An easy way to do a scratch built M-60A0

[Roger H]

I think I’ve come up with a way (although a bit expensive) to da an all GHQ component M-60 A0 with minimal intrinsic work involved .
Here’s my components

The turrets from the M-48A3 model
The hulls from the M-60A1 model ( the one from the AVLB model works here as well. I used that since I had spares from when I converted some M-60 AVLBs to M-48 AVLBs)
The spare M-60A1/A3 coupolas

Process
1) Clip the 90mm gun tube from the M-48 turret flush with the mantlet facing .
2) Drill a new hole in the mantlet for the 105mm gun tube
3) Insert and superglue a .0038 mm length of metal rod (comes in a long red pack at any Hobby Lobby) . Clip to desired length .
4) Apply a small dab of plastic putty to fill any voids between the tube and the drill hole wall .
5) Center turret assembly on center of turret base and super glue down before final placement . (My turrets don’t turn )
6) Replace old M-48 cupola with M-60 cupola in the commanders position .
7) Paint, weather , base and add baggage as you prefer .

As a bonus, if you have a spare , the hull of the M-728 CEV works good for a tank dozer conversion as well .
It’s not a perfect modification, but it works pretty well .

[panzergator]

GREAT POST, Roger! My kind of stuff and I like your thinking.

Yep, I used the GHQ M48A5 turret, which already has the 105mm gun, clipped off the cupola and glued on the M60 cupola to make M60s, plus M60A1 hulls. I have had some very nice folks on the forum send me original GHQ M60s, but those are rare as hen's teeth. Using M48A5 turrets is easier than putting a three apiece barrel together.

In reality, the M60 turret is not the same shape as the M48. The top is flatter towards the rear and falls off more sharply, and is actually taller. But, as you have discovered, we must work with what we have.

My M60-series tank battalions (12 in total) all feature blade tanks using a standard turret with CEV hull. In my experience, each 17-tank company had a blade on the number two company headquarters tank, which might be used by the XO or the Arty fellow


I entered active duty in 1972. We still had M60s to train on, along with A1s, and there were turret trainers, as well. I got to Germany in 1975. There were still M60s mixed in with battalions primarily equipped with A1s, but they seemed to be fast disappearing. My first unit there was all A2s, since we drew them new. I went over to the other battalion in 1976, and that unit was fully equipped with the A1 RISE(AOS). The M60 began reaching USAREUR in late '59-60. Replacement by the A1 ensued fairly quickly. The first M60s had pintle mounts welded to the left side of the cupola because the M85 cal50 was not yet ready.

The original M60s in Europe wore OD camo, then the USAREUR MASSTER. I don't recall seeing any in MERDC, which we started applying in late '76. I have 2 54-tank M60 battalions wearing the black screen OD. I also have one A1battalion salted with a few M60s.

Of course, it would be easier on all of us if GHQ still made the M60.

[Roger H]

Gator, I worked for the Georgia National Guard at their Ft Stewart MATES facility during my college days (as an ROTC cadet) . We stored and maintained tracked vehicles for the 48th (Ga) , 218th (SC), 278th (TN ) and 30th (NC) Infantry brigades in the 80s. On occasion, we’d get some stragglers from other states besides those I listed above . I got familiarized with the plain vanilla M60 the summer of 1986 when a battalion from the 30th Armor Brigade (TN) came down for AT . I was shocked they were M-60s because when we unloaded them from the railhead , I swore they were M-48 A5’s like the ones the 218th from SC had .
It was all for naught later that year. The 48th and 30th Brigades (Ga) (NC) converted to M-1’s and the 218th and 278th got M-60A3’s and all the M-48’s went to Morocco or the AIA as targets. Several years later I worked with the Corps of Engineers and assisted in a reef building project off the Ga coast using retired tank hulks dropped offshore .Sure enough, there was a big barge load of tanks sitting by the dock in Savannah loaded with mostly M-60A0’s. I went aboard just before we went outbound and saw the bumper codes with 1/109 Armor and MERDC summer painting , so it had to be the same tanks we prepared and issued to the Tennesssee Guard ten years earlier .

[panzergator]

Roger,

You had some an interesting opportunity to see some things not many tankers see.

In '72, we had some M60 training turrets among the A1s. I never cared to be "stuck" with one if them. Later, I saw there were some advantages over the A1. So, you learn to mind your prejudices as you gain experience.

[Roger H]

Nice thing about the M-60’s was the bottom hull hatch . Heavy as it was and as big a pain in the ** CENSORED ** to shut and secure , it was still a hell of a lot easier to use it than to shuffle around and climb up through the loaders hatch (especially MOPP Level 4) when you had to piss.

[panzergator]

The M60's was round. They became a little more oval later. You could get an A1 with a round hatch and you knew it was original hull. I think the hatch was eliminated over mine vulnerability.

[Roger H]

We had some “new “ A3 ‘s delivered into our WET pool for the 149th Bde out of KY that had the oval belly hatches . I’m betting they came straight from Anniston as A1 converts to A3’s .

[panzergator]

I should clarify - original M60 had round escape hatches. The A1 started the square hatch with well rounded corners. An A1 might have a rebuilt M60 hull, which would still have the round hatch. I did see a few if those. I had no experience with A3s.