Dragon’s 1/35 scale WWII plastic kits are legendary worldwide in terms of the range’s scope, accuracy and technical quality. Dragon is now transferring that expertise to more modern subjects, and a first recipient is the famous M48 Patton medium tank. The M48 was a development of the M47, and it performed an interim role until the arrival of the M60 main battle tank. The M48 was the primary tank of the US Army & US Marine Corps (USMC) during the vicious Vietnam War. The new kit represents the M48A3 variant, which the army accepted into service in February 1963 and the USMC the following year.

M48A3s featured a new diesel engine and a range of features were apparent because all were converted from older variants. The USA would deploy more than 600 M48s to Vietnam, the first arriving in-country in 1965. They performed well in the infantry support role, but there were few tank-versus-tank clashes. Many M48A3s were later handed over to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) when US troops began leaving the country.

It’s a COMPLETELY BRAND NEW item and it’s designed explicitly to portray a vehicle serving in the Vietnam War. This means the molds are all new, carefully based on detailed research of surviving original tanks. The designer has used different methods to reproduce the form of the M48A3, especially the curved shape of the cast turret that was not easy to reproduce. In the end, this accurately shaped turret even has subtle casting texture, including embossed casting numbers. The tank has been produced with modeling convenience in mind too, with such features as easy-fitting DS tracks. With Dragon’s knowhow and technological skills from its WWII range being applied to this more modern subject, this M48A3 sets high standards that exceed those of existing products.