Thank you Russ and Gino, I think I'll go with the CARC. Seems like Def model's M60 has a Nato 3-tone scheme, is it consistent with the scheme I'm attempting to replicate?

Yes, that is the standard NATO camo for an M60A3. Good luck with it and be sure to post pics of it here.

Most pics out there from Team Spirit 1986 show the majority of vehicles in MERDC.

Note if you choose NATO you don't get as much leeway since edges are sharper and those from the factory were painted by robots with little to no variability. I'm almost positive that the photo in question is MERDC but you should build the one you want - better yet build two - one for each.

Alan, yes I agree the scheme you are thinking about is consistent with a forward deployed 2ID M60A3 of the mid 80s in ROK. Bruce said there are some Team Spirit 86 photos of MERDC painted vehicles, but the only one I've seen in this thread is what appears to be a USMC M60A1 on the beach. I did a quick search and found a lot of vehicles (M151s etc) wearing the MERDC schemes, but it's pretty obvious they are in other locations or other units. When I got to The 2ID in 1987, there weren't many M151s left, they had almost all been traded for HMMWVs. So I find a lot of those images to be suspect, WITH THE EXCEPTION of transient vehicles coming into country for TEAM SPIRIT -- they came from CONUS, from the 25th LID in Hawaii, (which is where I was reassigned after Korea) and of course the Marines who came from Camp Pendelton and MEB/MEF afloat units. In the bad old days of the 70s 80s and early 90s, TEAM SPIRIT was the largest ground exercise in the Pacific basin, and vehicles with MERDC schemes came from all over, plus the ROK Army used the scheme-- I was still seeing variations of MERDC on ROK equipment in 2002. So I think you should just pick a scheme you like as Gino suggests, and give it a shot.
Frankly, I'm waiting for AFV club to release their M60A1, (smooth steel wheels I hope) which I will paint in the MERDC scheme, for a unique reason. In 1977 I took a DOD Schools Europe Teacher in Bad Kissingen Germany on a date to see "my" tank (she had never seen a tank before, and she asked to go-- it wasn't my idea) The tank was M60A1 Hotel 36 (H Company, 3rd Plt, Plt leaders vehicle- 11th ACR). I've been happily married to that same girl now for 37 years come December. And I agree with Bruce, the MERDC scheme is a more varied, artistic and even elegant scheme than the NATO blotchy pattern. I was sorry to see it go for a variety of reasons (not the least of them because of the difficulty in applying CARC ). Anyway, I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving weekend! VR, Russ

Just to muddy the waters so to speak, I scanned these from an old issue of 'The Tank Magazine' June 1978. The feature article is Team Spirit '78. These M60A1's have a sharp_edged MERDC-esque camo, I can make out dark green and brown as the main colours, with black and tan patches. A lot of the photos are B&W and the tanks are so dirty it's hard to see the patterns even. HTH.





Jim

I was a tank commander with 1/72nd Armor (1st Tank), 2nd Infantry Division back in July/August 1984 when we transitioned from the M48A5 to the M60A3TTS tanks. These were fresh rebuilds from the Army's tank depot since they had a fresh factory applied period-correct camaflauge patterns verse the more "dicked-up" looking field applied version, which was very common in units, both in the States and in Germany. You could tell that most, if not all, were rebuilds since half of the tanks had the older A1 turrets that was missing the protective casting/band that covered the outer area of the turret ring. All of them had steel road wheels instead of the older alloy ones or a mix of steel and alloy. Also, the only difference with the M60A3 in Korea than the rest of the Army was that our tanks had two fixed mounting points located around the loader's hatch for a M60D machine gun... Pretty much as positioned on the older M48A5 tank.... At that time, the main threat was dismounted NKPA infantry.

None of them had the searchlight since they had thermal sights for the main gun and as in the older M60A1 RISE tanks the M85 .50 cal machine gun had only a passive night sight.

A side note, before transitioning over to the M60A3 tanks, 2nd Infantry Division was the only Active Duty Army unit that still had M48A5 tanks in a frontline combat unit. During this time period, only the Army Reserve and Guard units had them and the only difference between 2nd ID tanks was that the commander's hatch had a M2 .50 cal machine gun where all the Reserve and Guard M48's had a second M60D MG for the commander position.

In addition to all the other deployments noted, a NG unit (TX?) with old M60's deployed to Honduras during the late 80's. They were stationed at an outpost near the Nicaraguan border.

Ted,
I have some pics of a Korea M60A3 some place in the house, I did take pics of the M60D mounts. i will post them once if find them...

Nice pics Jim. 2ID replaced those M60A1s with M48A5s later that year. I worked with a retired tanker who was one of the original company commanders in 2-72 Armor, when they stood up in 1978 and he loved the M48A5, saying it was faster and more nimble than the M60s that the 48s replaced.

John

The ROK Army still uses MERDC as their primary (I think only) camo scheme. Here it is on a recent pic of a K1A1 tank.



And on a brand new K2 Black Panther prototype tank.

Ted and John,
I was not aware of the M60D mounts until now, thank you for bringing it to my attention.

I believe I have found the correct camouflage. Based on similar vehicles, I think the scheme used on the M60 picture posted was a MERDC, Winter Verdant version. The scheme, while calling for the normal green, tan, black, and buff, the green often came out very dark(based on references I have found). For example,



What are your thoughts on this? The coloration seems similar to that of the photo, and consistent with the statements that many vehicles were painted in MERDC.

Yes, that was the most common MERDC scheme and would be correct for the vehicle you want to build.

Dont rely on trying to match colors to pics - Model Masters and others make he correct FS paints for the Forest Green and Field Drab. Field Drab will look like another shade of green in the bottle but against the Foret Green it'll look brown.

As mentioned, there's lots of tolerances for variation. In fact, even variation between sprayed on and brushed on.... often the Field Drab was sprayed on over the bas forest Green and the accent colors sand and black were brushed on.

The M60a1 was in South Korea, 1-72 and 1-73 armor. I was in 1-72 armor, 73-74. they were old and had seen better days. A couple years later 2ID re-organized and did receive M48A5s. Couple buddies loved them due to having 5 track return rollers, harder to throw track.

Hey Guys
If you don't know which M60 to do here is were to get some inspiration.
From Tankograd come these excellent mags.:

http://www.tankograd.com/cms/website.php?id=/en/M60-M60A1-M728.htm

http://www.tankograd.com/cms/website.php?id=/en/M60A2-M60A3-AVLB.htm

http://www.tankograd.com/cms/website.php?id=/en/MASSTER-MERDC-DUALTEX.htm

Also their REFORGER series:

REFORGER 1986 - 1993
REFORGER 1979 – 1985
REFORGER 1969 - 1978

And here is a very unique one covering the M60s in Hohenfels :

http://unitec-medienvertrieb.de/profiles/fahrzeug/fahrzeug-profile-52-warriors-us-opfor-hohenfels-1990-2007.html

The Unitec-Medienvertrieb also as some really good mags on other subjects of cold-war and modern armor.

Cheers
Christopher