Unique Rheem Manufacturing Aluminum Machined Tank 120mm-105mm Gun Turret Model

I recently became the owner of a very cool old tank. Never before have I seen something like this and I have not been able to locate anything similar to it since I started looking. It is a large model tank. It is machined out of aluminum. There is a brass plate on the side of the turret that is marked "Rheem Manufacturing Company Philadelphia Plant 120MM-105MM Gun Turret Contract No DA-20-089-ORD-36580". Rheem manufacturing is known for making water heaters and heating and cooling systems but from what I could find on the internet the Rheem manufacturing company got a contract from the US government to make the T54 gun turret during the Korean War in the 1950's. I think this tank may have been made in one of their machine shops to celebrate and commemorate getting the contract. The tank is roughly 17 inches from front to back, 9 inches wide, and roughly 8.25 inches tall at the end of the gun. The top part is removable from the base. It was painted an army drab green color and has lost some paint over the years but it is still about 80% painted. I do not know the exact age of this but I believe it is from the 1950's.

I was just curious if anyone might know anything more about this or what you think the value of it may be. It is a very cool piece and any information is appreciated.







































---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 PM ----------

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa74-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa75-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa76-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa77-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa78-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa79-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa80-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa81-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa82-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa83-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa84-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa85-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa86-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa87-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa88-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa89-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa90-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8/aaaa91-1.jpg

Recognized the us Army T57/T54E1 design I use in WOT. Probably a mockup used by the company to promote its gun. Rheem had the contract for the guns on these prototype tanks. Checked Ebay?

I have checked eBay and I have searched all over the internet to find something similar but I cannot. Military collectors and dealers that I know have never seen an aluminum machined tank like this and have all agreed that it is a very unique piece and if there is more than one of these out there they don't know where to find it. I sell items on eBay but it is hard to determine a good selling price for something if you have no other similar examples to compare it to.

I think it's something that was made in order to celebrate Rheem getting the turret contract from the government but how many aluminum models would they make? Maybe they just made one to go into the president's office or a display somewhere and this is that one. If this is a one of a kind piece how do you determine a value for it?

The answer is: You don't determine a value for it, since anyone's opinion of the value of a possibly unique item is just an opinion, and that includes appraisers, etc. In some ways, venues like EBay have been useful for this sort of thing as they allow the "value" of something to be determined by the market. Probable the best option would either be to come up with a WAG price based on other military toys and models and see if someone bites, recognizing you might be way high and never sell it, or way low and the buyer will get a deal, or put it in auction on EBay or a respected international toy auction house, describe it/photograph it well, and let the buyers duke it out.

Depends on your investment in it and your willingness to accept some risk.

Ed

That would look cool in desert camo.