Some good reasons:
1. The very cool palm-insignia of the unit originating from the Afrika Korps.
2. From their transition to the Leo 2A5 on, this specific unit always carried ammo boxes on their turret decks.
3. The second pic shows a mix of 2nd. + 3rd. generation side skirts.
4. Their are quite a few dvds available showing this unit on exercises, fielding a numbering system on the rear turret bustle. 3rd. Company using Yellow stencils.
5. Many of their tanks having names on the rear turret, mine is " Moritz " a common name with German Tanks and also the name of my dog. When I do another BergePz 3 Büffel but from the German Army, I have a pic of one called " Berti ", my cats name.
Up to now this is the progress on my Leo 2A6 Panzer Battalion 33 so far.
It‘s the Tamiya kit with a alu barrel from AMRO (the best one around), anti-skid surface diluted Tamiya putty applied via airbrush, PE clamps and mudguards and a few other things from PSM.
The TC is from MR with a hornet head and scratch headset, the loader being customized as we speak.
Only slight washing and weathering, I want to keep this one a little cleaner than usual but not finished yet.
Still looking for matching accessories as I proceed
This actually my very first Leo 2A5 built right after Tamiya released it with NL upgrade kit from Pro Art Models, representing a Dutch 2A5 after returning from Bosnia without those ugly SFOR markings already removed. Alu barrel from AMRO, anti-skid surface Mr. Surface 500 applied via airbrush, PE clamps and mudguards and velcro stripes.
The crew are customized AA figures with Hornet (bold) heads and Dragon CVC helmets with Verlinden PE microphones. Still need to do the wiring though. The Motorola box behind the Peri was used during their deployment to Bosnia and could still be seen(empty) for awhile after the vehicles return to Holland or Germany. In the beginning of the upgrade program to Leo 2A5 standard, the anti slip surface stopped right above of the bolt row connecting the two front armour sections of the turret, this also applies for German Army vehicles, later it was sprayed down to the edge but you will still find tanks in both German and Dutch inventories featuring this. Even some 2A6 still have it.
Dutch Leopards do not have snow grousers on the front mudguards, these areas are covered by metal plates screwed over recesses. Sold off Dutch Leo 2A6 would also carry this feature.
Next is the Dutch version of the BergePz 3 Büffel from PSM.
Light washing and weathering until now, added some typical Dutch boxes and working on the big wooden box becoming a standard appearance on these tanks over the last few years. Modified a searchlight from the Tamiya Chieftain kit and placed it on the rear end as seen in some photos. The container carrying the spare smoke grenades is also still in the making. Waiting for the Leo 2 engine from PSM, to go on the rig on the deck, which is currently undergoing a overhaul/improvement upgrade by the manufacturer and should be out again soon.
The installment of the engine will decide how " used " of an appearance the tank will get, probably I will leave it with a light dusting.
Please enjoy !
Cheers
Christopher
