Well this one cost me a mint to get NIB, but it was worth it! I've been hunting for one for about 18 years!
I gotta say I am impressed with some of the details in this kit!
- Mud flaps are rubber
- Engine screen is actually a screen (think house screen door)
- Cannon top cover is rubber
- Full suspension with torsion bars
Did a little more work last night and then off to wrap more of the kids presents... I already got mine :-)
I'm using Krylon OD for the lower chassis as it's so bloody huge and mixing the proper colour (Canadian Average Green likely) is rather expensive with Tamiya paints for the amount I need to cover. I'll see about the upper but since this is a "runner", I may stick with Krylon OD for ease and cost.
Bottom is primed and has a few coats of Kylon on it now. Ready for some basic assembly.
Torsion suspension mounts installed.
Some of the lower bits now screwed in. I'll give it a coat of OD over all the screws once things are ready.
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Thanks for the video! It would be alot of work (and money!) to convert this to a full C2 with Mexas. I'd love to do it but may have to wait for more spare cash to order that 1A5 turret. Fabricating the Mexas for that round turret looks like a major pain as well (need to learn how to make my own molds and resin).
I'm actually very close to Canadian Forces Base Borden so I can take pics of the static Leopard there but alot of "items" have been removed since it's a gate guardian. This tank is near and dear to my heart since I recently joined the Canadian Forces myself (Reserve, Armoured Recce, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps) but of course I'll likely never see one in real life unless I deploy (we use G-Wagon's and Iltis for my unit).
Also for those interested, there is lots of good info on the "Modern Canadian Vehicles" forum (
http://www.network54.com/Forum/169232/).
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No problem Whitewolf, I'll be in touch before I order. If you find more of the vendors, please let me know! They might already make some of the parts I need.
The hardest so far will be the C6 GPMG (M240B for you American types) since we only used the MG3 on the "rent-a-tanks" when we first got our Leopards.
If anyone finds a M240B machine gun in a 1/16 or 1/18 (GI Joe size) for sale anywhere with a kit or boxed set, drop me a line!
Back to Xmas morning (one son is sick, the other is a holy terror so far...great fun).
Cheers
Tim