Here are a few photos of Revell's new 1/72 Merkava. Amazing detail for so small a kit. Rivals 1/35 scale.

Still need to add some stowage and markings that hang on the turret basket.

Painted with a mix of Tamiya paints and weathered with various oil and pastel washes, etc.

Can't say enough about these new kits!









Buy one of the new Revell kits and I think you will be very happy with it! :-)

Steve

So no interest in small scale here, huh...?

Nice! And I thought working a 1/72 AC cockpit was hard. Love it! Just like a 1/35 one.

Wow, nice build up, Sniper!

You really cannot tell tha this is not a 35th scale kit! Been interested in picking this one up --- you just pushed me over the top on it! Is the kit (and decals) out of the box, or did you add or modify anything...?

Good work!

Aloha,

Johnny B.

Mostly OOB. The decals are from the kit and pretty good. I sprayed Future, carefully trimmed the carrier film off and used lots of Miro Sol to get them to melt into the detail on the side skirts. It worked very well and there are no edges visible. Look very much 'painted.'

Tracks are very nice and go together well.

Yes, get the kit. I hope that there may be a PE set for this someday (I doubt it though) because there are a few things that could be enhanced like the MG's (even though they are good for this scale) and various small fittings.

One thing I may do on my next one is to cut up the side skirts into individual sections. Just for fun.

Plan to spend a bit of time on assemby. There are over 150 pieces, many tiny. I spent about two weeks on mine, start to (near) finish!

Steve

Very nicely done Steve! I like using PE on my Braille scale kits, especially on the older Esci/Italeri kits. Been using Part, ExtraTech and Eduard PE on my various Esci, Revell, Roden and Trumpeter 1/72 scale kits. Armo makes some nice barrels as well. The Esci/Italeri T-62 really, really requires a new barrel.

Great job on the ball and chain armor. Wish I could take photos that good of my 1/72 scale armor.

No photo magic I'm afraid.

I just go outside on a overcast day (about every day in the winter!) and stick a piece of heavy white watercolor paper onto a lawn chair, making sure to sweep it up at the back to avoid anything appearing in the background.

Put the digital on macro mode, make sure the flash is off and shoot away. I can get about 4 inches from the subject with my camera. Almost close enough for this scale.

If I'm feeling ambitious I will use my studio and set up strobes, but an overcast sky is the best soft box around!

Where do you buy your PE for small stuff?

Steve

Nice build sniper. Here is the Italeri kit also in 1/72. Same stage as yours, needs weapons and extra stowage. I have the ROG one as well. I just havent started it as yet. The Italeri kit has its problems, bit I like the way it came out. Let me know what you all think. "Q" Sorry, but I only have one pic of it at this point.

Heres a better pic of my Merk. Took this one outsied while it was overcast.
Let me know aht you guys think. "Q"

Heya, Sniper!

What shade of Tamiya Paint did you use for the base coat...?! Off of your exquisite build up I just picked the kit up --- it is a gem!

Nice job on your Merkava I Red!!!!!!! Nice job on the scorching around the exhausts and nice weathering. What colors did you paint your tank with...? And how did you do your paint chipping?

Also, while I am asking, I have heard it pronounced both Mer-KEY-va and Mer-KAH-va... Anyone know which one is correct...?!!

Thanks!

Aloha,

Johnny B.

Havoc, thanks for the kind words. The paint is a home brew of humbrol and testors colors. I cant remeber which at this point....go figure. The scorching was done with a Badger 200SG and some heavily thinned flat black paint. Paint chips were done with oils and a fine tip brush. I finally finished it out with the extra gear and weapons. Now, if I can just get the computer to cooperate, I'll post the finished prduct here for you guys. Thanks again. "Q"

Hi Havoc
The proper way to pronounce in Hebrew is Mer-KAH-va.

Glad to help
Yonaton

Both models are superb well done guys,Im seriously hooked on these revell 1/72 the pile is growing every week.Do tell the secret of that base coat Sniper those IDF colours have always puzzled me

Thanks, Joey!!!!

Much obliged!!!

I gotta admit, I am a little irritated at Revell Germany for supplying "link and length tracks" on their Merk III... This means that some of the links are individual --- INDIVIDUAL LINKS IN 1/72nd!! ARG! I HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH 1/35th SCALE INDIVIDUAL LINKS!!!! I AM NOT A NEUROSURGEON!!!! This is my ONLY complaint about the kit!!

Does anyone make Israeli tank crew figures in this scale? I know Grief makes some IDF gear and vehicle stowage...

Aloha and thanks again Joey!!

Johnny B

Having dealt with link & length tracks and vinyl tracks in 1/72 scale, I prefer link & length tracks. Vinyl tracks on some of the latest kits (Dragon) are either too long, too short, too stiff or just are not molded well.

In retrospect, Sabot,

You were right!

The 1/72nd scale link and length tracks on the Merk III were NOT the nightmare I thought that they would be. Still a bit fiddly for the size, but much to my suprise (and chagrin...see my earlier rant) they went on without huge amounts of hassle...

Now I just have to paint the sucker up... Should be interesting attempting to "Scale down" the 35th scale weathering techniques I have been doing for oh so many years...

Aloha,

Johnny B

Hey guys,

Sorry I didn't respond sooner but didn't know the thread was still going. Yes, a very nice kit that Revell has given us.

As far as my paint, let me try to remember. Tamiya colors. A mix of Buff, Neutral (I think it is) Grey, a bit of Dark Yellow, and a touch of JA Green. Then it is lightened a great deal with White. Buff and Grey make up the majority of the mix, I add the other colors till it looks good to my eye. (Black mixed with White also makes a good Grey. No need to buy what you don't already have!)

50:50 Buff to Grey and then add the rest in combinations you feel are right.

But, you need to know that the base color gets changed a good deal from the weathering. I use various filters, umbers and sienna, and pastel washes to get the desired effect. This is another reason I lighten the base color with so much white, if not the washes make it look way to dark.

I'm lucky to have brought home some dirt during my various trips to the Territories where I have seen these vehicles in action firsthand. So, I use this for my weathering too!

If you guys are like me, you have seen what seems to be endless variations in the color of IDF armor. Sometimes it seems green, sometimes khaki, sometimes sand color, etc. In person I have observed that there are variations as well and I think the time of day, lighting, and other factors have a lot to do with the variations in the photos you see.

I'll be back there again this Fall, and maybe will notice even more variations.

My point is, do what looks good to you based on your references or ideas!

Steve