Hi there,fellow plastic addicts
I wanted to show you my latest finished build of Takoms Leopard C2 MEXAS.I think it worked out quite good and i was able to get a bit better at paintwork and weathering (although it´s not heavily weathered,but that´s not quite realistic for modern tanks i guess...)
I hope the image hotlinking works (luckily i never used PB...)

Some build stages:











And the finished Cat (mounted on a Trumpeter Display Case,nothing fancy)













Now,i hope you´ll find this build interesting and have a few suggestions on how to improve a little more for the next one.

Very nice and clean build. Here are a few things you might want to try on your next build. Apply a wash of a dark brown or black brown color to help accent panel lines and make raised detail stand out a bit more. You may have actually done this but it's difficult for me to see in the pictures. Light dry brushing of the raised detail with a lightened shade of the base color will also help make some to the details stand out. Something else you may want to attempt is some color modulation using some pre and or post shading of the base color to give the overall green color different tonal variations and shades. Nothing wrong with what you have done but just a few suggestions. Having said that, if you are happy with how you do things and are satisfied with the end result then that's all that really matters.

Thanks for the input.I usually do washes on my models,either plane,tank or softskin.But in this case i kinda missed out on it
Color modulation is another thing...i´m the kind of modeler that is sceptic to the extent that it sometimes is done.I tried it on a smaller level on other models,but then it´s hard to capture on pictures (my photographer skills are not that good).I did a Hobby Boss M-26,where that was done the way i personally like it.
Drybrushing is something i still could do on the model...i´ll think about it when my current build is done.

Nice Job, how was the kit to build, did you encounter any major problems during the construction process?

No,no major problems.There were placement issues for the Turret MEXAS mounting brackets (the disc-like ones on the turret flanks) and a faulty,cylindrical part for the hull backplate,which i completely left out (it should be on the right side of the rear hull plate,over the spare track where there is only the lid of it).
The tracks from Orochi were quite good to build,although the pins are sensitive because they´re so thin (look here).





The connectors are made of vinyl,so color is a bit tricky here.
All in all my verdict for this kit would be...: very recommendable,but not perfect.

Well done on the build with this kit, there are issues with instructions & markings, plus its needs some tweaks to fix the kit issues to bring it to a deployed version.

Our water cans are black plastic, the ones on the back bin.

Well done.

Cheers

Anthony

Author Canadian Leopard Reference Series .

Thanks,Anthony.
Takom gave no painting instructions for the cans (or i just didn´t find them...?) and i found no pictures where they were seen,so i just painted them like the hull.
Although i wonder that no one mentioned the missing rear sidepanels of the MEXAS...
Well,i left them out on purpose so a bit of the running gear could be seen.In the front it´s almost completely covered.

Looks great! one thing that I noticed, for your dusting on the side apply the decal before you "dust" it. the markings should have some of the dust on them as well.

Over all great build!

Nice cat.
I suggest that you replace antennas for better look with

http://leopardclub.ca/workshop/LW014B/

Nice looking build, and the tracks remind me of AFV Clubs, good luck with them.
Almost looks like a Merk, well close anyway.
Wonder why no use of those balls and chains at the rear.
Weathering looks good also, as really no combat to speak of.