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With an upgraded M60 coming from DKLM, I am watching this with some trepidation, but I am certainly grateful for the detailed explanation and photos.

Hi everyone,

The DKLM Tongde M-60 hull upgrade kit is in the mail. Carson sent a picture of what it contains for US $55.


I am noticing that the rear engine grill plate is for an M-60A1 or A3, so i will not have to modify an M-60A2 rear plate. I am guessing it is coming from the OKMO M-60A3 3D printed kit. I have highlighted the differences that i was preparing to do. The M-60A2 kit was already providing the square or the partly oval rear light guards. That is a good improvement for the TONGDE model.


The upgrade provides the outer roller, but no new screws are provided so to install it so that it won't fall off, a washer will be needed. Also notice the large screw holes on the lower hull. They need to be filled.


The kit provides plugs for the 8 holes.


8mm washers need to be found for the six rollers.


Good improvement.


However, when i wanted to replace the TONGDE air filter heads that i tried to improve with bolts heads, i was dissapointed to notice the upgrade kit replacements were missing 3mm in height.


A huge gap is therefore existing when installed as is. We can easily see that there is not enough distance between the middle bolts. The part is therefore really too short and will need to be expanded.


Looking at references, they should be like this.


Continuing on following post.

The first task was to remove and safeguard the small detailed square box and pipe with a sharp blade.


An extension need to be added in the middle so i simply cut them in half using a metal saw blade.


I calculated that the revised setup for the new air filter heads need to be 2.5mm higher. The original TONGDE ones were probably 0.5mm too high. Considering that the metal blade accounted for 0.5mm, i therefore needed to add a 3mm plasticard spacer.


Glued back together


Finetuned, polished and with the details added back. A lot of dry fitting was done. The kit also provide two extra parts for the top deck above the air filters.


Some preparation was done on the upper hull, as per more analysis done on the pictures and trying to do something similar, as close as possible.


The new air filter heads are installed. Of course, everything should look better and will be finetuned once the coat of primer is applied. At this time, the whiteness and dust makes it difficult to judge. But overall, it is a major enhancement compared to the TONGDE model, not perfect but good, and highly visible for a rivet counter like me.


Regards, Louis

More "WOW" work! Keep it up. Always enjoy your builds.

Thank you for your encouragement and interest.

Continuing with the build.

Next step is the Tank Infantry Phone (TIP), aka Tank Phone, allowing supporting infantry to discuss directly with the tank crew.

As shown in the AFV-Club instruction, there are two setups possible for the M-60A1, directly on the fender or on a raised platform attached to the engine deck. The period of the tank will make a difference, the builder need to select the version matching his tank.


As seen in references, USMC M-60A1 used in Desert Storm had the following TIP setup. A thick flormed metal plate held by the 3 main engine deck bolts, with a support bracket underneath.


This view gives a good indication of the placement of the support bracket.


The DKLM upgrade kit provides the main Tank phone part. This is clearly not for the M-60A1. The installation is lower and is not attached to the main engine deck bolts.


Research shows this setup with a side armored plate is seen on a M-60A3.


As the phone box itself is good, i cleaned it up for reuse on a new scratch built platform specific to the M-60A1.


A thick brass trip was cut and shaped according to what i could see.


I kept the main engine deck bolts removable so that clearly was a good move.


After two hours of work, the platform is ready to be installed.


I have soldered the support bracket, the best i could.


Continuing on following post.

My father used to talk about using those phones to direct fire or make the tank crew aware of his troop's locations. He served in both Korea and Vietnam (two tours in one and three in the other but I never learned which was which). He was always kind of vague with me on details.

For now, i have kept the platform removable so that i can finetune it later. I have noticed that i notch is made at the back of the platform to avoid it touching the lift hook. I need to make it. Still missing is also a bracket for the cable that connect the phone box to the tank. I have not found clear reference for these yet.



With phone box installed on the platform, looking good so far. More finetuning to come.


Moving to the Gun barrel travel lock. Comparing the upgrade kit components with the TONGDE part.


The gun travel lock after assembly. The locking mechanism is a bit more complicated than a simple bolt but this will do for now. Also seen is the new scratch built base, as seen in following picture.


Rare view of the M-60 gun travel lock. Not many photographs are available. Notice the shape of the deck and position of the mount.


The molded on rim was not seen in references so far and need to be removed, unless this is a variant i have not identified.


I made the decision to remove the rim and only show the lowered section. I have completely removed the mount and plugged the hole.


The new gun travel lock is installed.


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More views of the gun travel lock.



The new fuel caps, a definitive improvement. I have added a brass handle.


The fire extinguisher handles, positioned on the glacis on the left.


Quite inconveniently positioned in context of ERA, it is partially located under a tile.


The upgrade part had a thick layer and was thinned. Pull handles are not provided.


Positioned under the ERA tile on the front left.


There is a long L shaped reinforcement along the front fenders, on both sides, as seen on the AFV-Club instructions.


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AFV-Club provides a flat rectangural PE part for each, leaving the building to figure out by himself the shape of the part. It of limited help, other than the lenght.


Found some partial views, indicating the parts have in fact a V shape.


The upgrade kit provides two rectangural parts, quite thick. I therefore made a decision to reuse them, but they need to be thinned dramatically, and shaped correctly, unless there is a rectangular variant i have not seen.


The new parts are shaped.


And installed as seen in reference pictures.


There is an exhaust pipe at the front, a very nice and accurate replacement for the basic model. I only added a small plasticard strip between the two fender supports, as seen in reference. This strip is part of the support for the glacis ERA that connects to it, and not seen on other versions.


Periscope covers are provided and are better than the ones i had scrath built. I therefore made the decision to replace the replacements. They needed to be thinned.


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Another view of the periscope covers. The opening mechanism is more detailed than what i previously scratch built so the decision was easy. I do not mind throwing away a couple of hours of work if the solution is better.

Another pipe part is provided, looks like some air intake with a cover, experts could explain. I had to look around to see where it goes.


It need to be installed on the left of the other exhaust pipe, with an angle.


Confirmed by AFV-Club model, but that model shows it closed. So some analysis is required to see if it is used with the specific M-60 variant and period that the builder is making. Check your references.


Pictures of USMC M-60A1 with ERA shows the pipe installed. Also noticed another bracket of the right of it (from the back).


That part is also included in the upgrade kit, and positioned as seen in references. it is a stop for the driver's hatch.


Notice that all the positioning holes on the fenders and hull have been plugged.


However, the hatch is too thick to fit inside the slot. The hatch would need modifications to fit in, meaning the removal of the hatch interior rim, the only thing that keeps the hatch in place in closed position... So, removing the interior rim to make the hatch fit the slot is a personal decision.


Hinges to the rear engine grills are provided, a perfect match and fit.


Continuing on following post