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Armor/AFV: IDF [Israeli Defense Forces]
Armor and AFVs of the IDF army from 1947-today.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Meng Merkava MK4 w/Trophy defense system
GTDeath13
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Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: June 12, 2015
KitMaker: 921 posts
Armorama: 919 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 03:56 PM UTC
Here are some nice photos for the side skirts. IMHO you can align then a little better, but not perfectly.



Selogon
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: July 13, 2017
KitMaker: 20 posts
Armorama: 20 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 06:23 PM UTC
Great, thanks for your insights.
I thought so too.
By the way, those side skirts are a pleasure to mount, the attaching points are so precise it fits like a glove.
But in retrospect, i wonder if it would not be better to attach the mounts to the side skirts first, THEN attach the whole thing to the hull. Then it would be easier to make the small adjustments when gluing, maybe working the angle better.
As it is, I'll have to bend the plastic I think.
tanknick22
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United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 06:34 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi guys, back with some progress.
So the upper hull is complete :





Now details of the side skirts. As you can see, they are a bit wild (the other side is more even).
I'd like your opinion, should I correct the alignement or does it look OK as is ? I mean those must get banged up all the time on the real thing, and that would add a little character. But maybe that's too much ? :





And the back mudguards, with the first of what looks like a bad fit :



And for all the track lovers out there, here is a little run. So they are in two halves, which means we need very little glue to keep them workable. here I use those blue hanging snips to "creep up" the length and make sure the last link is bonding strongly. Not too necessary really, but it's a small mercy for the tender finger tips :






A few duds (not going to clean that up since I'll do only the length of tracks that will be visible) :



And finally a little fit issue, easy to correct when matting the upper and lower hull (I leave unglued until painting and tracks are in place)



I think that's it. I appologize that the pictures seem smaller, but there was something wrong when uploading, had to reduce them a lot. Will do better next time.



Will the academy Merkava IV tracks fit it?
Selogon
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: July 13, 2017
KitMaker: 20 posts
Armorama: 20 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 06:54 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text





Will the academy Merkava IV tracks fit it?



Sorry, I don't have any way to check...
Maybe someone else have the answer
Nagmakava
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: October 18, 2012
KitMaker: 116 posts
Armorama: 110 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 08:16 PM UTC
The Fruil Merk 4 tracks fit as I used them on mine
Nagmakava
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: October 18, 2012
KitMaker: 116 posts
Armorama: 110 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 08:24 PM UTC
Not sure if this helps but sometimes the side skirts don't line up:

ReluctantRenegade
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Wien, Austria
Joined: March 09, 2016
KitMaker: 2,408 posts
Armorama: 2,300 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 01, 2018 - 01:19 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'd like your opinion, should I correct the alignement or does it look OK as is ? I mean those must get banged up all the time on the real thing, and that would add a little character. But maybe that's too much ?



The so-called 'bazooka plates' are attached to the tank through a simple spring-leaf suspension system and they do bang-up a LOT while on the move. A little bit of misalignment is OK, just make sure that the plates attached to the same spring-leaf by pairs are aligned.
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