Uugh!! sorry guys, I'm not going to be able to finish this one before the deadline. I hit a wall/lost my mojo/ couldn't get back into to it. anyways there are some really good looking leopards being done keep up the great work!

Well, I'm not going to be able to get anything done for this campaign either. I have un-enlisted. I had a special request for me to build something from the Great Patriotic War before 9th May and, well, all the time went on building ICM's T-34/76 late version. I should have used AFV Club's

So my plan to build a 1A5 in Greek service is still in force, but postponed for another day There are some inspiring builds on here.

I couldn't trace an answer to a question I asked back in the original post. Meng's 1A5 kit contains standard and tropical PE grills. Does anyone know which is appropriate for Greek ones, please?

I can't find any top-down photos of Greek 1A5s

Thanks,
David

Hi David. Yes the tropical grille is used by the Greeks. Leave off the circular panel on the turret roof behind the gunner's hatch. Meng got that wrong. My GR1 is here: http://www.track-link.com/gallery/9442 and also here: http://leopardclub.ca/Fibel/LF014/

Hi Michael,

Thanks so much for that! Brilliant info! I have saved the two links, I was going to pick up the relevant Fibel at some stage but didn't know if the Greek 1A5s had the same grille as on their 1A3's.

All the best,

David

Sorry David. I didn't read your question properly and thought you were talking 1A3. Their 1A5s are all second-hand tanks from Germany and are NOT fitted with the circular grille. Only the new-build 1A3s were fitted.

OK, thanks Michael, I understand! So the 1A5s had the German set-up with the original grille, not the tropical one like their 1A3s had.

Makes it nice and easy, I can just follow Meng's instructions for my build

Thanks again!

As my Gepard didn't come along as nicely as I hoped, it is on sort of a hold. Instead, I decided in February to go with the C2 Mexas, which I have split feelings about. It's nearing completion (without a lot of photos), I think it'll be done by the end of next week.



Florian

Hi gang,

With the Campaign ending in a week, this is probably my last update. I know I am miles away from finishing, but I had a great weekend that actually included bench time, so I thought I'd share!

The rear end is almost completed, with the tail lights 3d-printed at Shapeways because it was easier to CAD them than to cut plastic for perfect mirror-image parts. With these I pulled the old trick of supergluing them to some 0.005" sheet, so I could use plain plastic glue when I attached them to the hull - this means I get plenty of "wiggle time" to eyeball the correct positions. Other challenges included the cable-reel holder, which is just some Evergreen.







Up front I fitted Meng ice cleats in the Revell brackets, but I may yet replace them with Evergreen shapes since each bracket had ejector-divots in them. The mirror brackets came off and the warning light fitting was plugged because these need to be moved to the front corners of the fenders. Oh, and I filled the weird grooves in the wheels with putty - they are temporarily press-fitted for the pics.



There's still a few more sessions of detailing to do on the hull before I even start the turret, but it's moving forward! (Fodder for the next "Get'r Done Campaign?...)

Great work Tom. Love the rear lights.

Thanks Mike! I've got a few other goodies to CAD up, like a replacement TC ring with the correct number & spacing of periscope heads. And a replacement set of Loader's hatch springs, in open & closed positions. These are to fix all the Italeri/Revell offerings in my stash - the new Meng kits have it all sorted. They'll all get released to the buying public when I get time, but I don't expect a stampede to buy the Beob lights set...

Well done Tom, those 3d parts looks the part...maybe we can use your knowledge to produce the parts to get a Dutch Leo 1V

Congrats, really like how it looks.

Cheers

I'd be interested, if the info is available. But isn't there already some AM out there? If not, 3D printing might be the way to go, but bear in mind it is kinda pricey. Those taillights set me back about 10Euros plus the same again in shipping! (3D printing is priced on volume of material, so big things get expensive very fast...)

Of course there is a lot of AM out there. I use CAD and 3D printing for some of Leopard Workshop's prototyping, but good old-fashioned modelling is still used as well.

Klaus, and many others keep asking for a 1V, but there is no point until Meng or someone gives us a good 1A1A1 model. There isn't one at the moment. I am not willing to waste a lot of effort doing a conversion kit that might suddenly appear in plastic. As we always say, everything comes to he who waits:-)

Yep - it's hard to keep up these days! Didn't the new Revell kit come with the Dutch parts? It's not a variant I'm interested in, so I haven't really paid much attention.

Info about the Dutch Leo 1V it's available in the Leopard trilogy book by our campaign manager Michael Shackleton in the Foreign Service volume, including 1/35 scale plans.

Indeed, new Revell offering has some if not almost all of the parts (stowage boxes, box base for US style antennas and dutch style smoke launchers), that are most useful, but for the 1V version we also need the collar style base and associated blank plate for the never installed dutch thermal sight. I've done all those parts from scratch in the past, but its laborious at least, and installed it in old Revell Leo1A1A1 (the one that has the applique armour ) kit I'd prefer to have all parts in one AM kit or at least having them available individually.

I'm tempted to use Meng or Takom 1A5 releases as base and adding parts from the new Revell kit, but the way they've done the turret to accept the thermal camera has kept me until now from taking that path..collar style base part part gave me enough headaches before trying to do it again though...

Maybe Revell has been working on a new release with all the parts in mind, can be a multiple version with few parts dutch and german tanks can be built, since looking the way the've done the KPZ Leopard to get Belgian, dutch and german version.

Sorry Michael for being so tacky about it, but building chilean army models without many mods to base kits ita difficult enogh,that having some easy to use AM parts its most welcome

Cheers

So, it's mainly an issue with this "collar & blanking plate" gizmo? Do you have a picture you can post? (I don't have the Leo Trilogy books - sorry Mike!) If it's only one little part I may be able to do something, assuming you can order from Shapeways at your end.

Of course, the best solution is if Meng gives us a full plastic kit, but that'll only happen AFTER Mike invests in the patterns and moulds for a resin conversion set...

Klaus - I feel your pain believe me. Us Leopard fans have waited a long time for modern kits - good though the old Italeri kit was - and now they are coming through. Just wait patiently and it will happen. Manufacturers - we need a Leopard 1A1A1!!!!! Are you listening out there??

Using a 1A5 for a 1V will be a painful operation. Better to use the new Revell Leo 1 and add the armour from the Takom or Meng kit. Have a look here: http://leopardclub.ca/ReadersModels/Harald_Fitz/

Also, have you seen this Dutch Leopard 1 book: http://www.trackpadpublishing.com/#!blank/c1i04

Michael that very article you mention from your website gave me the ideas I first mentioned, maybe I´ll take the challenge soon

I´m trying to convince SWMBO to get me that very book about Leo 1V for my birthday/christmas/whatever special day we have...I´m always buying too many modelling stuff and getting small complaints, trying to get her as an accomplice of my plastic vice

And Yes, please please please a new A1A1/A1A4/1V (Revell, are you listening?

Tom, let me look for some images at home (I´m at work now) and I´ll show you what I need...don´t worry, Shapeways reach this side of the pond

Ok, I'm back at it. about to start with the paint. Michael any chance of an extension?

Sorry Ian. Armorama set the dates and I can't do anything about it.

as campaign leader you can ask the campaign admin for an extension if members need/want it. it's been done for a couple of campaigns i've done.

Sorry because of issues in my life and work etc., I haven't done much modelling for months. Hope to finish it some day.

Since there´s only a few days left to finish the campaign and a lot of people have their builds stalled for some reason, I propose to start a Leopardmania II campaign. All original entries may be valid to continue work plus anyone else who wants to join, we can include Leopard II this time.

Michael tell me what you think. so we can start a new thread after this campaign finishes.

Cheers

Hi Klaus. I have asked Armorama for a 2 month extension on the current campaign, but haven't heard back yet. Your idea is a great one, but let's wait and see what John Pereira says.

Good! That will allow many guys to finish their builds. I keep the suggestion a bout new campaign after the end of this one.

Cheers