Hello Jasper,
a Leo is always a lovely sight, no matter if 1 or 2. You've done a nice job on that kit! I like it, too. Did you use the antenna wire from the kit? Earlier this year I've also build this Revell kit but I have done it in the colours of your neighbours in the south, a Leopard 1BE. Have a look if you like.
During my army time (1985-89) I had many contacts with the Dutch Army and their Leopard 2A4NL.

Torsten

Thank you Torsten!

The Leopard series are indeed great looking tanks, my personal favorite! The antennas are made of stretched sprue, so not the wire provided with the kit. Interesting to hear your experiences with the Leopard 2A4, the 2A4NL is still on my wishlist!

With kind regards,

Jasper Breur

Jasper, in my first year of service I was a tanker on a Leopard 2A4 but changed 1986 to the transportation group of the unit, because I was able to get a truck driving licence there. 3 years I drove a MAN 5 to gl. We had good contacts with the 43. Tankbataljon from Langemannshof Barracks near Bergen (I was based in Lüneburg). Somewhere I still have a dutch barret. In 1988 I was even on manoeuvres with that dutch unit in Bergen-Hohne and supplied their tanks with fuel and 120 mm ammo. Still have good memories of that time and remember, that they had some pretty girls in their unit ....

Torsten

Just finished my Dutch Leo. Added the main gun simulator (suppose to be at Bergen-Hohne range so seemed logical.) and wiring and brick-a- brack in the storage basket. Weathering might be a little over kill.

Nice Leo Jasper. Tidy base and I like the cam netting.

What method did you use for the camo netting?
It looks great, along with the rest of the model.

Thank you Timothy!

Good looking Leopard, but the weathering indeed might be a little over the top. I also have to dissapoint you on the Hoffman Device: The Dutch Army never used that. They used this gunfire simulator as seen in the picture below.

https://nimh-beeldbank.defensie.nl/beeldbank/indeling/detail/start/3?q_searchfield=Leopard+1

Craig, Paul thank you very much!


I used gauze net that I dipped in a solution of water and PVA glue.

Regards,

Jasper Breur

Hello Jasper,

I can't really see it but did you use the (rubber) kit tracks? If so, these are the best rubber tracks I've ever seen! Great job! The same applies to the rest of the model!

Greetings,

Mark

Thank you Mark!

These are indeed the rubber tracks provided with the kit. These tracks aren’t that good though. They are too long and have ejection marks all over them. Detail isn’t that great either. But as always, some weathering works wonders!

With kind regards,

Jasper Breur

A nice-looking model. I like the idea of the tank hiding behind a tree!☺️

RE: Dutch main gun simulator .... Is that the gizmo to the right of the gun? I thought that opening was for part of the sighting system.

The hiding behind the tree thing is real effective.

Nice work Jasper.I like the texturing on the hull plates. From the extra armor I presume yours is a 1V. Looks like the mount is welded to the add on mantle armor. Would that have worked on the original rounded mantel? Oh .. what is the red cylinder behind the headlight? Part or an automated fire suppression system?

Thank you Timothy!

That is indeed a Leopard 1V. The system is bolted onto the mantlet, so both the Leopard 1 and the Leopard 1V use the same way of mounting the system. This can be seen in this picture from leopardclub.ca.

And here you can see the system mounted:


The red cylinder is indeed one of the two fire extinguishers found behind the head lights on Dutch Leopards. These shouldn’t be red however! That was a mistake on my part.

With kind regards,

Jasper Breur

Ah! I see now. Answered another question I had about it blocking the gun sight. Other photo I saw was from above and looked like it was over the port. Guess I'm going to have to refurb mine. What color did you use for the base color? I used Model Master RAL 6014 (2175)
)

Glad I can be of help Timothy! I used Revell 42 gelboliv. Almost spot on to the original. It’s your call if you want to cut up your Leopard. I made my gunfire simulator out of the German one. I cut out 4 tubes and glued them to a base I made out of plastic card. The round thing under the tubes is bended photo-etch

The red thing is one of two hand-held fire extinguishers carried behind the headlights. On 1NL they were exposed like this, but painted green. On 1V, they were usually in green bags. I don't know why Jasper has painted the mantlet plug chain red. It is nothing to do with the extinguisher.
Look here and scroll down to Netherlands: http://leopardclub.ca/Spotlight/
Jasper - the searchlight should be parallel (same direction) as the gun, not pointing upwards. The glacis plate should be completely smooth - no texture.

Michael,

The searchlight is indeed a mistake on my part, but that's just the way the part comes out of the box. The mantlet plugs are not painted red however. What you see in the picture is part of the fire extinguisher and not the chain, which is underneath it. The texture on the frontplate is indeed wrong, but I think this is a result of the filling I did on the holes for the snow grouser rack.

With kind regards,

Jasper

Spotlight was a unique Dutch anti helicopter tactic. Blind the pilot!