I am working from memory here but I thought that the KMT 5 was also included with the academy Merkava.

Hi Rob It's a pleasure to see your work! I think your attention to detail is really smart! I've bookmarked this build log for future reference on regarding the KTM. Keep it up mate

This is looking to be an awesome build. I know you haven't done much, but you've done some real good work so far and I'm enjoying following. Look forward to seeing some updates

Wow a hell of a lot of time has passed since I updated this blog, time flies! Ive been quietly plugging away at it thought and the building stage is finally finished.

Instead of the model being an exact copy of the one in my initial photo, it now displays features present on a variety of different Chechnya T-72's ive seen, such as the damaged front fender, missing exhaust cover and various missing era blocks etc.

Anyway I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Amazing Rob...well worth the wait!

How did you produce the bolts seen on the retaining straps. I know you showed us how to do the straps but I cant get the bold correct as mine is too fragile and I keep breaking them.

I can't wait to see it under paint

A really outstanding work. I think I'll use your model as reference when i'll do my t 72b which waiting for me quietly in the stash

Congrats

Now i'm very curious to see your paint job


Cheers

Really breat work on this model, love all the added details that you've put into it. I am looking forward to the painting.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

WOW great build can't wait to see this one with paint i hope we dan't have to wait as long to see it done
dave

very nice build rob, good job
now let see some paint

chris

very nice
Looking forward to the completion

Great details Rob. I'm sure you got lot of patience and motivation.
Looks awesome and adding figures would make it even better!
Cheers!

I agree, worth the wait Rob. Looking forward to seeing more

Rob,

only one word: STUNNING!

All the best,

Andreas

Really awesome work. Especially the rubber skirts will find their way onto my build if i can get them to look that nice someday. Exeptionally wonderful....

Hey everyone, im very sorry I have not posted a reply sooner, I have a pretty terrible cough and cold and have been stuck in bed.

Coming on here though I have to say i'm overwhelmed by your kind remarks and positive comments, thanks so much to all of you! I just hope I can do it justice now with my painting, I think I will have a crack at it after xmas!

With regards to Seans comment about the retaining strap nuts and bolts, i'll post the info here for you all to see. I simply created the nuts by cutting section of solder wire and then used these PE nuts from PART and slipped them on the end. That nut and bolt set is by far the best set on the market and id recommend that over anything else, its simply awesome for fine detail builds!

Nicely done Rob. Can't wait to see this painted.

I agree with Jacques, and I can't believe I missed this update! It looks first class!

Thanks Jon and Jacques!

I just put an order in for AK Interactive's Russian armor color modulation set. Ive got a rubbish old DML T-80 im going to test the paints on when they arrive then hopefully I can begin the painting process. Having changed my diorama plans now, I just have to figure out whether im going to display the tank as a dirty, wet winter vehicle or dusty summer setting.

Based on everything that I've seen so far I think that you're going to be real happy with those paints. Feel free to post a photo of your test job

Just found this great build. Any updates????

Hey John, many thanks!

The model is all painted, just not weathered yet. The AK Russian paint set is absolutely wonderful and has given me a finish that i'm incredibly happy with. I moved away from home in September to do a MA degree so haven't had a chance to photograph or finish the model. I plan to go home and do a bit of work on it and enter it into the IPMS scale model world competition, so I should be able to do some photographic updates very soon! Stay tuned!!

It would probably be inappropriate to ask my question in this thread, but I am quite desperate as of now, and you seem to be very good at what you are doing. Rob, how did you fix this turret to the hull? I've got myself similar kit, and so far haven't been able to figure this out. It wouldn't fit as it is, instructions say nothing, and I just haven't been able to invent anything viable.

Oh, yeah, one more thing. It's a great work! Don't know whether I should have mentioned it, you're probably getting a lot of this.

*UPDATE TIME!!*

Its taken quite a while to get here, but I finally have some paint on this thing! I've been plugging away slowly throughout the year and finally decided to take some pics.

First of all I've scrapped the initial diorama idea. It was difficult to get the composition right, with too much space between the tank and figures. Also I felt that a lot of my extra detailing would be lost if the tank was placed in a large diorama. So i chopped off the suspension arms and raided another Tamiya kit for new arms (massive waste of a Tamiya kit but what can ya do).

The paint finish has been achieved using AK's 4BO modulation paint set, and a mixture of MIG and AK weathering products. Of course there is still much to do, mainly adding the dirt and muck, which frankly i'm terrified of doing in case I ruin the paint finish. I've been practising a number of different dirt finishes on an old Abrams, i'll bite the bullet soon enough!

Well, enough from me, enjoy the pics.



















search light cover(hand painted of course!):

What an outstanding achievement this is Rob! The finish of this monster is jaw droppingly good. The variation in color tone and the treatment of the ERA bricks really add a great deal of character to the tank. The weathering is spot-on aswell, restrained but very realistically done, especially around the rear deck and fenders. The small details like the periscopes on the inside of the hatches and the hatch roof's, and that machine gun, really make this piece come alive. And that hand painted light cover really is the perfect way to top this off. Just fantastic work!

Merry Christmas to you!

That's AMAZING!!!

Merry Christmas and congrats indeed Rob