Hi guys,
as soon as my wife and I got back from Foggia after spending two weeks at the home of my mother-in-law - which I love very much - I restarted to work on my Leopard.
I have built many details which are located in the right internal part of the hull, in particular the diesel heater with the pipes of the fuel, the ducts of hot air and the exhaust system of the combustion gas with the valve to close the opening in case of immersion of the hull.
I also completely rebuilt the bulkhead shut-fire between the fighting compartment and the compartment of engine because I have noticed who I built it the first in the wrong way (... even this is modelism:do something wrong and then do it again well).
Finally, I found some pictures that I took in 1994 at a workshop of a battalion of tanks at which my Command sent me as a Liaison Officer, from which I have noticed that the sensor system in place on the Leopard Italians, that are positioned on the rear bulkhead of the hull, is double (an sensor upper and a sensor lower on the height of the gearshift group-steering).
In addition, I have seen that under the mufflers of the exhaust system is positioned a layer of fireproof fabric for isolating the hull by the exhaust gases and that it is fixed by a metal profile with bolts.
Here are photos of my works.
Here are the details that I have scratchbuilt completely. Top left, the backside of new bulkhead shut-flames and right the wrong one, while under the diesel heater with its air ducts, pipes for the alimentation and return of the fuel, the heat exchanger with the air pump and the exhaust of smokes with snorkel.
The same image, but which presents the front of the same bulkheads. As can be seen, in the wrong bulkhead is not present the compartment who characterizes the correct. This compartment allow to stay in the compartment of combat some commands and devices without they interfere with the rotation of the turret.
Here is a picture of the inside of Leopard as a reference.
... and here's my piece. At the top, the compartments of the air filtering system (the two tubes which protrude are the ducts, in this case closed by appropriate plugs, for the air supply from the turret when the tank driving with the hull submerged.
Immediately below, the two compartments, who can be joined by a movable special pipe for the preheating of the compartments of the batteries (the latters still to be completed).
At the center of the new compartment, the box of the relay and the electrical connections and, at the bottom, some devices, including the filter-strips of fuel with the trap for the condensation to the left, the selector control of the fuel tanks in the center and the fuel pump, with the associated pipes of supply and return of gas oil to the rigth.
The piece, however, is not yet finished.
Even the rear of the bulkhead has been completely remade and further correct. Above the commands and the transmission of electric cables coming out of the relay box, at the bottom left the fuel pump with some tubes of the flow and return of gasoil, at right the ducts which lead to the filters of the diesel fuel.
Also this part must be completed.
This is the diesel heater with related commands. In front of, the burner and the heat exchanger with the ducts for the hot air (below the grids for the heating of combat compartment) and behind the muffler with the exhaust system with snorkel.
There aren't still some details, such as commands for opening / closing of the snorkel and for to select the various compartments to heat because they are fixed on the sky of the hull.
This is a reference image of the control panel available to the pilot.
The rear part of the heater, with in the foreground the muffler of the exhaust and the compartment of the exhaust system of the fumes with snorkel. I equipped the outlet hole with its rubber sealing gasket and heat resistant fabric.
A reference image for to observe as they are in reality the ducts for the heating of the fighting compartment and the commands for the opening/closing of the snorkel and the various ducts.
Overview of the various details so far realized. The hull is filling up, slowly but steadily ...
That's one of my photos taken in 1994 that I recovered. As can be seen, under the muffler there is a fire-resistant fabric that insulates the hull from the exhaust gases, held in place with a profiled fixed with some bolts.
Below, you can see the second sensor cable of the fire protection system which is positioned at the height of the gearshift group-steering.
I have realized the fire-resistant fabric under the mufflers with a piece of adhesive aluminum crumpled sticker appropriately, which I fixed with a thin strip of brass foil on which I glued some bolts.
Overall view of the front part of the hull.
Overall view of the rear part of the engine compartment. There is still a bit 'of work to do, but you are glimpsing the light at the end of the tunnel ...
Same image, but with the upper part of the hull in position. I am very satisfied!
Overall view of the rear bulkhead of the hull with the new sensor.
For now I have to suspend my work on Leopard. In the next week I start working on a model of M 47 "Patton" Italian that a dear girlfriend asked me to build as a gift on the occasion of an important ceremony.
However, a little 'time to complete some little pieces so far built will not fail ... September is getting closer ...
It's understood that any comments, criticism, observations or suggestions are welcome.
Ad majora - Gianfranco
