I want to put a Leopard 2 A5/A6 on my Faun.Or a leopard or some sort on there.It looks like most of the time frame I'm looking at is Bosnia and kosovo mostly. Was the leopard 1 used in those places. Or just just the leopard 2. Thats what I got for dio ideas.

I tried to find a comparing review of each kit and there were none I could find.


I need a good starting Leopard 2 or leopard just as a start off kit to build and maybe use PE and resin.

What stuff is available for the kit.In PE and resin so I can see what choices I would have to help me out.How far I want to detail this tank.

Happy Modeling
Tom

Hello Tom,

most recommended kit is Tamiya's Leopard 2A6. I have almost finished it - fitting is excellent, details are also very good. Includes anti-slip surface.

IMO best Leo-kit available.

For detail upgrades this PE-set is the best you can get

http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=PRO%2035001

And if you like to replace the vinyl tracks by single tracks AFV's are recommended.

If you are planning an IFOR/SFOR Faun then you can go with a few options......Dutch Leopard 2A6NL or a Leopard 2A4NL or an Italian Leopard 1A5IT or a Danish Leopard 1A5DK. The Germans didn't have the Leopard 2 in Bosnia for IFOR or SFOR.

For Kosovo you can add a German Leopard 2A5 or a Leopard 2A4 or a Belgium Leopard 1A5BE or Danish Leopard 1A5DK-1......but I am not sure if the Franziska was used in Kosovo.....it might have been the Elefant.

I think your best bet if you are unsure or don't already good references for all those other Leopards(they will all require additions, modifications, or converting) is the Tamiya Leopard 2A5....it is a very good kit and there are lots of aftermarket parts available to make it even better.

You can search many on line shops for "Leopard" and you'll find lots of aftermarket options.

I don't know what level of accuracy you are going for but I am not sure if the SLT-56 was used in Kosovo.....for sure the SLT-50-3 Elefant was in Kosovo.

Best current Leo 2A5 or A6 would be the Tamiya kits. Best Leo2A4 is the Hobby Boss kit.
Best Leopard 1 is the Italeri/Revell Germany Leopard 1A4 (with the welded turret). They were phased out quite early, though, while the older cast turret versions were updated and remained in service until quite recently. The Italeri Revell Leopard 1 cast turret variants are pretty nice, though the armor insert in the turret roof for the hatches is a bit too far forward, and the cupola has the wrong number of periscopes. The Tamiya Leopard 1 kit is very crude, and the detail on their Leopard 1A4 is chunky compared to Italeri's. Nichimo's Leopard 1A3 is very basic as well, and the tracks require replacements, as the end connectors are mispositioned.
I have read that the trailer in the transporter kit is only rated for the Leo 2A4, and that a heavier version is need for the Leo 2A5 or A6 (of course, there is always some leeway in engineering standards, so I suspect the heavier tank could be carried in a pinch).

I would recomend the tamiya kit i have done a few over the years and have a 2A6NL on the way for the big cats campaign.

If you are going to do a Dutch 2A5/6NL legend produtions do a Really nice convesion set.

Nearest to a Leopard comparison site are the links from this page

http://www.onepointed.com/dan/model/

David

Are we talking 1/35 or 72? The best 72 offering is from DML, either the leopard 2a5/6 #7232 or the Leopard 2a4 #7249, the a4 has your tracks already weathered. I built one but I am a little accedent prone, the tracks turned to a gooey mess when I tried to weld them. I have to contact DML for a new pair (I am ) my advice is if you get one, superglue the tracks together!

For 1/35 get the Tamiya Leo 2a5/6 or italeri/revell kits but these are not as accurate as the Tam one.

I don't think the A6 was used in Bosnia during the first few years, I don't think it was developed until about 2000 (I could be wrong though!)

Any way, good luck!
Hope this helped!

/Josh

Tamiya 2A5 is good Tom, it also has markings for a Kosovo 2A5 also (KFOR etc).

I just built it here:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/126122&page=8

Cheers

Paul

watch out with putiing an 2a6 on you Faun transporter. In real life this tank would be to heavy for the trailer. You'll have to change the trailer a bit, such as changing suspension and ramps. There's a recent post about this somewhere on the forum..

Cheers for that mate, it answered a question I had and saved me opening a new post!

Tom-- i've picked up on your article today-- i'm reasonably new to all of this having just completed a Tasca Sherman Firefly in Staffs Yeo 27th armoured livery with fairly good results--I now want to move on to a Leopard 2A6, but I want to do a 2A6 NL ie Dutch Leopard-- and it looks like you've done exaxtly that?-- now I've had a great debate here and there over this-- Hobby Boss do a 1/35 already done as a Dutch leopard, but ' people' say I should use the Tamiya A5 /A6 ( the German version ) and do 'surgery' on it to convert it-- I'm confused-ish with all of the conversions out there- it seems that the Hobby Boss is lacking in fine detail etc ?---In short what did you do/ use/ which conversion kit / decals etc-- short of assembling it- painting it etc. what was yor method--your advice would be most welcome, before I go crazy, and so that I can actually get to start it---and if you've got photos/ hints/ tips that would be great-- hope you can help a novice??-- Thanks---Alan Wilkins.

Scott- I've just sent a request to TOM in the forum- but, it may be more applicable to you?-- I want to do a Leopard 2 A6 NL same as yourself- is the 1/35 Tamiya A5/A6 kit the one to use for complete accuracy?--and what is your opinion re the 1/35 Hobby Boss A5/ A6 NL kit- some people say it is lacking even though no conversion is needed-is it accurate?
There are a lot of conversion kits out there so if I decide on the Tamiya , is the Legend kit a complete set to convert the German version to a Dutch leopard--also- where did you source the Dutch decals ?
Any hints/ tips/ advice would be most welcome, and if you've any photos you may be willing to send all the better-- Many thanks---Alan Wilkins

Hey Alan, when you click the reply button, its not like a Private Message. You're replying to the topic, not the person who made a post. So, as you can see above, everyone can see what you've typed. Hope this helps ya mate!

And by the way, are you just new to Armorama, or are you new to the hobby?

Thanks Dean- Just new to Armorama-and- iIdon't mind if the network see my query- I'll be glad of ANY help from the vast area of experience out there--So Dean- did you read my query and if so any advice---?

Alan

The Hobby Boss 'Dutch Leopard 2A5/A6NL' is a good kit, with all the parts to make a Dutch A5 or A6 in the Box (no expensive surgery required). It also includes a set of accurate Dutch markings (taken from an actual vehicle, 83-KP-98), but there are only two of the rectangular black Convoy markings included , also the blue on the small flags looks a little to light for a Dutch flag.

There are a few small fit issues, but these are easy enough to overcome with some putty and a sharp knive. The only real mishtake that HobbyBoss made is with the loader's hatch, which they have depicted with a similar swivel mount as the commander's hatch. They have completely missed that the loader's hatch has an 'up and over' hinge, with two large springs. Two other annoying mistakes are the air intake wire mesh, which has a wrong pattern (punched holes, rather than the woven mesh), and the anti-slip panels, which are to thick.

I'm working on the review, which I hope to finish in the next few days (circumstances permitting).
In brief, the kit is better than the Revell/Italeri one (it has the right skirts, finer detail, and MUCH better baskets.) I have not build the Tamiya one, but the Tamiya one needs additional (expensive) surgery to build a Dutch 2A5/A6. The HobbyBoss kit is also about half the price of the Tamiya kit.

If you want a German A5/A6, the Tamiya kit fits the bill. If you want a Dutch A5/A6 from the box, I would recommend the HobbyBoss kit. If you want a Danish or other 'essoteric' version, keep an eye on HobbyBoss future releases...

My little bro just bought a Hobby Boss Danish Leo 2A5/DK AND a Dutch Leo 2A6/NL. They're both great kits, although there were some fit issues on both with the drive sprockets and all the extra armor on the front of the hull and turret was very fiddly to put on (the top plate on the hull front didn't quite fit around the driver's hatch, the extra armor on the gun mantlet was especially flimsy looking, and the front mud guards keep on just plain disappearing). Appart from that they're great, and they were really cheap at AU$32, compared to more than double that for the Tamiya Leo 2A5/6 at AU$75 (!!!).

HobbyBoss Dutch leopard 2A5/A6 NL review

needs a bit of work, but builds up as a nice Dutch Leo, and at half the price of the Tamiya kit. And you don't need expensive aftermarket sets either.