Dual M48's, Dragon and Tamiya

[rbaer]

Now that Takom has released some really nice M48 kits, why not dig one of the Tamiya kits out of the stash and hammer on it? And since people holding Dragon kits can see the writing on the wall, I grabbed a Model B for beer money, thinking I'd finally build one, along side the Tamiya kit as a reference. I also have some AM to use up. The Tamiya kit will be built as a Model B, in Vietnam. I may build the Dragon kit as IDF, not sure whether it'll be one of the overhauled tanks or not. Tehy did have a few Model B's in action in the Yom Kippur War, complete with Urdan cupolas and 105mm guns, and also some unmodified tanks. It will probably depend on if I can score another Dragon kit for cheap to get the earlier engine doors and other bits.
First thing was to fix the hull front on the Tamiya kit. It's too pointed from a vertical view and too blunt in profile. Using Aves putty and MrSurfacer, I copied the Dragon part.
First, my roughed-in fix compared to a stock hull:
IMG_3834 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Forgive the camera angle, it makes my modified hull look asymmetrical.
Close to final, compared to the Dragon hull:
IMG_3842 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The hull rear, ready for final detailing, a Dragon engine door part in and the hull opening adjusted for:
IMG_3843 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The Tamiya hull is too deep, probably since it had to contain batteries, a motor and a gearbox, so adjustments were necessary.
The turret, with a knock-off of the Legends sandbag pile fitted:
IMG_3837 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I had a turret started from a while ago, with a Barrel Depot gun tube already in and the mantlet dust cover filled in with Aves putty, so it got the sandbags. They fit decently, surprisingly. The pics I have of the actual tank sporting this sand castle shows more track links hung under this mess too. I'll add those later.
And the Dragon kit: easy peasy, all I'm changing so far are the road wheels, which Dragon fudged on, leaving off the rim lips. I just subbed some Takom wheels out of an already-robbed-for-parts Brave Tiger kit.
IMG_3838 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I'll be using the Takom final drives and sprockets too.
And lastly, a note about the Dragon tracks: they're not DS. They actually act and look more like AFV Club tracks, unaffected by regular styrene cement and molded in black. I expect I'll use them on the Tamiya kit since they fit perfectly and build up some of the new Takom indies for the Dragon kit.

[chromdome35]

I really want to build an M48A3 from Vietnam. I've been leaning toward the new Takom release. Looking forward to your build.

[Tobi]

Russ, I already see this will need bookmarking again. Just like your Challenger build! So much to learn.

[mustang1989]

DANG!!! LOTSA work goin' on in this thread!!! You really know how to achieve what you're after in a build Russ!! Will be watching these beauties come together!!

[Steve Zuleski]

Ya, this is gonna be good I can already tell. Ruck On, Rusty! Bookmarked!

[rbaer]

More stuff: I committed on the Dragon kit, it will be an IDF Magach 3, YKW period and I'll use the DEF update/conversion. It's a bunch of good parts and stowage. The Tamiya kit is coming along too, I'm at the point where I need to do something with the fenders. I would love to cut them off and scratch them from something thin enough to wrinkle up but I'm leaning more towards thinning the kit parts and moving ahead. In retrospect, it would have been smarter to have done the Tamiya kit as IDF and the Dragon kit as the beat-up Vietnam tank, but too late now. I'll probably mess up the very nicely done Dragon fenders a little bit just on principle.
IMG_3851 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Oddly enough, part of the decision process about which one to do as IDF was speeded along be the fact that a Takom Urdan cupola dropped right into the hole on the Dragon turret, and it was also very easy to get the Dragon TC's cupola with riser to snuggle up on the Tamiya turret. Additional track links are hung on the Tamiya turret now, just need to spiff up the basket and stowage. I may need to actually order some AM here....
IMG_3853 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

[chromdome35]

This is really progressing nicely.

When you talk about thinning the fenders, does that simply consist of sanding them down or is there other work involved?

[mustang1989]

Saw this yesterday and got busy playing "catch up" for the weekend. Talk about kit bashing!! Love all the work and ingenuity going into this very cool mix/match of a build. Looking forward to the next update Russ!!

[rbaer]

Feb 5, 2023 17:13:39 GMT -5 chromdome35 said:

This is really progressing nicely.

When you talk about thinning the fenders, does that simply consist of sanding them down or is there other work involved?

I'll be using a motor tool and taking material off the undersides. It can be slow but it usually gives a good result. I just have to be careful not to go all the way through or to melt the plastic.

[chromdome35]

Feb 6, 2023 22:26:16 GMT -5 rbaer said:

Feb 5, 2023 17:13:39 GMT -5 chromdome35 said:

This is really progressing nicely.

When you talk about thinning the fenders, does that simply consist of sanding them down or is there other work involved?

I'll be using a motor tool and taking material off the undersides. It can be slow but it usually gives a good result. I just have to be careful not to go all the way through or to melt the plastic.

Do you use a cutting bur similar to this?

[rbaer]

Don't have one, but that would be a good one to have.....

[Steve Zuleski]

Sand bag city! Woof, that's a lot of bags.

[rbaer]

Yeah, was thinking it looked kind of goofy, but there's a pic out there of one with even more bags on it. It makes me wonder if the turret would even traverse....
Progress as of Tuesday: Dragon turret (Magach 3) nearly done, just need to add the PE mantlet cover fasteners and a water can:
IMG_3878 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
The DEF stowage is nice, fits well and solves the problem of an empty basket nicely. I'm still thinking about which cupola to use. I have the very nice Urdan assembly from a Takom kit, but I've also got a couple DEF Sherman cupolas from the update/conversion set, and most pics of Magach 3 tanks in the YKW show them fitted, with the Urdan cupola being relatively rare at that time. Some pics even show the M1 cupola still on.
The Tamiya turret is also coming along, mostly up front where I've started fudging in the mantlet clips and searchlight mounts. I'll be using a very nice AFV Club light assembly, much better than the old Tamiya part, so the mount positions are corrected.
IMG_3877 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
And since I had extras, both turrets got Dragon tow cables with Karaya wire.
IMG_3879 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
That's gonna be it for a while, I've got a big wrap around my right hand after a quickie carpal tunnel fix, typing slow...

[Steve Zuleski]

Looks good, Rusty. That is the key, pics to prove it, so Ruck On, I say.

[mustang1989]

That is indeed alot of sandbags up there. Great mix matching of parts going on as well. I've done the same thing with aircraft. I built a Tamiya Fw190 D-9 a few years back and didn't like the main landing gear, sliding canopy section or the cowl gun access covers so I stole all of those from a spare Eduard Fw190 A-8 and Eduard Fw190 D-9 kit that I had. All of the little things add up at the end of the build. Great progress!!!

Hope that whole carpal tunnel deal passes quickly for you. That aint no fun.

[reserve]

And the RB tank factory rolls on. A nice pair sir

[rbaer]

Crankin' 'em out! Slowly though, until I can unwrap my wrist.
Speaking of slowly, my new Dremel bits showed up, so I took about as much plastic off the underside of the Model B fenders as I dared, got my wife's hair dryer out and using fingers and small smooth jawed pliers did some light damage. I wanted a "used but not blown up" look, which I think I got real close to. Tool boxes are just tacked to check fit after the bendery.
IMG_3881 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_3882 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
And me being me, at Model Fiesta, my favorite LHS in all the world cut me a sweet deal on a new Takom M48 Model B. It's SWEET, but I need to finish at least the Model B before I tuck in. And I have all the parts I need for another weird-O
French project in hand. What to do, what to do....

[mustang1989]

You make this look aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllll too easy Russ! I just love watching these beauties of yours come together dude.

Waidaminute......did you say Local Hobby Shop???!!!

[reserve]

Yup, that's how the fenders looked after some time passed. Got that one right on sir

[Steve Zuleski]

Looking good, Russ!

[rbaer]

I did in fact say Local Hobby Shop. And this is not a commercial plug.. It's called Lionheart Hobbies, located in Kyle, TX, so it's only about 45 minutes from my house, and it's a beautiful drive too. Rudy, the owner along with his new bride, is a former partner in "King's" of Austin which was a fixture for a long time.

[mustang1989]

Feb 15, 2023 8:05:48 GMT -5 rbaer said:

I did in fact say Local Hobby Shop. And this is not a commercial plug.. It's called Lionheart Hobbies, located in Kyle, TX, so it's only about 45 minutes from my house, and it's a beautiful drive too. Rudy, the owner along with his new bride, is a former partner in "King's" of Austin which was a fixture for a long time.

 I'll have to check that out next time I'm up there. Say......did King's Hobbies close?

[rbaer]

There's still a "King's Hobbies", but it's nowhere near as "model-focused" as Lionheart (Rudy's place is what I call it when I tell my wife I'm going...). I go there too to check out collections they buy.
So, "Model B" is moving along. The basic hull is about done, turret is close too. Stowage is probably going to be Legends, if I can find a set of theirs in stock somewhere.
IMG_3884 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_3883 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

[rbaer]

I made a booboo when I decided to make a Model B from the Tamiya kit and a YKW-period Magach 3 from the Dragon Model B kit, illustrated in this (and the rest of them). Those of you conversant in M48-speak will spot it right away.
IMG_3890 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Before I freeze up with acute AMS, I'm going to "fix" it as near as possible, easier to do and partially done on the Magach, then write it off to field repairs on both.
The Dragon kit is moving along nicely though, fenders on and the very nice DEF armored air cleaners in place, just lacking tool boxes. I'm scrounging more Academy lid handles for them first.
IMG_3887 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_3886 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Also, in discussion on FB and another forum, it was pointed out that YKW period Magach 3 tanks had a number of different type of TC cupolas, ranging from the widely disliked M1 to old split hatch Sherman units. I was leaning towards an Urdan cupola, but then a pic surfaced of a tank or two with the Chrysler cupola from captured Jordanian M48s taken in the 6-Day War, so I pulled out my last Lo Model Urdan cupola and did a relatively easy conversion, easy because the Urdan cupola was at least inspired by it. It makes the model somewhat unique, and looks good too, I think. It actually looks accurately sized compared to the flange around the opening and the height is good too. The pic below was taken once the basic shapes were finalized.
IMG_3885 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Unlike the Urdan cupola, the hatch is fixed to the hinge arms and has no "open covered" position and lacks the brace attached to the arms. It also has a periscope housing in the rear of the hatch which must have been a real head banger for the TC.

[Steve Zuleski]

Odd copula for sure, not used to seeing that configuration. Ruck On!

[ogrejohn]

Very nice Rusty!

[mustang1989]

I'm an armor fan for sure ( I was field artillery for 7 years) but I wouldn't have spotted that "boo-boo" if you hadn't pointed it out. I love what you're doing here Russ.

[Tobi]

Feb 25, 2023 12:51:26 GMT -5 rbaer said:

I made a booboo when I decided to make a Model B from the Tamiya kit and a YKW-period Magach 3 from the Dragon Model B kit, illustrated in this (and the rest of them). Those of you conversant in M48-speak will spot it right away.

I'm deaf and blind it would seem, but I willingly admit I know little to nothing about these tanks...

The fenders look extremely good for plastic items after your treatment.
With all the sandbags, had the crews no use for the range finder?

There is no substitute for a good local hobby shop. Unfortunately I'm on detox for over 15 years now. Solely online shopping.

[rbaer]

My goof was not too bad to "fix", but it sure would have been easier to have used the Dragon kit as the Model B, but since I had the sandbags on the Tamiya turret already... well, next time I'll be building a Takom M48 so not to worry. I sold my last Tamiya M48 kit in the neighbor's garage sale last week.
Fixed goof:
IMG_3891 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Both tanks will have some stowage up front so I'm not too worried about how it'll all look later.
Tobi, yeah, they didn't need the range finder since the main type of ammo used in Vietnam was cannister or beehive at nearly point-blank range.

[mrt51]

Look at all the M48 love.

Great