The Curious Tale of the Israeli M-47 Patton Tank

Now, here's an oddity...

In a previous post, I identified this as an M-60 Patton tank with Israel Defence Force markings.

However, on the underside it's identified as an M-47 Patton. There were three main variants of the Patton - M-47, M-48, M-60.

OK, so I think "no biggie, so it's an M-47 not an M-60. They look similar so easy mistake to make."

Until come to do some research prior to listing on eBay - I can find no info on Israel ever having used M-47 Patton tanks. Israel requested that the U.S. sell them 60 in 1955 and 100 in 1958 but we're refused on both occasions. They later acquired M-48s from Germany and M-60s from the U.S. But, as far as I can tell, never M-47s.

The only other reference that I can find to the M-47 in relation to the Israeli Defence Force is that they were used against Israel by the Jordanian Army in 1967 in what became known as "The Six Day War".

So, what's going on? Is this an error on the part of Solido, an M-48 or 60 misidentified as an M-47? Did the Israelis acquire M-47s but I just can't find any references? Did they capture Jordanian units (unlikely)?

More research is required.......

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The Yanks Are Coming!

Today, I'm going to take a look at a larger model - 1:24 scale Franklin Mint General Dynamics M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.

The Franklin Mint US M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank - 4th Platoon, B Troop, 1-11 ACR, Europe, 1980's

Forget dodgy coins, Princess Diana dolls and kitch Elvis memorial plates; for me the Armour Collection is where it's at.

Franklin Mints' Armour Collection are extremely collectable items. Their aircraft are varied and readily available, I currently have more than a dozen. Their ground units are far less common but maintain the quality and attention to detail that make the brand so popular for military collectors.

This Abrams model is a real monster; it's longer in length than a PC keyboard and weighs in at about same as four bags of sugar - in terms of size it's only 1/24th size of the real thing but weighs considerably less due to the lack of need for genuine armour plating.

The Abrams model has a wealth of features for the collector to "play" with. Features include;

Rotating turret.

Positionable barrel which holds in the parabolic position when raised.

Removable engine covers.

Commander and MG hatches which open.

MGs swivel.

Tracks rotate

The M1 Anrams is an American 3rd generation main battle tank produced by the US company General Dynamics.  It is named after Gen. Creighton Abrams, the  former Army Cheif of Staff and Commander of U.S. military forces in Vietman from '68 to '72. 

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The M1 Abrams entered U.S. service in 1980, replacing the M60 Patton main battle tank 

(shown below : Solido model M60 Patton 1:50 scale - Israeli Defense Forces livery)

It served for over a decade alongside the improved M60A3, which had entered service in '78. The M1 remains the main battle tank of the US Army and USMC. The Abrams is licensed for export to the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, The Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia, Australia and Iraq.

Highly mobile, designed for modern armoured ground warfare the M1 is well armed and heavily armored. Features include a powerful multifuel turbine engine (it can run on diesel or petrol), sophisticated composite armour , and separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment for crew safety. Weighing almost 62 tonnes it is one of the heaviest main battle tanks in service

Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection and electronics. These improvements, as well as periodic upgrades to older tanks, have allowed this long-serving vehicle to remain in front-line service. The M1A3 was under early development as of 2009.

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The Tiger Tank according to Corgi

In this post I'm going to look at the Tiger tank as produced by Corgi for their WWII Legends series.

Corgi produced these enormously collectable models in association with The History Channel, a cable TV station with a specialty in high production value historical documentaries and docu-drama. Whilst originally Corgi models were produced in Swansea, their manufacturing base has long since shifted to east Asia. These models were produced in China, circa 2005, they are of reasonable quality given their RRP and sit comfortably in the lower end of the collectors' price range. WWII Legends models currently sell for between £20 GBP and £60 GBP depending on variant. Whilst the line is now discontinued, examples of these models are readily available online through eBay and dedicated retail sites.

Corgi WWII Legends series 1:50 scale Diecast model.

PzKpfw VI Tiger Ausf.E

Commanded by SS-Hauptscharfuhrer Will Fey

3.Zug., 1 Kompanie, Schwere SS Panzer Abteilung 102

Normandy, June 1944

Model number CC60510

The 102nd SS Heavy-Panzer Battalion 102 (German: Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 102) was a heavy-tank battalion of the Waffen SS during World War II.

It fought as part of the II SS Panzer Corps during the Battle of Normandy and was nearly destroyed. Renamed as 502nd SS Heavy-Panzer Battalion, (German: Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 502) the unit was destroyed by the Russians in the Halbe Pocket in Spring 1945.

SS-Hauptscharfuhrer Will Fey and his crew are credited with 73 kills.

The 102nd SS Heavy Panzer Battalion over its history lost 76 tanks destroyed 600 enemy tanks a kill ratio of 6.89

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Corgi WWII Legends series 1:50 scale Diecast model.

Tiger 1 of the 101st SS Panzer Div.

Model number CC60502

101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101) was one of the Waffen-SS's elite armored units, acting as a 'fire brigade' and a crack assault unit on all fronts. With the introduction of new Tiger II - "King Tiger" tanks in late 1944, it was redesignated the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501.

It was created on July 19, 1943 as a part of the I Panzer Corps, by forming two new heavy tank companies consisting of Tiger I tanks and incorporating the "13th (Heavy) Company" of 1st SS Panzer Regiment. It was attached to 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and sent to Italy on August 23, 1943 where it stayed until mid-October. The 1st and 2nd company were then sent to the Eastern Front while the rest of the unit stayed in the West. On 22 September 1944 the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was Redesignated 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion (abbreviated s.SS-Pz. Abt. 501).

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Corgi WWII Legends 1:50 scale Diecast model Tiger I tank.

Tiger I tank, Ausf H - Russian Front.

LAH, 1st SS Panzer Div.

model number US60509

The 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (abbreviated as 1st SS-Pz.Div. LSSAH) was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment (brigade), the LSSAH eventually grew into an elite division-sized unit. The term Leibstandarte was derived partly from Leibgarde – a somewhat archaic German translation of "Garde du Corps" or personal bodyguard of a military leader ("Leib" = lit. "body, torso") – and Standarte: the Schutzstaffel (SS) or Sturmabteilung (SA) term for a regiment-sized unit.

The LSSAH independently participated in combat during the invasion of Poland, and was amalgamated into the Waffen-SS together with the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) and the combat units of the SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV) prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941. By the end of World War II it had been increased in size from a regiment to a Panzer division.

The Leibstandarte division's symbol was a skeleton key, in honour of its first commander, Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Dietrich is German for skeleton key or lock pick); it was retained and modified to later serve as the symbol for I SS Panzer Corps. The elite division, a component of the Waffen-SS, was found guilty of war crimes in the Nuremberg Trials. Members of the LSSAH participated in numerous atrocities. They killed at least an estimated 5,000 prisoners of war in the period 1940–1945, mostly on the Eastern Front.

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Listen up maggots!

By way of introduction...my excuses for playing with toys

As a pre-teen in the '70s my prized possessions where a small collection of military toys, Diecast scale models by Corgi, Dinky, Britains. I particularly remember a royal blue Dinky F-4 Phantom with a spring loaded bomb on the underside, given by my father as a pick me up prior to an extended stay in Birmingham Children's hospital. Other favourites included a Centurian tank on a low loader - the tank could fire matchsticks from the turret, Tiger tank, SU100, Zero and Thunderbolt fighters. These toys would keep me out of mischief for hours and would go everywhere with me.

The love of military aircraft was enriched by my grandfather, an RAF veteran of hot and cold wars would take me to airshows and exhibitions at every opportunity, I suspect as much for his own pleasure as mine. IWM Southwark, RAF Duxford, RAF Hendon where frequent hangouts as was the tank museum at Bovington, just a few miles from home. By age ten I could recognise the silhouette of any WWII aircraft with the same accuracy of anyone of my age who had endured the blitz and studied the recognition charts.

My father, who is initially responsible for my interest in model tanks, is an avid collector
(For avid, read obsessive) of the very same models. His collection fills display cabinets, a spare bedroom, a garage and a lock up. It is has grown to the point that he has to start making some space for new arrivals and I have the fantastic task of assisting with the clearout. So, eBay, prepare for battle!