The Takom kit does include the 105mm L7 as option in the kit. Though no specific IDF decals

As for the inaccuracies on the rear hull, As far as I know, and from the limited research i did, it fits the bill.

Does anyone have a picture showing the painting schemes and the decal sheet?

I had another look at the published MiniArt box art, and I was wrong in my post above. It shows exactly the same configuration as Takom with the full final external mods but still with the D-10 gun, but incorrectly depict it in IDF markings. Unclear if the 105 barrel is included.

One wonders if they were based on any of the various memorial and junk Tirans that still exist in Lebanon.

I was also wrong about the different variant in the background on the box art. Problems of increasing age and decreasing memory..... The one in the background just has the can racks on the turret rear and carries the early D-10 gun without evacuator. A very early Tiran. Still shows starfish wheels, although the Miniart T-54B kit includes both starfish and spider as I recall. I intend to do just such an early T4 but with spider wheels.

A type 59 will have the fan bulge for a start, which T-54 did not have.

The thing above the splash guard is a tie down rack for field stretchers. As for the gun issue, as I recall, with the Tiran 4, a few did retain the D10 gun throughout their career with the IDF, unlike the Tiran 5 which if memory serves all got the L7 gun upgrade.

No the Takom kit is missing that detail. Though going with their SLA marking scheme in the kit, it's not surprising, the Lebenese models usually didn't have it

Quoted Text

---

Does anyone have a picture showing the painting schemes and the decal sheet?

---

Dont have anything showing the paint schemes, but This review shows the decal sheet at the bottom of the page.

Quoted Text

---

Quoted Text

---

Does anyone have a picture showing the painting schemes and the decal sheet?

---

Dont have anything showing the paint schemes, but This review shows the decal sheet at the bottom of the page.

---

Well, the tactical markings (chevrons and barrels) indicate that there's an IDF version included (AFAIK SLA did not use those). Whether that's historically correct or not is another story, but with so many sub-variants I guess there was a few (or at least one) tank equipped with all late external improvements, while retaining the the old D-10 gun. By the way, apparently one of the options resembles a "Tiran 4 of the South Lebanese Army, Negev Desert, early 80’s". That's probably a mistake, as the SLA did not have any tanks in Southern Israel (or in Israel proper for that matter). My uneducated guess would be that the above mention sub-version did serve in the IDF, although in (very?) limited numbers.

The picture is a good view of the Tiran front hull. There are 2 L shaped brackets added by the IDF to hold a stretcher. They look flat in most views as they are blocked by the water deflector. These brackets start showing up on early Tirans still armed with the 100mm gun. The brackets are on the Lebanese Tirans, being an IDF fitting.

Note the lack of the U shaped metal strap. Someone posted that strap was added by the museum staff to hold the stretcher in place because visitors were messing with it.

Both Takom and Miniart Tiran 4's are post 1973 versions, and based on the Tirans that served in Lebanon with the SLA. It has been stated that some of the 100mm armed Tirans saw service with the IDF after 1973, but all the ones that I have found that can be identified as IDF, post 1973, had the 105mm gun installed. I am no expert, and as some that are said it happened, I accept it happened.

Pre 1973 there were 100mm Tiran 4's used by the IDF during the years leading up to the 1973 war. These tanks have some of the fittings seen on the museum tanks but lack the turret bins and have a rear hull bin that is rounded, not square. The DEF Tiran 4 set is a pre 1973 version. Combat pictures of the Tiran 4's show they were armed with the 105's, but some accounts say that T-54's were used to bluff the Egyptians during the counter-attacks so might be 100mm armed.

The modifications to the Tiran 4's and 5's after 1973 were apparently designed to break up the profile of the turret due to friendly fire incidents.

I am waiting for the Miniart Tiran as I think it will be the best base for a tank that served in the 1973 war, back dated to that configuration. OOTB both can build up to a very nice SLA or rare post 1973 Tiran 4, and I am glad to see them.

Ok, thanks for the very nicely detailed answer, Pretty much solves the question to be honest!
I've got one question though; The metal strap that was added by the museum is the piece connected to the top of the splashguard, correct? Just making 100% sure what part it is as it seems present on Miniart's kit.
Simple to leave off if so, but still, got to make sure!

Quoted Text

---

Ok, thanks for the very nicely detailed answer, Pretty much solves the question to be honest!
I've got one question though; The metal strap that was added by the museum is the piece connected to the top of the splashguard, correct? Just making 100% sure what part it is as it seems present on Miniart's kit.
Simple to leave off if so, but still, got to make sure!

---

This is a good picture that shows the Tiran 4 with the U shaped bent metal strap. I do not have the Takom model so I do not know what the kit part looks like. It is possible Takom has the strap is attached to the water deflection plate, but on the real tank it is welded to the hull:



The strap is in the center, and the 2 brackets that hold the stretcher are on each side. Part of the canvas straps are still attached to the brackets. From the pictures I have the stretcher brackets do not touch the water deflector.

A walk around of the Latrun Tiran 4 believed to be the one Miniart used as reference can be found here:

http://svsm.org/gallery/T-54-family

The walk around has very good detail pictures of this version of the Tiran 4, and the details on the Miniarm model should match this tank. So far all I have seen are CAD images of the Miniart model.