Hey everyone first time I've posted anything anywhere so if it's all screwed up that's why. Anyway I'm starting my Leopard C2 model, It will be out of the box except for the conversion kit from Maple Leaf Models. Tracking down the base kit (Revell Leopard 1A5) was difficult but I finally got one, had to order it from Great Britain over eBay. So without further intoduction here are the pictures after the first day of building!











Some of the pictures aren't the best because I'm no photographer and I only have a simple camera.

Good luck with your C2 project.

The grouser racks on the glacis plate of the late C1 and C2 have a slightly different layout than the kit instructions due to the MEXAS armour mounts.

Check out the Leopard C2 walkaround on Prime Portal.

This reminds me of my C2. It was the same project you are starting. Turned out great. Until the shelf above it collapsed and turned it into a pancake :-(
Guess I'll have to build another :-) Good luck and make sure the shelf for your models are good and steady.

You may have made it a bit tougher by fitting so much of the turret parts before putting on the C2 rear bin. I had a heck of a time getting the rear bin nice and secure on the turret and the side armor and I didn't have to worry about breaking any parts off as I started with the base turret shell.

Good start and congrats on finding the 1A5 kit.

Paul

Jason - I see what you mean there, the setup is altered from the German version depicted in the kit. It's hard building a kit while constantly checking photos on the computer but that's the fun of a Canadian armor build. As soon as the conversion kit arrives I will really be able to really start getting this thing together. I hope to get it built before both university and my reserve training start in September.

Paul - I fitted so little of the actual turret parts that I'm not worried about breaking anything in the process, I will keep that in mind though. With the kit being so hard to find I got the much cheaper and much more common Italeri Leopard 1A2 kit for any spare parts I need, including a completely unassembled cast turret.

Hey Andrew

Congrats on your project and finding that kit. I had some luck to finding it and I'm converting the kit into a Belgian Leopard 1A5.

To bad that your pics a little blurry. Try to take a little distance from your model when you take you picture.
Keep us updated

Grtz Roel

I've got the MLM conversion kit and I'm fighting to get the two things mounted on the turret. The Turret Bustle which is huge and heavy! I thought I had it on but it fell off then I drilled into the bustle and into the Turret and used a spruce coated in glue and that worked extremely well! Now I'm fighting with the mis-shaped turret armour, I think I got one panel on and I'll give the second one a try as soon as I'm sure that at least one panel is sercure. It seems like once I get those two things on the rest of the build will seem incredibly easy in comparison. Wish me luck cause I think I need it

Be careful with the turret and the rear bustle. I picked mine up once tilted and the bustle rotated and the turret disconnected from the hull and headed for the floor but I caught it just in time.

My turret bustle is mainly secured by the side armor pieces.

Paul

Well here is the next big update, the model is about 75% built only a few more things (mostly small details) have to be added. The fight with the turret bustle and armour plates is over, everything came together in the end. It took about two days to get those things working together, probably one of the hardest and most nerve wracking builds I've had in a long time! What ended up working was the rod going from the bustle to the turret and a backer of Tamiya putty keeping the bustle from moving around. Here are the new pictures.

That's looking pretty good Andrew, it came together nicely in the end.
I've got one of these in the pile too, I think it'll have to be my next build.

Back Again! Now the C2 had been primed and preshaded, I'll have to get some decals and maybe some more NATO Green paint. I've decided I want to paint the tank with a slightly faded version of the NATO paint. Anyway here are the latest pictures of the C2.











If anyone knows a particularly good paint combo for faded NATO green paint I'd appreciate it!

Hey,

That is looking great.

I just ordered a C2 Conversion Kit off of MLM. I have the 1A5 kit, but it is a little beat up with some broken parts so it might take some work for mine to look like yours so far.

Keep us posted as it is helping to show me what to expect.

Cam

Are you planning to add the pioneer tools on the hull sides later on?

I'll probably just use the kit tools, the only thing I was thinking of adding was some camo netting secured to the turret bustle.

Well I like to use Tamiya's NATO green. To make it faded I like to add a little Tamiya buff. Looks right to me. Gonna be one mean looking tank when she's done.

Next update is coming I got my shipment today of all my finishing supplies. The Decals are going to be a mix of Archer Dry Transfers and the Echelon C2A1 set. I'll post pictures once I have it Dullcoted, then I'll be doing my oils and detailing. So you probably won't see it till I feel it's done. As my first modern tank I've really fallen for the category there is so much to look at compared to a boring old panther!

I said soon Friday is soon right? Anyway this is the much coveted Dullcote phase where I have it basically done except for the little things and the weathering. So here are the newest pictures of my Leopard C2.











The weathering will be light, a light black oil wash and a light brown wash along the lower hull. Then a scrub of MIG pigments along the hull to give it a dusty look. Also I'll add some scratches in some high traffic areas.

Looks really good Andrew. How did you like the MLM conversion set?

cheers

Bob

Thanks. The MLM set was very good, my only complaint would be they don't really give any instructions on how to mount that huge turret bustle effectively. It almost felt like JP and all the others who worked on the conversion, put so much time into the fantastic directions that when it came to the turret bustle they themselves really didn't have much of a clue to get that thing on easily. That's my only complaint really, I plan on going back there for a C2A1 and a C1.

Some newer and a bit clearer photos I'm done tinkering with it, well except for some Jerry Cans and a PE Grill. So hope these look a bit better than the other ones.











Anyway I'm happy with the way it looks and I hope it's a faithful representation of a dirty C2.

Andrew, keep an eye on my new Blog I've started up on the C2A1 over on the Modern Canadian Vehicles group:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/169232/message/1193629991/Leopard+C2%27A1%27+blog
When I get to the turret I'll try to show how to get that bin attached properly. I understand it's a bit difficult, the problem is if you have 5 different modellers, they'll have 5 different ways to put it on! It's a little easier with the C2A1 because you don't have to cut the kit turret armour skirts to fit, just have to add the armour modules.
I've got some pics of my C2 build in my KitMaker gallery:
http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=2137

Does your camera have a macro mode? (usually looks like a flower). This might help it to focus on your model, which is looking pretty good incidentally.

Cheers,
Jim

Thanks and yeah I will keep an eye on it. As for a macro mode it doesn't have it unfortunatly which makes photographing these things very difficult, it's a very early Digital Camera. So basically it sucks but I'd rather have a new Tank than a new Camera to take pictures

Hey andrew

Judging your pics it looks it turned out really nice. But you pics are a little unclear. Try taking them in daylight with a soft back ground perhase blue.... That should improve them a little. And you might try to zoom in a little in some pics you model looks really small and it's hard to see some details then.

I would love to see bigger pics soon because it looks good to me your model.

Grtz