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My newest release is a Vietnam era tank to go along with my Huey Cobra... The M60 MBT was the next generation of the older and smaller "Patton" series … more »

My newest release is a Vietnam era tank to go along with my Huey Cobra... The M60 MBT was the next generation of the older and smaller "Patton" series of tanks. Though not officially named the Patton, it was based on the older M48 Patton design... with improved weapons, armour, and a larger powerplant, and from a distance the two could easily be confused so similar are their basic outlines. The M60A2 was to have been a giant leap in modern armour in it's day, it's main weapon was the Shillelagh A/T system, a 152mm, short muzzle cannon that could fire conventional munitions, or the 152mm Shillelagh anti-tank guided missle. It was to have featured the latest in technologies (some of the first next-gen devices ever employed in a tank), IR designators for it's missle system and a whole host of extra features making it the most technologically advanced tank of it's time. Many of the systems that were first tested in this tank were eventually fitted to modern tanks such as the M-1 Abrams as standardised equipment. Sadly the M60A2 suffered from many severe problems... powder residue from the standard shells would remain hot in the barrel and could cause succeeding rounds to fire prematurely (requirig a special compressed air clearing system to solve), the electronics were un-reliable, and the range of the main armament (though good on the proving ground) was found to be below that of smaller calibre guns then in use. The M60A2 saw some limited battle use at the end of the Vietnam war, but due to the many issues with it's equipment was pulled from service in the early 80's with most examples being converted to the M60A3 variant which still remains in use! The Shillelagh A/T missle system that was used in this tank was more successfully installed and used in the Sheridan light tank but has not to my knowledge been used since.The host of then new technologies lead to this tank gaining the nickname "Starship" from its crews, but sadly it's new tech did not make up for its many deficiencies... « Less