Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:21 AM UTC
Built this one right when it was released .. that would be some years ago.
More or less out of the box with Tamiya PE-set and Echelon decals.
I did improve the anti-slip surface on the kit since the real thing is quite a rough texture. Toughest part was to let the decals on the front skirts appear like stickers like in reality ..... so use to making blend in all the time.
Figures from BLAST are all most done so this is why I have decided to put it on a base and finish things up.
Got a great dvd showing the Leclerc on exercise in Germany so I shall put some add-ons more recently available on the market, maybe a little more weathering here and there etc.
Feel free to forward affirmative comments only !
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Virginia, United States
Joined: April 03, 2006
KitMaker: 1,158 posts
Armorama: 950 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:28 AM UTC
Nice! I like the look of the wet mud on the road wheels. Looking forward to seeing it on a dio base. I assume the uneven terrain of the future dio base is why some of the road wheels do not contact the tracks.
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:34 AM UTC
exactement !
Used MIGs Wet Effects and Damp Earth Mixture for that.
Cheers
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Joined: July 27, 2006
KitMaker: 463 posts
Armorama: 450 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:44 AM UTC
wow...
impressive as always, like the non slip texture (esp. on the upper turret sides, can't remember having seen that on any other model before)
Colors are on spot as well, nice weathering so far (maybe some more wet mud around the skirts, since it seems to be limited to the road wheels only...)
The only thing that's of more interest than this build is that there seem to be two more abram's laying around in the background! Nubers five and six if I'm not completely wrong?
Anyway, as I said above, very impressice build here!
Cheers Max
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 01:58 AM UTC
Thankx Max !
The anti-slip is according to the production model, there is non on the middle section dividing TC and GNR strangely enough.
There is one thing that puzzles me, does the Leclerc have a rear camera for backing up ?
The guys in the turret couldn‘t see a damn thing "buttoned up" the way the pericopes are laid out.
Anybody know ?
And yes make that #10+11 so far, one is a SEP with Tusk1, they other will be a AIM from 1-1 CAV around 2000 - 2003 in Germany with the distinctive #9 they used from the late 90s on.
Cheers
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: April 12, 2005
KitMaker: 202 posts
Armorama: 195 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 02:30 AM UTC
Chris,
E X C E L L E N T !!!
May I ask what paint did you use?
Thanks a million,
Bill
Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
Armorama: 5,204 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 05:46 AM UTC
Nice Leclerc Chris.
To answer your question, no, there is no rear looking camera on board. I think this is part of an urban upgrade only.
Olivier
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"La reine des batailles, j'ai nommé l'infanterie"
Napoléon
Joined: December 30, 2007
KitMaker: 885 posts
Armorama: 796 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 06:35 AM UTC
Hi Christopher,
nice to see another Leclerc. I like the way how propperly you have applied the three-camo-pattern.
Weathering looks pretty nice, in particular the decent pigment job lets appear your Leclerc quite realistic.
Homework have been done - the mirrors are being used in combination with the external fuel drums which are only mounted during marches etc. but not in the field.
"Feel free to forward affirmative comments only !" 
Two veeerry marginal things I have noticed:
1. Obviously you have painted the loader's hatch separately. When you look at the camo plan, you will see that the right hand side should be painted in brown.
2. I would give the rubber gun mantlet a glossier finish.
And what about the nice little maintenance plates of the Echelon set - wouldn't it be a pity not to use them? Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
Armorama: 1,033 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:03 AM UTC
Two veeerry marginal things I have noticed:
1. Obviously you have painted the loader's hatch separately. When you look at the camo plan, you will see that the right hand side should be painted in brown.
And what about the nice little maintenance plates of the Echelon set - wouldn't it be a pity not to use them? [/quote]
Which hatch do you mean ? Leclerc dosen‘t have a loader anymore.
The drivers hatch was solid green in the beginnings if that is the one you mean. Same goes for the inside of the turret hatches. Not quite sure what you mean, could you clarify please ?
Did use some of those plates but not all ...... used them on other kits instead where they would be more visible.
Thankx
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:05 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Nice Leclerc Chris.
To answer your question, no, there is no rear looking camera on board. I think this is part of an urban upgrade only.
Olivier
Thankx Olivier !
So is the Leclerc sort of "blind" towards its rear ?
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:17 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Chris,
E X C E L L E N T !!!
May I ask what paint did you use?
Thanks a million,
Bill
He man this was years ago !!!!
All Tamiya paints
Black : XF1 Flat Black + XF69 NATO Black 50/50 %
Brown: Base is XF68 NATO Brown + XF60 Dark Yellow
+XF59 Desert Yellow
+ XF3 Flat Yellow
+ XF52 Flat Earth
Green: Base is XF67 NATO Green + XF71 Cockpit Green
+ XF3 Flat Yellow
+ XF4 Yellow Green
+ XF5 Flat Green
All mixed with the intend to lighten the base colours according to pics, trail and error ! .... that simple !
Cheers
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Joined: December 30, 2007
KitMaker: 885 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:43 AM UTC
Sorry, of course I have meant driver's hatch...cause of the auto-loading device.
The other hatches look fine.
Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:50 AM UTC
Quoted Text
So is the Leclerc sort of "blind" towards its rear ?
Not fully, if you look at the TC station carefully you will notice a vision port facing rearward. When the tank is not buttoned up, the TC is out while guiding the driver moving rearward.
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Napoléon
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 09:15 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Sorry, of course I have meant driver's hatch...cause of the auto-loading device.
The other hatches look fine.
Not so fast young man!
In the books by Stefan Marx (Tankograd) and from Marc Chassillan you shall find that some do and some don‘t have a brown rim on the drivers hatch.
Better luck next time !j
Cheers
Christopher
And check Oliviers pics on his website very very helpful !
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 09:29 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
So is the Leclerc sort of "blind" towards its rear ?
Not fully, if you look at the TC station carefully you will notice a vision port facing rearward. When the tank is not buttoned up, the TC is out while guiding the driver moving rearward.
So basically the motto of a Leclerc commander would be " never retreat !" .... good for me.
Merci beaucoup !
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Joined: December 30, 2007
KitMaker: 885 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 10:10 AM UTC
"Better luck next time" 
Why luck? I did not know that.
Probably it is better for me not to comment again any of your works.
Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 06:49 PM UTC
Quoted Text
So basically the motto of a Leclerc commander would be " never retreat !"
In a way yes, but remember that tank was designed during the hottest times of the Cold War , so the motto was rather "straight to Moscow"
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Napoléon
Joined: July 27, 2006
KitMaker: 463 posts
Armorama: 450 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 07:01 PM UTC
Hey Marco,
I guess there's no need to take "a fence", as smileys indicate there's an open gate to pass though
[/quote]
So is the Leclerc sort of "blind" towards its rear ?
[/quote]
Hey Chris,
even though it's blind, parallel parking a tank shouldn't be that much of a challenge, regardless the parking gap's size
Cheers Max
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 08:56 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Hey Marco,
I guess there's no need to take "a fence", as smileys indicate there's an open gate to pass though
So is the Leclerc sort of "blind" towards its rear ?
[/quote]
Hey Chris,
even though it's blind, parallel parking a tank shouldn't be that much of a challenge, regardless the parking gap's size
Cheers Max
[/quote]
To be very honest, siting in a buttoned up M1 with all the stuff packed high in the bustle rack, looking through the back periscope didn‘t help much.
But I agree Max, if you are in the tank, it is up to the outsiders to take caution.
But a rear camera is a cheep and very helpful device, should have been part of the AIM program ...... urban combat was invented some years later as we all know.
Cheers
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Joined: July 27, 2006
KitMaker: 463 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 10:21 PM UTC
yeah,
should propably have been covered by the recent upgrades. However I think that the new commander's thermal sight (on the cal50.) can be used for that purpose...
Cheers Max
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 01:49 AM UTC
Depends if you could see over all the "luggage" in the back, and combat one would neutralize a weapon + TC attention to the front.
Now you know why we "tankers" call everyone else on the battlefield "crunchies".
Cheers
Christopher
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
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Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 05:59 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Now you know why we "tankers" call everyone else on the battlefield "crunchies".
French tankers phrase for this would roughly translate into "track paint"
But as an infantryman, I simply call tanks ... targets
Olivier
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"La reine des batailles, j'ai nommé l'infanterie"
Napoléon
Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: January 01, 2009
KitMaker: 1,036 posts
Armorama: 1,033 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 07:15 AM UTC
" He who seeks to defend everything, defends nothing " Frederick the Great
Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
Armorama: 5,204 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 09:01 AM UTC
You score one point !
Concerning your beautiful VAB, you can make some minor changes. First the fire extinguisher on the left side is painted green, then both the open hatches should be vertical as there is a stop with a locking button on the hatches. You gave it a tank battalion tactical sign but to my knowledge, the only VABs in tank bn are either command posts (with a different aerials disposition) or T20-13 with the 20mm automatic cannon.
I guess you used some spare decals from the Leclerc decal plate.
Olivier
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"La reine des batailles, j'ai nommé l'infanterie"
Napoléon
Paris, France
Joined: August 30, 2005
KitMaker: 2,315 posts
Armorama: 2,158 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 09:16 AM UTC
Great Leclerc and Outstanding VAB
Is this the Blast conversion ???
Cheers
Seb
