If you have been collecting HO scale models for a while, you likely have a junkyard of your own. Bits, pieces, broken models, extra turrets, spare guns, surplus tank hulls, wheels, boxes, all sorts of items that don't quite fit the collection anymore. Sometimes even whole vehicles that you have replaced with a better kit, or that are missing pieces. What to do with them?
One thing I like to do it pull a model out of the scrap yard and make it into a new vehicle. Research is your friend. I had an old M48 tank hull from Kawai, I think, a Japanese company that had excellent box art and terrible vehicles. But I use the Roco M48 series tanks for my US Army forces, so what can I do with a spare hull?
I did a web search for M48 tank and found a museum that had an M48 tank hull with an M60A2 tank turret. It seems when the M60A2 became surplus the Army used the old M60 hulls as AVLBs and took the M60A2 turrets and put them on the old M48 hulls. The new tank, some called a Frankentank, was used as targets on ranges, and some went to museums.
Spending some more time in my model graveyard, I found an old Tomy M60A2 tank turret. Perfect turret for this project!
So I took my M48 hull and attached my M60A2 turret and made my own Frankentank M40 / M60A2 tank. It is perfect for use on an artillery training range, or as a tank on display at a museum, VFW hall, or Army base gate guard duty.
So check out your boneyard and see if there is something there you can put back into service!
Mike Bunkermeister Creek