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Merkava IIb
ekaufman
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Haifa, Israel
Joined: June 17, 2002
KitMaker: 217 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 03:09 AM UTC
Here is a model i more or less finished yesterday





















Comments welcomed
Eran
animal
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Joined: December 15, 2002
KitMaker: 4,503 posts
Armorama: 3,159 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 03:15 AM UTC
Very convincing. I like it very much.
stugiiif
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Virginia, United States
Joined: December 13, 2002
KitMaker: 1,434 posts
Armorama: 868 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 03:19 AM UTC
Nice work!!!!! Are the smoke dischargers from AEF?????? I like the iron curtain!! Looks good and convincing STUG
AJLaFleche
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: May 05, 2002
KitMaker: 8,074 posts
Armorama: 3,293 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 04:24 AM UTC
Great job! Looks real good. No construction qualms at all. I think the "1X" on the bustle should be on a cloth. I'd have used tissue soaked in white glue to give it more texture and a bit more drape. I'd also have added a bit more wash around the raised detail to pop them out a bit more, though you've done some truly excellent weathering throughout. Is that the ball and chain form the kit or aftermarket? When I did my Merk II, I couldn't find the aftermarket set so I scratchbuilt it #:-) with costume jewelry chain, brass wire and craft beads. Talk about tedious. The good thing is that it came out fully mobile.
ekaufman
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Haifa, Israel
Joined: June 17, 2002
KitMaker: 217 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 05:32 AM UTC
The ball & Chain, as well as the whole turret basket is from Legend Productions, the smoke granade launcher is from Blast "IDF Accessories set" as are the tow cables heads.
Eran
GunTruck
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California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
Armorama: 3,799 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 06:35 AM UTC
I agree with the others - quite convincing! What did you use for the Sinai Grey color?

Gunnie
Venom
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Alessandria, Italy
Joined: July 28, 2003
KitMaker: 720 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 07:14 AM UTC
Very Nice! well done and painted
The groundwork is great!
what do you think to add a liitle bit of rust?
regards
ArmouredSprue
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South Australia, Australia
Joined: January 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,958 posts
Armorama: 1,003 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 07:55 AM UTC
Hi!
Very nice model, and I like the turret, itīs an aftermarket item?
I love this beauties...
Cheers
Trackjam
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: April 12, 2002
KitMaker: 831 posts
Armorama: 614 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 11:40 AM UTC
Excellent work. What kind of camera did you use. Digital obviously but make etc. I'm looking to buy one.
tom
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Florida, United States
Joined: December 01, 2003
KitMaker: 681 posts
Armorama: 452 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 11:53 AM UTC
I was thinking about getting into tanks, modeled mostly 1/350 and 1/700 scale warships but the news has really influenced me alot with all this news coverage lately. What is a good first kit to start with so I don't get over powered by the detail.l have seen great detail just in your kit alone it looks great. There is only so much you can do with ships. What is a good scale to to start in.

Thank You
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 12:07 PM UTC
Looks great! All it needs is some stone throwing youths! The ball & chain armor is very impressive. Believe it or not, I've never built a Merkava. I have an Academy kit and now have a Tamiya kit inbound. I may have to take a crack at one or the other.

A few quick questions, (1) was there some remote method of firing the .50 cal? How was it fired, and what was its purpose (anti-personnel or ranging?). (2) Is that an internal mortar located forward of the loader's hatch.
sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: March 01, 2002
KitMaker: 6,043 posts
Armorama: 4,347 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 02:16 PM UTC
Looks killer Eran! Nice over all job.

Wonderful especially the balls and chains.

So as somebody said what color is it and is this the Academy kit?

Plus what pupose is chain and balls to stop rounds from getting under turret if so why not just bring armor down a little?
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 03:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Plus what pupose is chain and balls to stop rounds from getting under turret if so why not just bring armor down a little?
Those are to detonate RPG rounds before they reach the shot trap under the turret bustle. If the armor was dropped, it would run afoul of the back deck as the turret traversed.
Major_Goose
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Kikladhes, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: September 30, 2003
KitMaker: 6,871 posts
Armorama: 2,071 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 06:33 PM UTC
I think you have a very nice build there buddy , very nice though, the dusting is nice the detailing and the painting also !!! BRAVO
ekaufman
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Haifa, Israel
Joined: June 17, 2002
KitMaker: 217 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 06:38 PM UTC
Thank's yo'll for the kind words,i feel this is one of my best works so far.
A few details:
this is academy Merkava 2 with the addition of:
Legend's Turret basket and Ball&Chain system.
Airwaves PE set.
Fruil tracks.
Few Parts from Blast's IDF accessories set (Smoke launchers,Fire extinguishers).
Some scratch build details.
The color is Lifecolor UA035, Israeli Gray 1982.
jimbrae
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Provincia de Lugo, Spain / Espaņa
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 12,927 posts
Armorama: 9,486 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 08:52 PM UTC
Couple of comments, Eran, curiously enough, yours was the second Merkava I looked at yesterday and I must say yours is the better. I tend not to go over the top in RRB, but in your case I might just make an exception... I am particularly impressed with the weathering, the subtlety is something else again, I am a little fed-up with seeing weathering which makes vehicles look as if they were sand-blasted, Yours is like a breath of fresh-air. The other I saw, eye-catching though it was, looked as if it was suffering from terminal rust...
As I unfortunately know little about current IDF armor, I would like to make some more constructive comments.. The 'ball and chain' skirting has always fascinated me , is this more something which was created more for 'Urban' warfare rather than the more conventional tank vs. tank warfare?. Thanks again for sharing the pics with us, Jim
ekaufman
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Haifa, Israel
Joined: June 17, 2002
KitMaker: 217 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, December 01, 2003 - 10:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Couple of comments, Eran, curiously enough, yours was the second Merkava I looked at yesterday and I must say yours is the better. I tend not to go over the top in RRB, but in your case I might just make an exception... I am particularly impressed with the weathering, the subtlety is something else again, I am a little fed-up with seeing weathering which makes vehicles look as if they were sand-blasted, Yours is like a breath of fresh-air. The other I saw, eye-catching though it was, looked as if it was suffering from terminal rust...
As I unfortunately know little about current IDF armor, I would like to make some more constructive comments.. The 'ball and chain' skirting has always fascinated me , is this more something which was created more for 'Urban' warfare rather than the more conventional tank vs. tank warfare?. Thanks again for sharing the pics with us, Jim


Jim,
thanks for your kind words, I'm a great beliver in subtelnece and thus try very hard not to "over weather".
the model is actually a merkava 2b based on the academy kit. the ball & chain were developed during the first years of the confilct in south lebanon and are ment to pre detonate shaped charges.

Eran
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