M60 Conversion

the M60 was more of a stopgap solution than a new design, the turret was similar to the M48 turret with slightly enlarged rear area, new M19 cuppola and 105mm gun.
The hull and roadwheels were improved, too. The M60 roadwheels were made of aluminium alloy to reduce its weight. The M60 used a Diesel engine in its more squared off hull.
The turret is an early conversion, made by long gone Co. PEDDINGHAUS. The hull is the TAMIYA hull, however mine is from an early motorized kit. I had it already assembled and wanted to bring the kit up to my current standard, this included the addition of AFV club tracks and much rework on the hull.
Beginning with the rear I shaved off the crudely moulded taillights and replaced them with those from TAMIYA’s M48 kit. The engine access doors were detailed by the addition of the two handles and the hinges. Finally I added the mudguards and shaved off the small tie downs that were moulded onto the fenders. While working on this area I replaced the lifting lugs with those from the aforementioned M48 kit. The storage bins were detailed with handles I had left over from converting an ITALERI M47. The glacis needed the addition of new actuators. The “blob” moulded onto it is only a far cry from the actual thing. This time I used lead foil to redesign it after I had shaved it off and then added the pull handles. The early M60’s did not have the drainage system fitted so there was no need to add the hose to the right side of the drivers hatch. Next I added V-shaped covers for the wiring of the headlights. The covers are made from lead foil and are glued to the inner sides of the fenders. The headlights guards needed an additional bar welded to the hull. The last changes on the hull were the omission of the shock absorbers on the second roadwheels and of the large lifting lugs welded to the sides of hull, originally located between the return rollers. The kits’ rollers were also exchanged for better detailed ones from an ACADEMY kit. Finally I exchanged the sprockets with more detailed ones from another kit, too.
The PEDDINGHAUS turret is an old resin conversion from the 80’s but it was nevertheless a good kit. It came with white metal parts for the turret basket, the gun barrel and hatches. I added the stowage attachments for the VSS-2 searchlight to the turret back and stowed it there. This meant that the mounts on the gunshield were visible, again I used parts I had left over from other M60 kits for the mounts.
The only other detail addition for the turret was the third lifting lug for the M19 CWS. The CWS itself is has the mounting plate for the MG to the left of the commander correctly displayed. The first batch of 300 M60 had this plate welded to the body of the cuppola as a pedestal mount for the M2 .50cal.The use of the early style periscope is correct, too.
The figurines used for the kit are again made from M48 parts mostly. I added the microphones to the helmets and exchanged the commanders’ figures arms.
Marking of the early M60 was either rather plain, like on my kit or one could depict special colourful markings as displayed in the “M60 in action” booklet.

Sources :
THE INTERNET
Michael Green, Greg Stewart - CONCORD Publications - M60 ISBN 962-361-028-9
SQUADRON SIGNAL Publications - M60 Patton in action ISBN 0-89747-176-8
FRANCOIS VERLINDEN - Warmachines M60