Hey here again trying to build a new Leopard tank this time the C1 Late, I'm busy with term papers and research. In the free time I have I've been working on this tank.









Hopefull I'll get it done and get some more cash ready for the C2 MEXAS conversion coming up.

Are you going to but on the late turret bustle?

Paul

I can get away without putting on the Late Turret bustle because not all C1s had them. The C1s in large part were a pretty rough bunch there were 3 different paint jobs on them during the 90s: The German 3 Colour, A Domestic NATO Pattern and just Flat Green. They were identical in terms of equipment but not appearance, which for practical purposes is all that really matters.

Very Cool Andrew.

I have this same project with Italeri's Leopard 1A4 and the Maple Leaf Models C1 (Late) conversion set. You're farther ahead than me so I'll watch this blog with great interest. I'm having a hard time withe the rear end of the replacement turret fitting with the italeri parts, but I'll make it...

cheers

Bob

Oh man I know all about the fitting, really frustrating. Especially since I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my own work now, I've rebuilt the turret about 5 time now, it's been 4 days worth of work and I'm still not done. I fitted the bottom part of the turret, and the top casting along with the rear plate all at the same time so I could get the fit right. I poured hot water over the resin casting and used a hairdryer to help expand it out, even after all that work it is slightly too high on the back left-hand corner. So I've been sanding it down with really fine sand paper and rebuilding it with putty. You can tell how time consuming it's been since I have so much to say about it

I finished building my C1 and I've primed it so here are some new photos, I played around with my camera so hopefully these look a little clearer. It lacks a macro mode though so it's difficult to get the thing to focus right when your taking a photo of something close-up.











I want to paint it in the 3 colour domestic pattern that showed up in the early 90's so I probably won't finish it until I get a better airbrush. I don't trust the one I have now for anything more than base coats.

I'm planning to do as many Leopards and Leopards 2s as I can find in as many colour schemes as I can find (if only to prove to myself that it wasn't all plain green in the 1960s and not all green, brown and black in the 1990s). I didn't know Canada had its own 3-colour scheme. Can you tell me:

* what colours it used, and if possible give an idea of the pattern (or a handy reference!) and
* was it also used on the C2?

seán

Hmm, first I've heard of a domestic camo pattern, I'd be interested to see some photos or reference. Once Jason B. gets back maybe he can clarify. Are you thinking of the SCAPP pattern? This is identical to the German 3-colour pattern seen HERE . AFAIK, a 'late' C1 (since you've mounted both the LLLTV and IRS) would have the turret bin and the MEXAS armour mounting blocks on the hull. Otherwise it's not really a late C1 then. Again, I'm sure Jason could explain perhaps. Your photos look better, they're clearer, looks good in the primer.

Looking through pics, I did find one that looks like the one you modelled, I'd call it a 'mid' C1, seems like it has the larger cage for the vision equipment but no mounting points or turret bin, and original tow cable stowage.

photo source: internet, photographer unknown

Jim

I have seen one of these vehicles before, painted in a pattern that was much darker than any photo i've ever seen of the regular 3-tone pattern modeled on the german one. This pattern looks as though it was painted in standard NATO tones. I do have a reference for this type of pattern, it's the armoured acorn painting map. It gives both the colour codes for the paint applied and states that this pattern showed up on some vehicles in canada both east and west. I live on the east coast and saw this pattern on a Gagetown tank when I was a kid. Here is the link to the PDF file:

Domestic 3-Tone Canadian Leopard C1

By the way don't hesitate to mention things I should modify on this vehicle, it's only been primed so better now than when I'm doing the basecoat.

EDIT: Also it's not the SCAPP pattern, different tone apparently.

Hi Andrew...looking good so far. What tracks are you going to use? I have the HKCW tracks on order (and a metal barrel too) from Trackjam so they should be here any day now.



cheers
Bob

@ Bob: Not really thinking about tracks right now, I might not use the HKCW tracks until I start my C2A1 but this project might expand rapidly so who knows!

Just to clarify what I'm trying to do here for anyone who wants to weigh in, I'm building a Leopard C1 circa 1991-1993 painted with a "domestic" 3-Tone pattern. I'm more than willing to modify and include parts I may have overlooked initially. So the questions of the day here are:

1. Does a C1 during the early 90s need the MEXAS armour mounts? If so how widespread was the addition of these mounts in 1991?
2. The rear turret bustle, does it need this aswell?
3. The 3-tone "Domestic" pattern, ever heard of it before? Ever seen a vehicle first hand that fits the reference? Was the armoured acorn guy wrong about this pattern existing in the first place?

I commanded the Leopard C1 in the 1990s for 5 years.....I should be able to help you out.

-The MEXAS armour mounts were added in 1997.....with the armour mounts also came the add-on turret bustle bin.

-The add-on turret bustle bin was only be mounted on late C1s with the MEXAS mounts.

-There is no such thing as the "domestic" pattern. The tanks were for the most part rebuilt and re-painted in Germany before they returned to Canada. The NATO pattern applied to the C1 was the same in Germany and Canada.

Your 1991-1993 timeline is fine for your C1.....but......the only Leopard C1s in Canada in 1991 were in Gagetown at the Armoured School. The rest were still in Germany with the 8CH. In 1992 they returned to Canada and a Squadron each was issued to the LdSH(RC), RCD, and 12 RBC.

The mid life version of the C1 is what you are building.

Good luck with your build.....you should add another jerry can rack to the turret rear and the curved locking arms on both the loader's and commander's machine gun mounts on the turret hatch rings.....check the Prime Portal images of the Leopard C2 and you will see what I mean......just a minor point but the machine gun mount can almost always be found locked in the the 4 o'clock position on the hatch ring....better visibility and you don't bang your knees on it getting in and out of the turret.

Drat. Back to plan A, then (or was it B?). Lovely looking build, though.

seán

Thanks alot Jason, can't get much more definitive than someone who commanded the vehicle during the exact time frame. That is pretty definitive, glad it won't be a total rebuild just a few alterations. The german 3-colour pattern it is! Just for curiosity sake what would the marking be on 8CH vehicles?

OK, 8CH Leopard C1s in Germany in the late 80s to early 90s:

-call signs were black and outlined in white. Callsigns painted on the two side hull bins and the rear hull on the driver's tool bin.
-the turrets had velcro strips attached for mounting the MILES gear used on the US bases.
-the Maple Leaf was black with the white border.
-45 bridge class with white numbers on a black circle upper right of the upper glacis plate below the driver's periscopes....sometimes it was there, sometimes it wasn't applied.
-4 CMBG tac symbol below the left headlight....black if in three colour camo....white if single colour green.
-sometimes tank names were painted on the forward angle of the turret on both sides in black about 2/3rds of the way down.

@ Jason: Thanks I can probably do all that, athough the velcro strips for the MILES gear might be difficult not exactly sure how that's supposed to work. 8CH vehicles have a bit more meaning to me since I just joined that unit; not that you'd know it use to be an armoured unit today we mostly use G-Wagons.

I've been fiddling with it for now, mostly the camo net racks: had those in the wrong place. I'm going to put the HKCW tracks on it, not the model point barrel though at this point I'll just clean up the kit barrel. This project has inspired me to actually go back and give the C2 another shot, I don't feel I did as good of a job as I could have. First time ever using resin and I painted it with a crappy airbrush, basically just general corner cutting. So to Jim Carswell hurry up and show us how to get the turret bustle on, I'm dying with anticipation !!

Also I think I might be able to get ahold of a better camera one that takes photos in a higher resolution and a macro mode.

I used thin strips of 400 grit sand paper for the velcro I added to my early Leopard C1....worked very well.

Yup, I remember when the Canadian Forces adopted the "Total Force Concept" and the 8CH became only a Reserve unit.....lots of unhappy tankers.

My advice with the multi media conversions is to not rush them....take your time after spending lots of money on conversions, aftermarket parts, hard to find kits....it'll save you having to go back and re-do parts....to sum up....get the gear you need such as a good airbrush and you won't have to cut corners. I know it takes money and time....but you appear to want to build quality kits...it's worth the extra time, effort, and funds in the long run.

Oh, the 8CH Leopards in the early 90s in Germany also for the most part had the shorter antenna and no spring antenna mount....these were also used in Canada on the Leopard C1 until the late 90s.

First update in a long time but I went back to work on my C1 and got a fair bit done it's now painted but still missing alot of add-ons like decals and tools. I used a masking agent to create the hard edged patter and it worked well, I tried to follow the official pattern but I made a few mistakes here and there. Good thing is I snapped these pictures with a new camera that actually has a macro mode so the blur is gone, more or less.











Looking forward to getting a markings on and all the other stuff and finally finishing this thing.