Hi everybody:

I need help in this matter. I have a Merkava (Trumpeter) and I want to replace the kit´s gun barrel with an AM one from Accurate Armor. Does anybody knows if the this AM gun barrel fits ok in the kit. Accurate Armor web page doesn´t mention for what kit it is, they just say that it is for the Merkava IIb and retrofited to the Merkava I.
The gun is a M68 105 mm.

Thanks.

Hi, no answer ?

IIRC – Trumpeter’s - Merkava 2 with mine plow is supposedly a copy of Academy’s #1359 (Shiryon should be able to help here) as with their M-60.

Also IIRC Accurate-armour’s Barrel is for the Academy Merkava 2, thus it should fit. Irrespectively I will be getting one of Accurate-armour’s Barrels to replace my Tamiya Merkava’s barrel (or a piece of it).

Hi Savage:

Thanks for your response.
My kit, is the one without mine plows, it´s Trumpeter item No. 00307, I think that this one is the copy of the Tamiya, at least the instructions sheet is very similar (I think it´s the same one adapted for Trumpeter).
Looking at the turret it seems to me that it´s a Mk I not a Mk II as it´s printed in the box.
I sent an e mail to Shiryon this morning.
Here is a pic of the AA resin M68 105mm:

What do you think, can it work ?

Hi Carlos

If it's based on the Tamiya kit, then it is a Mk1 and won't fit without help.

IMHO I think that it should not require major surgery to make it fit.

If your kit is based on the Tamiya kit, then detailing the kit barrel would probably be easier than modifying the AA barrel. The Tamiya barrel is not bad, but I like the AA barrel's detail.

Thanks Savage.
I´ll like much more de AA gun barrel than the one of the kit. Í ordered it yesterday and I´ll try to modify the kit not the AA gun barrel.
It looks very well detailed and I think it will look grest in the kit.
I didn´t found any pic in the www of a Mk II with this gun barrel. Do you know were to search ?

Hi Carlos

In Samuel M. Katz’s “Modern Israeli Tanks” there is a photo of a Mag’ach 6 (in this case M60 with Blazer armour) with a Vidco thermal sleeve on, you would think this common, as the M68 105mm is the M60’s original gun. I believe the Academy ‘Blazer’ kit has this feature!

For Merkava Mk1 look at:
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/tanks/merkava/MerkavaMk1.html
For Merkava Mk2 look at:
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/tanks/merkava/MerkavaMk2.html

From www.israeli-weapons.com

Look at the Vidco sleeve fasteners on the photo above (plus a few other photos) versus the conventional as shown below:


Hope this helps

Thanks for your help Savage.
With the AA gun barrel in my hands I will see what I have to do. I´ll tell you.

Hi Savage:

At last I got the barrel, it took me 4 1/2 months. The problem was that they don´t have it in stock (that´s what they said).
It is the AA item B35003 (Israeli Late 105 mm M68). It looks very well done, it´s a very nice one grey piece plastic barrel with no seams and very good level of detail.
I dicided not to use the Trumpeter kit so yesterday I bought the Academy Merkava II (kit 1351). It looks great, it has molded rubber bogey tires, white metal ball & chain curtain for the back of the turret and PE bustle mesh. The level of detail looks very good.
I think that I will have to make some adaptation work to fit the AA barrel, but I think I can deal with it.

When I progress with the project I´ll post some pics.
Now I still have to finish the Sherman that I didn´t finish for the Campaign that ended the 31 Dec.

I´m also building an F 15D in 1/72, my first modern jet.






See you soon.