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Academy Merk 4 pics!
Kelley
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Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
KitMaker: 1,966 posts
Armorama: 1,635 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 02:17 AM UTC
Finally some concrete proof the kit exists! From what I can see it looks like a very good model (they even caught a couple of things Legends missed). The only "bad" thing I see at the moment are pin marks on the tracks, but nothing we haven't dealt with before. What they did for the balls and chains is pretty interesting, a combo of PE and styrene balls. Can anyone translate from Korean ? I'll be picking up at least a couple of these!

Mike

http://mmzone.co.kr/articles/article_view.php?id=76

another:

http://www.mmzone.co.kr/review/review_view.php?id=1026
Recon
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: October 19, 2002
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 02:31 AM UTC
Do we know a release date yet?
Mike
Kelley
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Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 02:34 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Do we know a release date yet?
Mike

Reportedly it has been released in S. Korea. Hopefully it won't be long 'til we see it in stock at online and local shops!

Mike
rcnpthfndr
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Washington, United States
Joined: February 15, 2006
KitMaker: 284 posts
Armorama: 264 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 02:38 AM UTC
i have a friend stationed in S.Korea right now, i asked him to see if its out.
chefchris
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 06, 2006
KitMaker: 1,544 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 02:48 AM UTC
Hobbyeasy has it on preorder. It looks like this is the nicest Merkava yet from Academy- i like the fact they went without vinyl tracks.

Chris
Kelley
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Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 04:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hobbyeasy has it on preorder. It looks like this is the nicest Merkava yet from Academy- i like the fact they went without vinyl tracks.

Chris

Ditto all of that Chris, the price from Hobbyeasy isn't bad either, @ $33.97 USD without shipping.

Mike
marsiascout
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: March 24, 2008
KitMaker: 1,247 posts
Armorama: 913 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 04:50 AM UTC
Now I can't wait to get one!

Lars
sauceman
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: September 28, 2006
KitMaker: 2,672 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 05:03 AM UTC
Vey nice.


Keep that modern armour coming!


cheers from the mudpit
Sudzonic
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: December 07, 2007
KitMaker: 2,096 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 08:28 AM UTC
muchachos
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: May 21, 2008
KitMaker: 537 posts
Armorama: 439 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 09:27 AM UTC
I want it, I want it, I want it!! It looks very good, and there's a lot of PE for an Academy kit. Hopefully it's accurate. Can any one see anything wrong with it? I know very little about the Merkava 4.

Scott
Kelley
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Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
KitMaker: 1,966 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 10:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I want it, I want it, I want it!! It looks very good, and there's a lot of PE for an Academy kit. Hopefully it's accurate. Can any one see anything wrong with it? I know very little about the Merkava 4.

Scott

Scott, I'm certainly no expert, but I have done a good bit of reading on the Merk 4, and Merkava's in general. Upon looking at the pics of the built up kit and comparing them to pics of the real thing it appears to be very well done, ie. accurate. Someone mentioned over on the ML modern forum that perhaps the front edge of the turret looks a little too thick, and elsewhere some small nit-picks concerning the backs of the road wheel arms. Both of these observations do have some merit to them, but there certainly doesn't appear to be anything major. I'll reserve final judgement until I have the kit in my hands, or read a review from someone I trust, but for now it looks to be very well done.

Best,
Mike
redcobra04
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Virginia, United States
Joined: August 23, 2008
KitMaker: 235 posts
Armorama: 133 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 12:31 PM UTC
was looking around on some other sites and found that Hobby Boss is doing a Merkava MK IV also for 2009 release. Dont know if it will be a rebox or all new kit.seen it on Cybermodeler.com new releases. Almost ordered the Legend resin kit, but going to wait and check on the Academey kit first.
Hisham
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Al Qahirah, Egypt / لعربية
Joined: July 23, 2004
KitMaker: 6,856 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 06:48 PM UTC
There was a post here a while back about HobbyBoss's Merkava IV with a couple of CAD drawings.. and it looked to be really nice. Judging from recent HobbyBoss kits, I have a feeling that it will be better than Academy's kit. Will just have to wait and see,

Hisham
warhog
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: November 26, 2003
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 398 posts
Posted: Monday, January 19, 2009 - 07:26 PM UTC
Can't wait for both of them......
muchachos
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: May 21, 2008
KitMaker: 537 posts
Armorama: 439 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 09:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I want it, I want it, I want it!! It looks very good, and there's a lot of PE for an Academy kit. Hopefully it's accurate. Can any one see anything wrong with it? I know very little about the Merkava 4.

Scott

Scott, I'm certainly no expert, but I have done a good bit of reading on the Merk 4, and Merkava's in general. Upon looking at the pics of the built up kit and comparing them to pics of the real thing it appears to be very well done, ie. accurate. Someone mentioned over on the ML modern forum that perhaps the front edge of the turret looks a little too thick, and elsewhere some small nit-picks concerning the backs of the road wheel arms. Both of these observations do have some merit to them, but there certainly doesn't appear to be anything major. I'll reserve final judgement until I have the kit in my hands, or read a review from someone I trust, but for now it looks to be very well done.

Best,
Mike



Man, thanks Mike! Appreciate it.

Scott
docdios
#036
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England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 1,998 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 09:27 AM UTC
I Have to admit in this day and age I am a little disappointed that the hull has been built for a radio controlled version, as this usually means that the size and dimensions are a little out of whack and compensations have to be made else where ( I thought plastic kit manufactures had dispensed with this type of kit in the 70's), and I don't remember any other Academy kit having this certainly not there Merkava's. I am also not a fan of link and length tracks either so chances are these may well need replacing.

The pictures do look good, and I really want this to be a good kit, but having seen the hull I will reserve reservations for later, but on a plus having seen what hobby boss has done with their new AAVP7's I am now looking forward to seeing their take on the Merkava IV.

I don't want to pull a model apart with out actually seeing the thing,but having seen just pictures of the model and sprues there are a couple of thing that now put this lower on my list of 2009 models.

so fingers crossed on this one for me at least as It could well disappoint a whole load of modellers if it fail to live up to expectations.

cheers

keith
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