I was looking at some photos today that a friends father took while he was in Vietnam. One shows what appears to be an M48 with a gigantic plow on the front. The had a sharks mouth painted on it. Anyone know what this was? Is there a conversion set out there to build it in 1/35?
Sounds like an M48A3 with an M8 plow attached. Did the tank look like this:
With a similar plow to this (below is an M60A1 w/M9 plow, but the plow is basically the same, just mounted differently):
If so, Tamiya makes and M48A3 and Verlinden used to make an M8 plow.
Yes thats is the tank, but the plow was wider, taller, and more angular.
Academy did sell the plow by itself, so if you wish to build the M-48 with the plow, no need to buy a whole kit
It sounds like it may have had a locally made plow or a modified M8 plow on it. The “Official” plow was the M8 and it is pretty much the same as on the Academy M60A1.
The plow looked similar to the one in this photo but was attached to the M48.
Maybe it’s a plow scavenged from an LVTE, the engineering version of the LVTP-5. The plow was used for mine clearing. It’s sort of V-shaped with teeth on the bottom, and it has eyes painted on it, like a sharks mouth from the “Flying Tigers” P-40’s. Squadron/Signals “Armor in Vietnam: A Pictorial History” has pictures of the LVTE and also a picture of an M-48 with the M8 dozer blade. Try finding the book, maybe it’s the plow you’re looking for. As far as I know, there aren’t any conversions available. Good Luck!
I have the book you are talking about and looked there before posting this. The plow you are describing is similar but not the same. I asked my friend today and he said he can remember his dad calling the M48 in the picture a “jungle buster”. Does that help any?
Dozerblades that I know of that were used during the conflict:
M8 dozerblade (on M48 tank) maybe, I’m not sure, even a M9 blade on a M48, I found a picture (from the back of a M48) that suggests it’s a M9 blade (maybe a trial run)
LVTE blade (on a LVTP5)
Romeplows (2 or 3 different versions based on D7 and D9, maybe D8 caterpillars)
D7 and D9 caterpillars with standard blade
Wheeled dozers, looking like civilian type dozers (maybe they were)
And even a makeshift blade (plywood) on a Ontos 
By the way the Academy blad is a M9 blade which differs from a M8
My guess is that it was a M48 with a M8 dozerblade (most common) they did call those junglebusters (but also without the blade a M48 could do some busting)
Maybe you could scan the picture and post it here? You made me curious!
Hope this helps a little
Mark
Mark
Thanks for the info. I do not have a scanner so I cannot scan the photo. I have however done some research over the last couple of days. From what I have gathered, the photo my friend has is of an M48A3 with Rome plow attached. There were only a handful of these ever put together. They coupled the clearing capacity of the Rome plow with the armored protection and fire power of the M48. It looks like a pretty wicked beast. my friends dad was an engineer so I guess thats how he managed to snap the pic. Sadly he is no longer with us.
The only reference to a kit I can find is from a company called I-Corps that made a conversion for the M48A3. Does anyone know where I can find their products?
Again, Thanks for all of the help guys.
Sure would like to see a picture of this blade , it sounds interesting . I remember 2 M48’s driving parallel to each other with a length (40’ ?) of heavy chain slung between them(attached at pendle/towing hooks ?) to clear underbrush and trees .
SB
SB
I have been looking for a photo online so I could post it here but no luck. Maybe I can barrow a friends scanner to scan the pic.
OK , Good luck on the search . If i come across anything that looks like that i’ll let you know .
Shell ( SB)
Shell
I found this pic online. It is a D7 or D8 dozer with Rome plow blade attached. This may give you an idea of what the blade looked like at least. Still no luck in finding a photo like my friend has.
