M48A5. The early batches of A5s had the cupola with cupola riser as on the A3 because the A3s (and A2s) were being upgraded, although a few slipped by without the cupola riser. Once the Urdan-style cupola was available, all A5s were equipped with it.
If you want M48A5s, your best course is to buy the Israeli Magach 3 and clip the main gun-mounted 50cal off. The barrel jacket is still incorrect, but it MIGHT have been added for combat. The Magach 3 hull is correct for M48A5. The early batches of A5s had the cupola with cupola riser as on the A3 because the A3s (and A2s) were being upgraded, although a few slipped by without the cupola riser. Once the Urdan-style cupola was available, all A5s were equipped with it.