Guys,
I used to serve on M60A3s in early 1980s a great tank.
I should have bought the Tamiya version years ago but at the time it was kind of expensive. What ever happened to it ? I have looked around but never seem to see it on shelves.
Hi, Tanker!
I just checked the Tamiya Japan website, and they only have the M60A1 reactive armor kit listed (#35157).
The M60A3 is still plentyful on shelves here, so I’d imagine somebody should be selling them outside of Japan as well.
Then there’s always Ebay!
I found the Revell one here on the shelves in schweinfurt Germany, it was like 22 Euros.
not a bad price, it had 4 different options on the box art one was for the opfor in Hohenfelds and the others were for units in germany in the earlt 90’s.
I’ve got a couple of them. I also have the Esci version which was superior to the Tamiya M60A3TTS (surprisingly). The Revell of Germany one is the old Esci one, but still the best M60 series kit on the market.
I’m fairly certain that the Tamiya USMC M60A1w/ERA will build into the US Army M60A3TTS, but I will check inside the box to make sure all A3 pieces are still inside. I do know that when Tamiya retooled the tank as the USMC M60A1, that they deleted the finned aluminum road wheels and now only include smooth steel road wheels. Not too big a deal since we normally had a mix of finned and non-finned road wheels.
Hey Major,
Check to see if they have the right driver’s hatch. I too made the old ESCI type and it’s a very nice model.
Ron.
The Tamiya USMC M60A1 has all the necessary parts to make an M60A3TTS. The “unnecessary” parts for the A1 include the A3’s thermal shrouded barrel (E14, E15), crosswind sensor (E2), and laser range finder blister with molded on door (D13).
Decals for a vintage 1980s tank are fairly easy to make with various black stencils. Even the new TC figure is usable since he’s wearing BDUs with the later style CVC helmet.
And yes, I commanded an M60A3TTS platoon as a second lieutenant in Germany from Dec 1987 to June 1989 (A Co., 5-77 Armor, 8th ID).
Wasn’t the A3 a sweet tank? The last of the ‘hard shells’… Kinda miss 'em.
Ron
Are we not using them at all anymore? Not even in the reserves?
The M60A3TTS may be still in use with the OPFOR at the CMTC* in Hohenfels, Germany (last I knew).
The Army Reserve has lost almost all of their combat arms. The Army National Guard is completely equipped with various Abrams tanks (M1IP or M1A1).
*Combat Maneuver Training Center
Thanks for that info, Rob.
Good to hear the Army National Guard has the Abrams.
The Reserve has lost almost all their combat arms? What’s the thinking there?
The majority of the active Army’s necessary corps and theater level combat service support rests in the Army Reserves. We can no longer go to war without the USAR.
The USAR is a much easier entity to mobilize since they are controlled by the Federal Government. The National Guard must be federalized since they are under individual state control. Many ARNG units reside in several states and this requires dealing with as many state governments. Plus the governor can always interfere with the process as well.
The USAR traded almost all of their combat power to the Guard and in return received the combat service support units from the Guard.
Yep, the opfor at cntc in hohenfels definatelly has them, they smoked us the last time we were playing war games!
they have some interesting names on the tubes as well.
Does anybody still run the M1IP’s? I was in 632 Armor with the WI Natl. Guard on them. Rumor had it those were the last to go bye-bye when the 32d Brigade went (yech) light infantry in 2001. I’m glad to hear a few A3’s are still in use. Cool tank.
Ron.
Yes, I believe that the 42nd ID up in the Northeast (New England, NY, NJ) is still equipped with the M1IP and I still have two of them at work. Probably some other Army National Guard units out there with M1IPs as well.
BTW, the Army National Guard CSMS (Consolidated Support Maintenance Site?) here at Ft. Devens still has a couple of M60A3s parked in front of their buildings, one of them next to old military vehicles on display and the other just sitting in another portion of their complex.
I’ve also got an engineless M60A3 out on the vehicle recovery range for the ASI H8 course and the BNCOC classes we run in the summer.
I need an 'A3 for my front yard… got any spares Major? [;)] (Actually, I’d perfer a Stuart… but I’m not picky.)
Ron.
Got a spare M1IP that I don’t use any more. Green or tan?
[:-^] Uhhmmm let’s see now… green. If it’s tan, the neighbors will see it and always be over asking for rides.
Ron.
hi , if your still looking for tamiya’s m60a3, one just listed on ebay.it’s a 3day listing. i also served on the m60a3 in the early 80’s at ft. stewart ga. see ya kirk.
Really! the m60 series are my tank, im planning on adding a m60a3 to my collection, when i built one i will ask u questions. [:0]