I'm finally getting around to doing what I hope is a nice Merk1, using Tamiya's kit, and ran into what I consider a small issue: The flattened coke bottles that Tamiya has molded onto the hull sides that I believe are supposed to represent shock absorbers (also faithfully reproduced by Academy on their Merk2 kit's hull) really don't work for me as I'm not going to use side skirts. Google and other searches have yet to turn up a good photo of the correct suspension, so I'm curious to see if anyone can point me in a direction I've possibly missed. Or: do the Merks even use shocks? I've gone ahead and scraped the offending shapes off, and am ready to do some more suspension work but am stuck for the moment...
Pics shows hull sides without coke bottles, they were outboard of the volute spring bump stops.


Ideas?

The Puma APC uses the same suspention and I have a pic of these shock absorber so yes keep them

I left the bump stops (or added them, they're in the pics) but my pics don't show the poor representations of what I took to be shocks molded onto the hull sides. I found a pic of a Legends Cent-based APC going together, looks like the same bogie units, no shocks. Now I'm wondering what in the world those things I trimmed off were supposed to be.
I'm still looking....

https://www.facebook.com/groups/170182288540/

Try this group, maybe someone will know.

http://www.idf-modelling.com/forum/download/file.php?id=13637
Also here's a pic of a Mk.1 wo the skirts. The "bottles" are present.

Argh, they're clearly visible in the pic, thanks. Now I get to make some up.
Just thinking out loud here, but those are the weirdest shock absorbers, if that's what they are, that I have ever seen.
Guy, thanks, for the pic, that's exactly what I needed.

So I actually had a pretty good pic in a book at home (doh!) that really makes me think what is visible is actually a sheet-metal cover over a tubular shock. Seeing how I didn't want to hand carve eight pieces or cut up another kit, I whipped out the spares boxes and dug around until I had a bunch of Academy 3" ammo tubes from their M10 kit. These went in the drill and were turned down and shaped to look like a tubular shock, then suspension work went ahead.
I've got a thread over in "constructive comments" showing the results so far, with a little more explanation.
Guy, thanks again.

I've got another question: What in the Wide World of Sports is the part arrowed in the pic below, and why would Tamiya leave the box it goes on top of open after it's installed? I've been unable to turn up any pics that would help. Any info at all would help here.....

Thanks!

I think this is from a 2B, but it should be the same?



Cheers,
Jim

Should be the same, thanks! Looks like I've got a little scratching to do.....
Any idea what the thingie is that fits on top of it?

No idea Russ, in this photo you can see a POL jug in the bin, otherwise just a flat top and the open bit behind it.




Jim

Jim, thanks! Well, that pretty much settles it, I'll do it "open", nothing on top and maybe something in it. I like the white jug of what looks like Rotella. Surely I could carve up something out of a bit of styrene.
I have some more progress shots over in "feedback", and can always use a fresh set of eyeballs having a look-see, but mainly, thanks for all the help so far.

I think the box itself contains the infantry phone. There are two stowage straps attached to fixtures on rear hull behind it. I suspect Tamiya kit is trying to portray something strapped into the space behind box:

http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/david_lueck/merkava_mk1/images/merkava_mk1_069_of_126.jpg
http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/david_lueck/merkava_mk1/images/merkava_mk1_070_of_126.jpg

http://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=283026

HTH
Andy

And some useful suspension pics here:

http://svsm.org/gallery/merkava1

HTH
Andy

Agreed on the "box", it really looks more like open brackets between the phone box and hull rear.
And thanks for the link. Makes me think Meng ought to do a Merk1 or 2, and really get the suspension right.

Well, I had to do the brackets out of plastic, so I was unable to fit all the proper pieces in and curve the actual mounting surfaces outward and still have any space at all between them, so I used separate tabs and placed them inboard. I'm happy enough with it, and it certainly looks better than what Tamiya gave me.

Details on the "feedback" thread. Thanks to all who helped, it was a perfect example of all that's good with modeling forums.
Edit: Upon consideration, I'm anal enough I may try and place the tabs outboard of the brackets.... have to think about it.

Okay, I'm anal.

Couldn't help myself.....