Got this newsletter from a German shop.

https://www.menzels-lokschuppen.de/Modellbau/Bausaetze-Panzer/Italeri-06559-Leopard-2A4.html?force_sid=ut847gg8bvagh12sfve57lhdk5&utm_source=CleverReach&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=15-03-2018+Aktuelle+Angebote+und+Neuheiten+KW+11+2018&utm_content=Mailing_10786929

Could the re-release of ancient Leopard 2 kit be a Turkish variant?

Well, at first glance the illustration seems to miss the wire-thingy on the side of the turret. I wonder if Italeri is going to bother to add a new sprue for the Turkish mods...

Very nice news. I hope we see on market soon..

Are there any modifications on Trukish Leo 2 except new antennas? I noiticed that Leo 2 were used together with M60 T. Wouldn`t this be a good opportunity to release a kit of the M60T?

Turkish video about M60 A3 and M60T in comparison with other MBT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Hlz229OwU

According to the 2018 Italeri catalogue, the kit will come with Turkish, German and Dutch markings - and hopefully the appropriate parts for all versions.

Nice but why go for that old Italeri kit.

I would prefer the better Meng Leopard 2 plus decals from Echelon (ask him to do such a set) and details from Leopard Club. You would end up with a much better result, I'd say

Agreed, Italeri's 30+ year old kit can't compete with Meng's on detail. I guess the two main things it has going for it are price, and that it has the earlier style anti-slip patches.

I am really curious to know if they release just a re-boxed variant of their old kit. The only advantage of that is the old pattern of the anti-slip patches. It can also be possible that they use the newer Revell kit, but that has this ugly mixture of old-style anti-slip on the hull front and later pattern at the rear hull. I am looking forward to see what’s in the box.

Turkish Leopards have only this part on turret as difference.
Very easy to scratchbuild.

Hi Efe, what is this part on the turret and for what is it used? Do you know?

They also have different aerial mounts and aerials, and some even have different, locally-made tracks.

I don't know Stephan, but probably this part is about smoke launchers.

Turkish Army Leopards also have locally modified antennas and some of them have T-517 Turkish type tracks alongside with original Diehl tracks.

What about the fairly decent HobbyBoss kit, #82401? I've got one of those deep in the stash somewhere.....

Hi Efe,
do the Turkish Army use Diehl Tracks on their M60T or locally made ones. Thinking about kitbashins AFV Clubs M60 with MR Modellbau Sabra turret.

Hi everyone,

For Turkish Leopard 2A4's you have to scratch built that thingy on turret side and antenna mounts. Also there are make-shift stowage boxes on turret side as well that can seen on some of the Operation Olive Branch tanks.

For the M60T, there are not any correct turret or track set available on model market to make one.

Turret geometry, smoke launchers, anti-slip surface locations, commander cupola, antennas and their mounts, air conditioning unit and etc. are all different comparing the original Sabra, so the MR Modellbau turret can't be an option. Also correct tracks for the M60T is not T517 but T601G and and this is unavailable as well.

So, nearly all details have to be scratch builded besides the lower hull and the naked M60A1 turret (forgot to mention about upper hull details and side skirts).

Jeez, that means, AFV Club M60 A3, a 120 mm Merkava replacement gun, plastic sheet and lots of hex bolt heads should do.

Unfortunately yes, I also want to build one and doing research about it for years but currently it will be very time consuming effort. So I decided to wait for a brave model company.

PS: I saw M60T drawing a couple years ago inside the AFV Club's M60A1 kit box.

The first drawings of the M109 Shop van were show in the 1993
AFV Club Catalog. Maybe we will see a kit of the new Altay MBT sooner than the M60T.

:)





I am currently building Academy K2 Black Panther. K2 and the Altay have the same lower hull (almost Altay has a longer hull and 7 road wheels, K2 has 6) everything else is different.

Maybe Academy will venture that way (Altay) but I am waiting an M60T from AFV Club sooner or later.