Hi All,

I'm certain I've not used the correct terminology in my topic title, but I"m looking for the height/length of the 4 'posts' that are present on the Merkava Mk 4M tanks that I now are there to assure that the tank will clear obstacles on the side of the tank, above the top of the hull. Whatever these 'posts' are called in reality, I am going to make them for my Meng Merkava Mk. 4M. I could eyeball the height, but would like to know for sure. Ideally, I'd like to know the measurement from the bottom of the 'spring' base (similar to that of the communications antennas on the turret, to the top of them. Are all 4 the same length/height? Sorry for the terrible use of improper terminology. Thanks in advance.

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P.S.

https://i.imgur.com/N4VqQDd.jpg

I've borrowed someone's photo of their own model, hope they don't mind, but this photo shows the 'posts' I'm talking about at the front and rear corners of the hull.

I think the proper English term for those is length and width indicators. They allow the TC te see the four corners of the vehicle thus making manouvering in confined spaces easier.

Hey Welcome Back Curt!

I haven't got to that point on my merk yet so I don't any idea how long they might be. But I find a photo that might help with eye-balling the length. Also note it looks like the rear indicators are longer than the front ones.



Hope this Helps!

What is the red and green object on the turret?
Dan

Container for dud 120mm shells.

Thanks, it looks to be a 155mm ammo tube?
D

HI Eric, thanks for the hello, and your response. I've been, for the last year or so, working on airplane models. The Merkava 4M is the last tank I'd been working on before the airplane bug hit me, and I'd left the 4M at about an 80% completed state. I have a lot of details left to do on it, though the major build is complete, the painting is done and some weathering. Thanks again for your thoughts on this!

Relative sizes
Rear marker is the same height as the length as the 50 cal barrel from the front of the flash suppressor to the start of the square portion of the receiver.

The front is the same height as the length of the forward section of the trophy system. It looks like the trophy system is in three large parts. two lower and one upper. The Forward trapezoidal section is the one of which I speak.

Sad to say, while I appreciate the help, I have no idea what dimensions you are referring to. I'm not a former military guy, so most of the terminology is lost on me. Regarding the 50 cal barrel, the front of the flash suppressor is, if I understand correctly, actually the very front of the barrel, the end of the 'inverted cone' at the end of the barrel, correct? Regarding your reference to the start of the square part of the receiver, I believe you are talking about the the part of the gun where the cooling jacket (the cylindrical piece with large holes in it) starts; overall you are talking about the length of the barrel from the beginning of the cooling jacket to the far end gun, right?

Regarding your reference to the Trophy system parts. I gather you are talking about the longest length of the trapezoidal part of the radar transmitters, but if so, that seems extremely short. I'm probably not understanding your reference at all for this dimension. Please help!

Hi Curt,

Based on the hull-length of the Mk.4, I would estimate the front indicators to be a around 0.75m, the rear ones around 0.95m high. The difference seems bigger because the front ones are mounted lower. Hope that helps.

More views (of various Merkava versions - I guess the indicators should be similar whatever the version...) :

http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/jian_zhen_wei/merkava_iv/images/merkava_iv_54_of_57.jpg

http://www.supervideo.com/MerkavaMkIVaWalkAround2.jpg

http://www.workbenchhobbies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/MERKAVA-3D-1.jpg

https://external-preview.redd.it/Oa7s0lymW_7Cx66mOvsd4-uxwcf9_ynxKiU9ViAXKcA.jpg?auto=webp&s=103dc1a2579c8a1fa0f51d5949e94c0003f0b4b8

H.P.

Henri and Israel

Thanks a bunch, guys. I think you’ve given me a ‘close enough’ measurement for me to live with. I also have to come up with approximate antenna heights for the ‘main’ antennas on the rear of the turret, but I guess close enough is good enough. I’m sure I can make them the corner markers and the antennas look about bright, based on the photos, and the specific lengths described. I have the Merkava 4M book from Desert Eagle also, so I’m just going to go with a good approximation, which I think will be fine. Thanks for all your input! 😊

Curt,
Here's a good way of working out the measurement:
1. Using Eric's photo, calculate the percentage of the item's length against the length of the tank.
2. Measure the length of your model, and calculate what your given percentage would be of that.

This is how I always tackle this problem, and it usually works well.
Hope that's helpful to you.

Paul

Curt, I used the posted photo and used the measurements of the front and rear marker and found items on the tank in the photo of the same length. Those same parts are in your kit.. You have the model and can use the actual kit parts for the size reference to make the anti-collision markers of the correct height.