Well my first entry into the campaign a Leopard C2 was progressing well until a late night session Sunday caused me some pain. Essentially I didn't realize the turret wasn't locked down and when I picked the model up to do some work... you can guess what happened.

C6 MG mount is a write off. It was fragile to begin with so I am unsure what to do with that. Lost a couple of grab handles (I can fix these) and dinged up the paint.

I guess I will start on something else. The Leopard is on the shelf until I get over being mad at myself for dropping it

On the subject of Leopards does anyone know of a maple leaf (black) that will fit the covers for the old range finders on the C2. Mine are either too big or the ones I have that will fit are so old and damaged (yellow and brittle) I am not sure they are usable (pretty sure they are not I tried one and it didn't look very good).

I believe that JBOT decals has a set of decals with 2 or 3 different sizes of black maple leafs on them, among other various things, like license plates, etc, etc.

JBOT Decals



Take a look at some of his stuff....he has quite a bit unique stuff on his website....decent prices as well!!

Four words for you Rob, "Been There Done That".I know how you fell.It really sucks when your that close to being done and something like that happens.A few years back I dropped a resin kit,only about 8" but it did the job.Anyway I hope it can be repaired so we can see it.

As for the decals try 1/72 leafs they may fit.I have a very old set of Arrow Graphics Leopard decals that have 1/35,1/48,1/72,1/87 scale leafs.The 1/48 are a perfect size but Arrow Graphics are long gone.
Jim

Thansk guys those Jbots look like they would do the job. The arrow ones you mention are the sheet I had bought many many years ago but even in storage they have deteriorated and I think are unusable.

Will give the JBots a go and look into a replacement C6.

Rob,
I'll send an e-mail to Jp to see if we can score a couple spare MGs and pop one in the mail.
there was a photo of a C2 that fell off a bridge and landed upside down not too long ago. You might want to do a diorama. (lol)

when i did my C2 i used JBOT 1/72 scale set as the larger maple leafs provided are like the smaller 1/35 sized ones and they fit just perfect...a little future to hide the decal film and close trimming you should have no problems.

Thanks guys, Jbots are on order (4 weeks until I get those), I also have been trying to get in contact with JP (I need some fuel cans and ruck sacks and such anyway). Thanks Paul if you manage to land one that's cool if not I am going to buy another It's great having the support from folks on here. Peacekeeper recently sent me a couple of Sterlings and FNs from his spares box so I have some weapons for my 80s recce jeep project. Very generous.

Rob

Hi Rob,
Or you could always go with the other option. no leafs at all. We never had any on our tanks at the school, the RBC never had them, and I don't think the RCD or Strats ever had any such marking.
About the only markings used at all were callsigns, either painted or decal, put on the fuel hopper bins, or on sign boards attached the turret.

i do not know about the C2 but i have some pics from RV 92 in Wainright and the RCD C Sqn did have leafs on their C1's. They were painted in a quad color sceme...two types of green, black and just a little brown. Guess they ran out of nato green. I remember as a weapon tech using what ever green there was ;laying around for patch work. Food for thought.

The C-1 did have a maple leaf on the turret near the forward lifting horn , normally in black, and some were outlined in white, but the C-2.....nuttin.....

i had seen the episode of truth duty honor about the CANAM shoot in alberta and i do believe the C2 there did have the all black leaf on the turret unfortunatly i think i taped over the episode.

Thanks guys yeah I realized the tank is often seen (is it still in service? I keep hearing rumors Canada will soon be tankless ) without the Maple leafs but I have some good reference pics of one with them and I thought would add a nice interest point to the model for display purposes. I would like to get my hands on a collar dog from a unit that used them to add to the display base I am going to build. Which units were/are equipped with C2s? In my day all the C1s were RCDs but I know that they at some point passed the tanks along to 8th Hussars I think it was.

Still trying to get in contact with JP over at Mapleleaf anyone know if he is on vacation or something?

ps. I started my Cougar as my backup to getting the Cat finished and wow it is a lot better kit than Hobbyfans Lynx. They are like night and day for quality. So far the Cougar appears to have no busted parts, the kit has better details including a turned barrel and decals. The Lynx doesnt even come with the weapons mounts. That is a pretty big ommission considering how prominent they are on the vehicle.

I still can't seem to get in contact with Hobbyfan to get replacement parts for the Lynx so I guess I am going to scratch build the busted stuff.

Hey Rob,
The RCD ( C Squadron ) had Leo's here in Gagetown, which were passed on to 8CH (A Squadron ).
At the regiments, the RCD, 12RBC, and LdSH (RC), all had tanks , the Strathcona's being the last to get them, (1993 I think).
Now however, we have only 8 Leo C-2's here in Gagetown at the school, and neither the RCD or the RBC have any at all. They have all been sent west to the Strats, the majority of which are now at the Westerb Area Training Area, in Wainwright Alberta.
Those tanks are now being used in a new combined arms direct fire roll, which include Air defence, and Infantry TOW assets.
As for the future of the Leo in Canada..............not very bright.........

It looks like we will be getting the LAV III (stryker) MGS. However, there might just be a national election coming up, and based on the latest scandal I don't give the Fiberals much chance. the Conservatives seem to beleive in a more robut force. Thus there may yet be a chance for the Army to have tanks.

Still trying to get in contact with JP over at Mapleleaf anyone know if he is on vacation or something?

I still can't seem to get in contact with Hobbyfan to get replacement parts for the Lynx so I guess I am going to scratch build the busted stuff.
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JP is on a course and won't be back for a couple weeks. (Il parle le francais a St Jean.)

What parts are you missing from your Lynx? Send me an e-mail. I will try to get them for you.

Well it's coming together. Cougar is in the paint stages I had some problems around the propellers and in the end did the best I could the resin bits were in poor shape. Only big problem with the Cougar was (and I wasn't thinking) is I went with the early stowage bin because I wanted to model an early Cougar and then realized that the tires are late model ones. Well with the money invested in this kit I am not going back to replace the tires (I may later). So its a little out of whack but I can live with it.

My decals arrived so I can decal the C2 and I have ordered some replacement parts for the damaged areas from MLM. Once those arrive I will refit, repaint and then continue so I should have 2 entries for the build. Thanks for the tips on the decals they are going to come in very handy in the next while.

I may even get my Recce Jeep done in time for the end of the build but that is a long shot I have some other campaign commitments I want to get done.

Should be some pics of both vehicles by next week.

I,ve heard alot of peaple say that they have missing and broken parts on thier Lynx.My kit has only a couple of small detail parts on the hull broken .The main gun mount is in the kit as well as the secoundary .30 cal mount.
Maybe I'm just lucky or Hobby Fan has got thier @%$# together ,I havn't started to build mine yet but I'm happy with mine.Oh ya,the only other broken part in mine was the barrel of the .50 but that was my fault.

If you guys need any particular reference photos of Cougar, Lynx and Leopards, let me know, I'll see what I got and load 'em up on the gallery for perusal. Hopefully be getting back out to the Base here soon for some more photos.
When I was originally approached by HobbyFan for the Cougar kit, the way I understood it, I would be making a reference model for an injection kit (as you can imagine I was quite happy about that), provided them with photos and measurements of both 'early' and 'late' (my terms) turrets and wheels, and info on when each would be suitable. Of course, they end up with the cool looking wide tires and a weird paint scheme, and an expensive resin kit . Oh well, happy to have helped with it.

Cheers,
Jim

Jim when I post pics of my Cougar you will see just how much your pictures do help.