RAR Leopard 2A6 WHIF

[barraxr8]

Here is a couple of pic's of the driver's vision blocks on my 2A5 using mylar ribbon, 'pledge floor polish' and irridescent film.

It needs another coat of polish to make the blocks ' glassier' not a bad process I reckon !!!

The color changes are quite spectacular and mimic modern optics quite well 





Cheers

Paul

[Maverick]

That's some really nice detail work Paul.  Optics are definitely something that is under-represented within the hobby for armour or other 'ground-pounders' although companies are slowly getting the idea and producing clear sprues with some kits.

Regards,

Mav

[barraxr8]

Thanks Mav.

The clear optics really don't do it do they ? Even if you paint them with clear colors (red etc), you don't get those irridescent colors that the real thing has.

The technique I've recently picked up on Armorama uses this stuff:



It's coming along well .....so far. I'll have the turret done tonight I hope 

Cheers

Paul

[PanzerWulff]

Speaking of Sweden Mav,Barr here is one I'm working on a Winter cammo Strv-103 in German service as a modern Stug



"Panzer"

[barraxr8]

Nice work Panzer !!
Here are moe shots of the Leopard 2A5 - a lot more kit parts to go on as wellas that pesky PE 


















More PE in a day or so I think 



Paul

[Maverick]

Very nice Strv Chris.  I've always thought the type was just too darn sexy to be real at times.

Paul, I'm liking the technique for your optics to be sure.  A bit more time consuming than painting clear, but it's a real nice look the way you've got it.  I tend to agree about the PE, it can be a pain, but providing you treat it well enough, it can be dealt with.  Annealing is the real key there.  That said though, I sometimes wonder about this new fad of including it as 2D metal hardly replicates round-profile tubes etc.  It just seems that they're not willing to put the hard yards in when it comes to the styrene.  Dragon is a great example of how fine you can get injection-moulded styrene and Airfix have replaced the PE & resin in the Pucara with styrene for their boxing of the kit.

Regards,

Mav

[barraxr8]

PE can be a real pain sometimes. I have the LionRoar set for the Aussie 2A6 (I'll call it a Leopard AS2). That is a lot more comprehensive than the Eduard set....

I must admit I haven't tried annealing yet, but my results have been Ok for now. I'm keen to try new things all the time if they result in a better finished product though.

Panzer have you used an existing scheme for the winter camo pattern on the Strv ? What markings will you be using ?



Cheers

Paul

BTW: I've finally managed to get a L55 Model Point metal barrel for the Aussie beast on e-bay !! 

[Sauragnmon]

Ah, Abrams vs Leopard 2A6 - always an amusing debate, and always, hands down, I will rank the Leo over the Abrams, and here is my two pennies on why: 

-Leopards not only have the angled turret facing armor, but they have that in a spaced chunk over the original turret face, which makes for extra armor protection, and chemical energy dissipation effect.

-Leopards run on an efficient Diesel engine, and while not fast as hell like the Abrams, they retain a good speed, without requiring a fuel truck following them around the field because the engine sucks down fuel like a career drinker goes through cheap American beer.  After all, the Germans learned the problem of gas engines in heavy winter conditions, oh, 65 years ago.

End of the day, those are the only two points I really need to consider when I look at the Abrams vs the Leopard 2.  If I want a tank, I want something that is efficient, protected, and can hit like a bag of hammers.


Onwards and forwards - The STRV does look rather interesting as a tank, more like a tank destroyer one might think, with that low hull, the fixed gun, and the rather odd design.  Very weird, and yet interesting.

Paul, the film does really make the vision blocks look very very nice.  Definately interesting, and very cool.

Should be paying attention to this now that I've seen it, it looks very nice - I'm feeling inspiration to get started on my M60-Leo 2A5 hybrid once I get done my F-20 from hell.  Shouldn't be too hard to build, I did a little test-fitting and playing around, the two kits interface well, I'm just going to have to alter the turret mount so the Leo turret doesn't slip around as much by cutting in the Leo position at least partially.

[barraxr8]

Thanks for the feedback Sauragnmon.

I'm happy with the way things are going on this build. This is really a bit of a practice for my 'What if ?" Aussie Leopard.

It's a KFOR 2A5 from 1999.

I'll be using the lessons learnt here in the Beast that is coming up next 

I've already done the lower hull on that  Leo and I've coated the optics seeing I was already doing a set.

I agree the Leo is the best available ATM. The Challey 2, Leo 2A6 and M1A2 SEP are really the only Tier 1 tanks going around, and the L55 swings it my way for the Leo 

If you haven't seen the list of things going into "Wiffer Leo" check out the first page of this thread, there are lots of goodies to go into that 'cat'. 

[Sauragnmon]

Yeah, your KFOR Leo looks nice - I saw the list of components in your Aussie Leopard, that should look pretty damn nice.

Challenger II isn't bad, Abrams 1A2 is a gas-chugging prettyboy, the Leo's a true workhorse tank, and I've heard she's beautiful to drive too.  I've heard plenty of good things about Leopard 2A6's.

I'm looking forward to your Whif Leo, Paul.

[PanzerWulff]

Panzer have you used an existing scheme for the winter camo pattern on the Strv ? What markings will you be using ?

Thanks for the compliments guys I still have a long way to go on the weathering on that beast.Right now the white is still waaay too clean as is the suspention and lower hull area and i still need to put the skirts on it once I get the suspention Muddied up

As for the cammo it's my own from noticing how shadows look on the snowy ground in the woods.I used to go x-country skiing & snowshoeing in Ravenswood park near my home

Markings will probably come from either of the Leo 1 or Leo 2A5 in my stash
"Panzer

[GTX]

Thanks Mav.

The clear optics really don't do it do they ? Even if you paint them with clear colors (red etc), you don't get those irridescent colors that the real thing has.

The technique I've recently picked up on Armorama uses this stuff:



It's coming along well .....so far. I'll have the turret done tonight I hope 

Cheers

Paul

So, is that the stuff you've used on the pictures of the optics you've shown here?  If so, where'd you get it?

Regards,

Greg

[barraxr8]

That's it Greg.

I got it from here:

http://www.paperforest.com.au/

Do a search on Fusible Film. The Ribbon was from a party supplies store.

I taped the red ribbon to a piece of cardboard, then applied floor polish to that with a small brush (I used 'Pledge', 'Future', if you can get it, is best).

I cut bits of film out and applied them to the wet ribbon, let that dry then coat that with more polish. When dry I cut some of that away and stuck it onto the clear kit "glass" with more polish.

When that is dry, it's a matter of just trimming it and putting it on the model. Use more polish on the outer surface to give it depth when it's on the tank.

Cheers

Paul

[GTX]

Thank you!

Regards,

Greg

[barraxr8]

The last of the bits arrived today.   

Here they all are ( I just need to finish the current Leopard project):









I got the "Dozer" blade below from the Trumpeter Challenger 2 (Kosovo) kit   



I probably won't use the RWS below ATM 



Any comments ??



Paul