AFV Club M60A1 Patton Main Battle Tank 1:35

[Mike]

M60A1 Patton Main Battle Tank
1:35 AFV Club

The M60 was one of a line of tanks to take the name Patton, partially because they were all related developments of the same basic principle. The M48 Patton was the basis for the M60, after the need was discovered for a larger gun that could penetrate the frontal armour of the Soviet tanks reaching the front line. The M48 was scaled up to accommodate the 105mm license built Royal Ordnance L7 gun, a re-designed turret and a fully cast hull, mounting aluminium road wheels to reduce weight in non-essential areas. It was the last US tank to use steel as its protection from penetration, and that served the crews well through its long service life. The M60A1 was the most produced version, and was an initial update with better suspension and improved armour, with a larger turret that allowed the crew a little more room. It also had a rudimentary stabilisation system fitted to the gun, although it wasn't capable of the fine control of modern systems, but did allow the gun to stay pointing in the same general direction when aimed.

It was wide service during its long career that started in the 60s, both with the US and allied nations. It was sold to the Iranians before the revolution, so some of the remaining operational Pattons were pressed into service during the Iran/Iraq was in the 80s. It was finally retired after service in the First Gulf War, where the Marines used it exclusively for their part in the campaign before reluctantly dropping them in favour of the then new M1 Abrams MBT. While out of service with the US, it is still a potent tank, and is still in service with minor operators throughout the world.


The Kit
I always look forward to AFV Club kits, as they appeal to this modeller, and give the impression that they are passionate about what they produce. When this box landed on my cluttered desk I was keen to see inside, particularly as I had seen one in the flesh only the week before. Arriving in AFV Club's usual white themed box with a painting of an M60 on the way somewhere, the box is stuffed full of sprues, with nine in total moulded in an olive green styrene, plus the lower hull tub. There is also an M2 Machine Gun on a section of sprue, a substantial clear sprue, two rubber-band style tracks, two sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, a small bag of flexible styrene parts in olive and black, a spring, a bag of rubbery o-rings, a turned aluminium barrel, length of synthetic cord, decal sheet and of course the instructions. First inspection reveals lots of lovely casting detail on the hull and turrets, which is accompanied by raised welding-beads, casting serial numbers where appropriate, and very fine raised location point lines for parts that butt-fit to the main parts. The level of detail on the parts is excellent, with grilles, tiny welding beads between sections of parts and ultra-fine mouldings that push the limit of injection moulding technology.

Once you've had a look at the sprues and perused the visual history of the different variants on the page before the instructions, it's time to start cutting parts off the sprues. The lower hull is moulded as a single part with casting texture moulded in, but as it has been done using sliding moulds, there are some small seams between the suspension mounting points, so scrape these off and make good with some stippled Mr Surfacer or your chosen texturing method. Then you can add the suspension mounts, bump-stops and the driver's lower escape hatch, followed by the torsion bars and swing-arms, plus the final-drive housings at the rear of the hull. Towing shackles, hitch and rear light-clusters are added to the rear bulkhead, and then it's time to do the running gear.

There are fourteen pairs of road wheels, which are built up from two individual wheels glued together around a small O-ring as a change from poly-caps. The drive sprockets are made up from three parts, the central part of which is a complex moulding that stands well away from the rest of the parts of the hull to allow the sliding parts of the mould opportunity for movement. One of mine had come off within minutes of leaving the bag, and I found it on the workshop floor with a little crush damage, which was quickly repaired. They are the most easily knocked-off parts, and without them you'll be screwed, so keep an eye on them! The wheel sets press onto the axles for easy removal during the build, and are wrapped with the rubber-band tracks once the main parts of the upper hull has been finished, using the usual overlapping sections of track to make the joint. There are two links performing this function, and the outer halves are held on only by the centre link, which makes for a weak joint that could be damaged, leaving you with a need for replacement tracks, which Friul make marked ATL-142, with an alternative tread-pattern (lozenge shaped blocks) ATL-143.

The driver's compartment is depicted in reasonably good detail in this kit, showing off his cramped space, which added to his limited ability to leave via the top hatch or through the main component, left him with the lower hatch as his primary means of escape. Not a prospect I'd relish under any circumstances. His station is complete with his controls, instruments, seat and various levers, plus vision blocks and more detail that are applied to the underside of the top deck, all of which has plenty of painting call-outs so you're not left floundering. The top deck includes the upper glacis and extends as far as the back of the turret ring, where you add the fuel filler-cap on the starboard corner, as well as the driver's vision blocks, which are made of clear styrene. The driver's top hatch is attached to the hull via a long hinge rod that flips it up toward the turret, requiring the gun to be at the rear for proper exit. The front deck is installed before the engine deck, which has a tapering arrangement of panels, surrounded by a large number of grilles to cool down the powerful Diesel powerplant. These are well-moulded, and have been split into five sections per side to preserve detail, plus another two large panels at the rear bulkhead. Separate grab-handles are added to each one when they're installed, adding to the realism over the usual moulded-in affairs. With the top deck ostensibly completed, the fenders are added, which are split in similar proportion to the deck, with curved flanges added to the rear. A bunch of stowage boxes are built up with separate handles, and are then dotted around the fenders along with some perforated stiffening brackets for good measure. The rear-mounted travel-lock can be built to move on its hinges, and the locking jaws can also be left loose for that occasional change of pose that we never get around to. Whilst at the rear, you have the choice of adding a small grille to the back of the tank, or replacing it with a cast panel and long intake extension tube that has some lovely welding beads moulded in. A pair of flexible styrene bracing "wires" can be added if you want, but these are optional. Adding the front mud-guards and light-clusters sees the hull complete.

The turret starts with the gun, which has a turned metal barrel, which is inserted to a recoil mechanism that also carried the 7.62mm coax machine gun and its mount. The spring is loaded into the canister which is then closed over by a bolted lid, and the metal barrel is inserted through this to be glued onto the breech assembly. The inner mantlet/mount is made from two parts, and slides down the barrel and onto the coax MG, and is then installed within the turret body, with a short piston going between the lower breech and the turret ring to control elevation. The lower turret with moulded-in ring is then glued in place, and the either the rubberised mantlet cover and concertina sleeve or its uncovered alternative are placed over the barrel. The two-part bore evacuation system clamps around the barrel at a convenient ledge, an alternative muzzle tip is added (or not), and the turret body is then detailed with lifting eyes, clear vision blocks, stowage hooks, aerial bases and so forth. The towing cables are built up from styrene eyes and cord "cables", which are slung around the lower rear of the turret below the combined PE/styrene turret bustle stowage rack that wraps around the rear. The top of the commander's cupola is moulded in clear to for the multiple vision ports around its perimeter, and has a .50cal M85 machine gun in a mount that provides elevation, while the independent movement of the cupola provides the traverse. This allowed the commander to fire without exposing himself to incoming rounds, but the cupolas were known for their propensity to become detached when the tank was hit by a non-penetrating round, which could have serious ramifications for both the commander's health and the tank, which would be an open target into which grenades could be hurled. A large vision block is fitted to the roof of the cupola, and sighting equipment hangs down underneath it inside, with the full breech and mounting of the MG fully depicted. Careful masking of the interior and exterior will result in a rather good looking cupola. The mantlet of the commander's gun can be left uncovered or by the addition of the provided flexible styrene part it can be depicted covered.

Early Cold War tanks all seemed to carry big searchlights on their guns, and the M60 was no exception, and it's a complex one. The body of the device is built from halves that fit around the back plate, plus two horizontal bars on which the mounting bracket fits. A reflector that is as large as the body fixes to the front with a black "thing" in the front, all of which is enclosed behind a clear lens. A couple of grab-rails and latches are dotted around the surface, and it is added to a bracket on the mantlet, with a long articulated rod leading back to an attachment point on the turret top. A couple of jerrycans with PE straps are added to the rear sides of the turret, and a couple of aerials are stretched from sprue, or better yet, from carbon fibre rod that you can obtain from eBay. The turret is a drop-fit to the hull, so remember to either glue it or don't turn it over to look at the underside.


Markings
A note of warning to begin with. As soon as you get your kit, remove the paper from the decals, as mine had already become quite fond of the decals, and tore a few times on removal, leaving fibres adhered to the decals. There are five options available from the box, and they are disparate enough to please most folks, which is always good. From the box you can build one of the following:

• Austrian Army – all over olive drab.
• IDF, Sinai Oct.1973 – All over sand yellow.
• US Army 3rd Battalion, 3rd Armoured Division, 1977 – Green/orange/black/off white camo.
• US Army 69th Armoured Regiment – Sand yellow/black/green camo.
• US Marine Corps – Green/khaki/black/off white camo with a white mantlet.

The decals are of merchantable quality, but with fibres of the paper still clinging to the surface, they look a little older than they should. Registration is good, colour density appears so too, and sharpness is good enough. The carrier film is thin and glossy, but extends quite a way around the decals in place such as the serials and badges, which would be better cut away.


Conclusion
It's a rather nice kit of an important US Main Battle Tank that deserves the detail that has been lavished on it. The rubber tracks are about as good as they can get, but alternatives are available if you feel the need. The inclusion of PE and a turned barrel adds value to the package if you don't like moulded in grilles or sanding the seams of a styrene barrel (who does?), so what're you waiting for?

Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of
UK Distributors for

[denstore]

Nice review. I have the kit, and I agree in every point, Mike.

I can also recommend Legends two new resin sets for it.

Edited August 11, 2015 by denstore

[Julien]

This looks good, I built the tamiya one years ago.

[Panzer Vor!!!]

May purchase as you get the Austrian decals

As to sanding barrels I ALLWAYS try the kit parts before spending on a replacement

Care and attention and you can get a decent result

D

[Antoine]

Thanks Mike,

Nice review, I'll just wait for a few other versions to be released before making a choice.

I always look forward to AFV Club kits, as they appeal to this modeller, and give the impression that they are passionate about what they produce.

Indeed they are.

A small business, less than 20 persons, and you can meet the boss very often in any of Taipei's model shops.

[Julien]

A USMC with the add on reactive armour would be nice.

[Mike]

That one can't be far away now, as it would sell well in desert colours

[denstore]

The rumours are saying that there will be a M60A2 and a M728 CEV.

My guess is that we will see plenty of IDF Magach versions as well.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

I'd love to see a M60A2 Starship.....With a full or partial turret interior.

[Julien]

I'd love to see a M60A2 Starship.....With a full or partial turret interior.

While the Academy kit is nice there is no interior.

Julien

[Dads203]

I'd love to see a M60A2 Starship.....With a full or partial turret interior.

Dragon are bringing out the starship later this year.

Dan

[Julien]

Dragon are bringing out the starship later this year.

Dan

Nice one, I seem to remember Tamiya did one ages ago as well?