The M48 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed in the United States. It was the third tank to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle. It was a further development of the M47 Patton tank. The M48 Patton was in U.S. service until replaced by the M60 and served as the U.S. Army and Marine Corps's primary battle tank in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, especially other NATO countries.

The M48 Patton tank was designed to replace the previous M47 Pattons and M4 Shermans. Although largely resembling the M47, the M48 was a completely new design. It was the last U.S. tank to mount the 90 mm tank gun, with the last model, the M48A5, being upgraded to carry the new standard weapon of the M60, the 105mm gun. Some M48A5 models served well into the 1980s with American forces, and many M48s remain in service in other countries. The Turkish Army has the largest number of modernized M48 MBTs, with more than 1,400 in its inventory. Of these, around 1,000 have been phased out or are in storage, or have been modified to ARVs.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a US M48A3 Patton medium tank that was nicknamed "Zig Zag Men", and attached to the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, then deployed to Vietnam during 1971. Back Order!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-3/4-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: March 2023

Historical Account: "Zig Zag Men" - During one assignment in the war, an M48A3 tank named "Zig Zag Men" of the 1/10th Cavalry was assigned to support the 1/22nd Infantry/ 4th Infantry Division. Their base was located beside Highway QL-19 and named Landing Zone Schueller after 1Lt. James Schueller who was killed in 1967. M83A3 "Zig Zag Men" was named after the cigarette rolling paper brand. "Zig Zag Men" doesn't wear the usual red and white guidons on the turret sides like most 1/10th Cavalry did. The 35 indicates it was a section leader No. 3 Platoon, Alpha Troop. 1/10th Armored Cavalry Squadron.