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Armor/AFV: Vietnam
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Metal barrel & AM tracks VN-era USMC M48A3?
bill_c
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MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 03:56 AM UTC
Looking to build the Dragon M48A3 in USMC Vietnam-era configuration. What metal AM barrels are recommended, and what about AM tracks?
AgentG
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 04:53 AM UTC
AFV Club tracks, set 35005.
GTDeath13
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Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 05:43 AM UTC
Orange Hobby is the only company making a metal barrel OH G35-130, but the kit one is fairly good.

There are the previously mentioned AFV Club tracks and Bronco also makes a set, but they are quite tedious to assemble and time consuming.

Are you going to build the ModB kit no 3544 or kit no 3546?

In any case you will need a mantlet and DEF model set DM35029 is superb, providing the main gun mantlet as well other details.

For kit 3546 you will need to correct the rear engine doors, since they do not have the brackets like the mod B engine doors supplied in the kit. There are aftermarket items but it is airly easy to correct them.

Do not forget the holes in the sprockets.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 05:46 AM UTC
As Nikos mentions, the kit barrel is pretty good as is. Here is a build review I did of the Mod B kit a while ago. It should give you some tips and pointers.
iowabrit
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 05:54 AM UTC
You don't HAVE to have a mantlet cover, there are quite a few pics of M48's in Vietnam without one....check the squadron signal book amongst others
GTDeath13
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 05:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text

You don't HAVE to have a mantlet cover, there are quite a few pics of M48's in Vietnam without one....check the squadron signal book amongst others



This is very interesting. Thanks for pointing that one out, I will check my references.
alchemymike
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Joined: December 14, 2011
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 09:58 AM UTC
I have built all 3 tracks... the Bronco is very tedious... not fun... built the Fruil.. nice detail but tedious to add the nut that covers the wire hole.... I really like the AFV Club... very little clean up and went together really quick!
JSSVIII
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 11:44 AM UTC
Thanks mike, I was wondering about the tracks myself, your opinion, having built all three sets is extremely helpful! I guess I will try a set of AFV club myself.
GTDeath13
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Posted: Monday, August 20, 2018 - 06:06 PM UTC
AFV CLub tracks usually have sinkmarks on the inner side of the track. Every link. They are not difficult to fill.I usually glue the links together, since the end connectors tend to pop off while working on the track.

Friul T97 tracks are not workable, because they include links preshaped for the angled parts of the track. You also need to add two pins on every link (a left and a right side one), not a single large one.
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