Question for M60 Patton experts - Italeri and Academy

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hello all,

I want to make a great looking M60a1 Rise/Passive Patton tank model. I know the Italeri (old Esci) M60a1 model is the most accurate but lacks the add-on armor. I have Academy’s M60a1 Rise/Passive, but the details on the kit are kind of lacking even with Eduard’s update set. I also have AFV individual link tracks and Verlinden figures. Now, I know I want to take the smoke dischargers, add-on armor, and side loading filters from the Academy kit and put them on the Italeri kit. I also will be getting Eduard’s photoetch set for the Italeri kit. Is there anything else I need to be aware of or change before beginning this project? By the way, I’ll be using Academy’s kit to make a M60a1 ‘slick’.

Thanks,

Jesse

2

I am finishing a Desert Storm M60A1 myself. As the turret goes I think the Tamiya M60A3 or the Marines M60A1 with ERA is the most accurate turret of all the turrets available. If you get the Tamiya M60A1 with Era it will come with the add on armor and the Tamiya add on is so much better than the Verlinden add on. The Esci hull is the most accurate but will need some parts from the Tamiya hull. I too have the indi track( that was a lot of work), the Eduard PE and an aluminum barrel. The final product is a great kit well worth the effort. Don’t forget to use Rustoliums TerraCotta paint for your non slip surfaces.Use tanxheaven or Prime Portal for resourse photos Have fun, Greg

3

Just remember that most Marine M60A1 tanks with the ERA also had the smooth, steel road wheels. The Esci/Italeri kits have the original finned aluminum road wheels.

4

I believe with the add on armor you should use the top loading filters.

5

I looked at the Academy kit and I see what you mean. Do you know if I can fit the Academy road wheels onto the Italeri kit?

Thanks

6

I used the AFV Club on my Academy M60. They weren’t too bad, but I do recommend putting a little glue on them instead of making them workable, at least on the flat runs. Mine tended to want to kink ever so slightly and I had to keep going back and straightening them. Finally I gave the tracks a couple good shots of acrylic flat coat which, when dry, did the trick in holding them in place

7

I don’t know about the interchangability of road wheels between Italeri and Academy but I believe the Tamiya Marine M60A1 with era and Esci(Italeri) do have interchangeable roadwheels. I just used the Tamiya road wheel arms in the Esci hull and used the Tamiya road wheels. The road wheel arms were interchangeable. Greg