Since I'm really digging this build, yes, there is something else. The torsion springs for the hatches, and the hatch handles themselves:

Robert, I'm gonna have to think about that...... may be a little much for the sausages I use for fingers.

Matt, more like: "Whatever you do, don't back up"?

So while I was contemplating your suggestion, Robert, I decided to add some rivets.....
actually nuts and bolts.
After getting a good idea of the number of fasteners and the size of the rear mudflaps, I knocked them out using some .015" card and strip, and my handy-dandy slices of hex-rod. Also done last night: bolt heads on the side skirt supports (couldn't help myself) and some work on the right side trunnion cover, trying to make it look a little more like a pic I found recently.
I think I may have to pass on doing the turret bin cover springs, they are teeney and I'm not.
Pics of silly details:


Above pic shows something else I took a shot at, a piece that really looks like a stabilizer for the rear idler and the actual mount for the adjustable idler itself. This is intended to be just a suggestion of what the real stuff looks like, but it's closer than Tamiya....

We've got a little get-away later this week, so probably not much modeling time twixt then and now, but I will get a trip to Hill Country Hobbies in San Antonio squeezed in, as well as some serious relaxation. Hmmm......

Russ,
You need to add two more handles to the folded strecher that you have mounted to the back of the hull. Should be easy if you still have the one from the Tamiya kit. If not, some .035 rod and masking tape can work wonders...

John

That I can do, thanks, John!
I still have the Tamiya part and another Academy part. I was a bit curious about that, wondered if there were multiple stretcher types carried, but forgot to really check into it and went ahead and stuck this one on.
A pic of the right front of the turret.

I think I'm going to stop here on this area, cuz I think that if I try and do more, it's going to look "over-done" in relation to the rest of the turret. I tried to get the look of the trunnion cover right, and figured out that on Merk1's that are updated with the turret side applique armor, part of the package is what looks like a sheet-metal cover over this part, so I stayed with the look of what I believe is a removable armored "plug" that allows access to the right side of the gun trunnion, or at least that's the best I can come up with now. I realize that after I have it all painted and weathered, I'll find out the real, exact reason and function of this part and my rendition will be all wrong, but hey, that's AMS for you.

"It's the little things, the itty-bitty things....."
....except for that huge pin mark on the MG.....






I only stabbed myself with the new #11 blade once, so I won.

That would be confusing.....
I'm actually at the point where I need to start looking for proper markings, and I promise that if I can find a pic of a Merk with the blue and white on it (same colors as the Israeli flag, imagine that) I'll work something out.

I've got that somewhere, but in the meantime, this one suits your build, and has a yellow barrel stripe on the barrel. (not often seen)

I like that pic, Robert, good shot of a later Merk1. I surely want to avoid balls and chains this time, though.
I was over on idf-modelling the other day, "researching", and was looking again at the thread about whether or not Merks had the mantlet-mounted 50 cal during the Peace for Galilee operation. Discussion goes that it was used but not widely. I'm looking for a pic proving that, already have pics of the early mounts, thought it would be a nice addition. I suppose that it would also employ a spent-shell bag like the Magach set-up.

According to the caption, you're in luck:

Guess who got some bench time in last night?
Lucky me scored a Tasca M2 set in San Antonio last weekend, and all I can say is: Impressive!
It's on the mantlet, using the Academy mount, cleaned up a little and with an extra brace for the ammo can, as seen in the one good pic I have. I also went ahead and mounted the commander's MG, then shot primer. I got up earlier than usual this morning and got the first color coat on the hull and turret, Tamiya TS-46 Light Sand. The rest will have to wait until I get to the store for more paint.....
Anyway, da pics:

Above is Tasca's lovely Mr on it's mount. I should have been buying these things a long time ago, lovely little model all in itself.

^ View showing the remote firing levers I made up from scrap PE and plastic.
Below, turret in primer. I like how the texture differences came out.
Below, after I shot primer on the hull, I used a thick-ish black wash on the suspension springs and all intake and exhaust areas.

Two following pics are with color. Gotta love those Tamiya rattle cans.


Thanks for looking, as always.

Nice. It looks like you have an excellent grasp of how the early remote firing systems were set up.

Thanks, but it's mainly due to the excellent pics and drawings in Michael Mass' Magach book. I kind of admire the simplicity of the system, looks like something that could be knocked together in just about any old place, like maybe out of the back of an M113 fitters' rig.....

Edit, two days later:
I have to add, I've made too much stuff just like that in 1/1 for it to be a big mystery, and even the later solenoid operated firing mechanisms were still really basic, and with redundancies built it, like two pull-to-work solenoids when one would work just fine. I still admire the simplicity of design, execution and operation of something that was probably thought of during a firefight and whipped up in an abandoned Peugeot garage using a gas ax, three hammers, bailing wire, some scrap flat stock and a hunk of drain pipe. Maybe, might make a good dio subject someday.
But that's just another reason why I like to model IDF stuff.

Been a while, but got back into this one last night. I managed to get the first wash on the hull and running gear, using black and gray acrylic from MM and Polly Scale. After a few minutes, I went to work with Q-tips and a couple of cut-down stiff brushes with the idea of creating lots of contrast. After the final dust application, I want the intake/exhausts to show up well, and also the panel lines on the front hull and storage boxes on the rear hull and sides. It's pretty stark right now, but will be toned down later. The goal is to have some visual interest/contrast on an essentially one-color scheme.
Pics:





One of the hull in normal lighting:

And to show the effect of the gray wash against the un-touched turret:

I think the Tamiya TS-46 is a little on the "yellow" side for circa 1982 IDF sand-gray, and the gray wash is getting me very close to where I want to be. Because I have so much un-broken sand color, this may be a good palette for my first attempt at oil-dot filtering. Decision to be made later.....

Gun tube Yanush stripe applied, turret washed, and detail painting begun:



Time to start loading up the bustle rack.....

That's a very nice Build, keep up the good work

Sascha(ironowl)

Thank you!

I know it's too early but could comment on the color for the IDF Merkavas. What paints do you use?

I started with Krylon gray primer, then Tamiya TS-46 Light Sand, from the can, and now I'm doing a wash using Polly Scale grimy black. How do you mean it's "too early"?

Some detail painting and stowage:


Sleeping mats are Aves, ration boxes are old Verlinden and the rest is from the spares box. Once it's all painted up, I'll put an air-recognition tarp on top and tie it down, haven't decided on whether or not to use Aves or wine foil for the tarp.
Happy Friday!

Russ that is fantastic dude .

Looking forward to the final bits






Paul

Thanks, Paul.
I like my Merks, and I'm also looking forward to wrapping this one up, got an IDF M1 Super Sherman and a HobbyBoss Super Pershing to build. Hmmmm, two "Supers"?

Argh!
Just what I get for modeling into the wee hours of the morning: As the decals for the rear door latches were just coming free from the backing paper, I reached for the MicroSol to place a little dab where the decals would go, lifted one of the decals' paper to prepare to slide the decal off and when I looked at the spot to get the decal, the paint had bubbled, leaving tan plastic visible! Dead-tired as I was, I had grabbed the Plastruct liquid cement instead of the MicroSol! Damm and blast!
So, I capped everything up and knocked off, waited a couple of days and then sanded the areas affected best I could. Then I masked and re-sprayed, and just re-washed this morning. It really bugs me when I have to use my scarce modeling time to fix dumb mistakes, but that's life.
The re-painted area:

And washed:

I did get some other detail painting done, no pics yet other than this:

More later.....