Thursday, May 13

Preview: Takom's new ERA with M9 Dozer blade for your M60 in July...

Takom add the bad-az looking M9 bulldozer blade to their already cool-looking M60a1 With ERA kit in their July release. We have some images of these rare tanks and some info on the Takom kit in our preview...


A dozer blade for the front of your M60 to add to your ERA from Takom in July...

M60A1 w/ERA & M9 Bulldozer
1/35th scale
Product No# 2142
Expected release in July.
The Subject: M60A1 with ERA & M9 Dozer blade
After undergoing modernization efforts in the ‘70s to prolong its service life, the upgraded M60A1 with ERA was developed. The M60A1s were fitted with add-on explosive reactive armour (ERA) packages that added to the M60A1's progression of the larger turret with armour improvements and running gear along with a stabilization system for the main gun, these served the USMC until the arrival of the Abrams sometime after the US Army.
This tank served as the main battle tank of the Marine Corps for the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, U.S. forces. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, these vehicles and their crews supported the drive into Kuwait City where they were involved in a two-day tank battle at the Kuwait airport with the loss of only one vehicle and no crew to a land mine. On February 24 at 4 AM local time, the USMC forces were used on the eastern flank of the ground operation with the goal of liberating Kuwait City. Marine tanks fitted with bulldozer kits pushed through the minefields and right into Iraqi positions. The initial fighting was short and brutal and resulted in the surrender of thousands of Iraqi soldiers hours after the beginning of hostilities. In one instance, a Marine M60A1 shot an enemy T-72M at a very close distance right through with the APFSDS penetrator punching through the entire hull and exiting in the back. In another stunning case of success, the 2nd Marine Division captured the entire Iraqi 9th Tank Battalion with its 35 tanks intact with another three thousand prisoners taken.
In the desert where there are no trees to hide behind and often far to flat ground the M9 bulldozer blade was used to great effect in getting the Marie's tanks hull-down. They were also used to clear debris, to dig through channels and assist other vehicles that were stuck or blocked. A great asset to use on the debris-ridden highways of Iraq. The M60A1 saw service with the United States Marine Corps, and the Saudi Arabian Army.

This kit from Takom.
We have already seen the M60A1 with ERA armour kit from Takom. In 2018 we had kit number #2113, which pictured the same tank - but with no big-az bulldozer blade attached to the front.
This kit features the aforementioned M9 Dozer blade to add to the kit plus hatches that can be posed open or closed, one piece tracks, photo-etch & clear parts provided and markings of four different tanks in the box.
This kit is due in July

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