Leopard 2 A4 1988 1/35 Meng

[Dmitriy1967]

Hi!
I'm new to building tank models, this will be my first plastic tank. But no, I'm lying a little, I building one IS-2 tank as a child, about 45 years ago.

I'm probably going to write a lot of words now, but I want to tell the background.
I have registered on the Brittmodeller about three years ago to build HMS Brave Borderer from scratch on a 1/35 scale. Due to lack of time, this building was very delayed. I felt that I was tired of her, and modeling began to turn from pleasure into a duty. I need to take a break, get distracted by something else. But I didn't understand it yet.

 

When I happened to be in a bookstore, crafts and hobbies, I saw a Leopard 2 kit on the shelf. And immediately I felt like a child, I remembered this image of Leopard 2, which I liked so much when I was little and read the magazine "Foreign Military Review", which was very rare in the USSR, many times.
By the way, this is another interesting topic. I'm sorry for the long story. In the USSR, there was practically no information about foreign military equipment behind the Iron Curtain. Even plastic models of military aircraft and ships were often depersonalized. On the packages it was written "fighter", "destroyer". But the monthly magazine "Foreign Military Review" was published. This magazine, I think, was for military officers. There were very serious articles with analytics, graphs and photos of various weapons, aircraft and fleets of NATO countries and others. I managed to sign up for monthly delivery to my mailbox. I reread everything several times. And when a child is passionate about something, he remembers absolutely everything, even small details. I even knew by heart the models of all NATO radio stations, the composition of ground forces units and the composition of fleets. I especially loved aviation. It is clear that the characteristics of the aircraft and their weapons were also in the head. Then it was time for me to join the army. Unexpectedly, during the military exercises, the officers noticed that without reference books I could open the entire tactical defense of the enemy using indirect data. There was an encyclopedia in my head. I was summoned for a serious conversation at the army headquarters to the chief of intelligence. They found out where the knowledge came from. So, until the end of my army service, I served in intelligence. Of course, now almost everything has been erased in my old head.

 

Returning to the Leopard, it was then my favorite tank, and when I saw it in the store, I couldn't resist buying it!
I hope this build will give me pleasant hours of pleasure.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by Dmitriy1967

[Peter2]

I look forward to seeing you build your Leopard. удачи! It was a groundbreaking tank when first introduced, somewhat like the Russian T-34 or the German Tiger in their day. It still looks sleek, decades later.

[Milan Mynar]

Interesting kit. I am looking forward for your building.

[Dmitriy1967]

Probably Leopard 2 is already a banal set for building, like a Tiger or a Sherman, or like a Spitfire for airplane lovers or a Bismarck for naval commanders. Therefore, there will be nothing new and surprising here. Moreover, I want to paint it in the classic three-color camouflage of the Bundeswehr. I want to have a tank on my shelf the way I remembered it as a child, from color photographs.

 

The quality of the detailing is amazing! Looking at the microscopic welds, I realized how far modeling has gone over the years! Probably now it's already standard, but for me it's a miracle!

 

 

 

 

Until my order with paints arrived, I began to slowly assembled the caterpillars. I, as a person who loves to do everything from scratch by myself, with my own hands, understand that it is impossible for me to make such caterpillars from scratch on such a scale. It is a great pleasure to assebled them, so accurate components. And most importantly – there are a lot of them! You can meditate all day. That's great! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

[Dmitriy1967]

Finally I finished collecting the caterpillars! 🤪

 

 

 

 

Perhaps next time I will build a bicycle.

 

[Red Ensign]

Looking good Dmitriy, I’m new to armour as well but started at the other end of the scale with a Mark IV male tank circa 1914. 
Scott

[Dmitriy1967]

6 minutes ago, Red Ensign said:

Looking good Dmitriy, I’m new to armour as well but started at the other end of the scale with a Mark IV male tank circa 1914. 
Scott

 

I started at one end, you at the other. I hope someday we'll meet in the middle. Let's sit down to rest and have a drink. Let's shake hands and move on, each in his own direction...

[diases]

Hi Dmitriy,

Pop into the group build section, as There is a Single type group build, just started a week ago, for the Leopard

Your more than welcome to join with your build, and be good to have you along.

Paul

[Milan Mynar]

I think of starting to save money for this kit. The building of the tracks looks complicated, but it is certainly well thought out.

[Dmitriy1967]

52 minutes ago, Milan Mynar said:

I think of starting to save money for this kit. The building of the tracks looks complicated, but it is certainly well thought out.

 

You are right, it is a very technological assembly. It looks difficult, but convenient. You do not have to hold one part with one hand, the second with the other hand, the third with your foot, and the tweezers with your teeth. It's nice to work with such thoughtful components. But yes, there are sooooo many of them! 🙂

[Dmitriy1967]

1 hour ago, diases said:

Hi Dmitriy,

Pop into the group build section, as There is a Single type group build, just started a week ago, for the Leopard

Your more than welcome to join with your build, and be good to have you along.

Paul

 

Thank you, Pavel, for the invitation. I'm following this section to learn useful things for my build. But I will refrain from participating. As I have already written, I am building this tank to relax and unwind during the long-term building of the ship. And participation in the group build will begin to evoke a competitive spirit in me, and I don't want that at all right now. Excuse me.

I sincerely wish success to all Leopard builders in the group build!

[Dmitriy1967]

Summer doesn't want to start here, it's +7 outside. But there is also good news - my order with NATO paints has arrived. I'll go pick it up.

[Dmitriy1967]

Surprisingly, smells are sometimes remembered better than words and visual images. Smells are the strongest memory stimulators. Polystyrene glue is the smell of childhood. Today I was gluing details, and my thoughts were far away, where I am still little, and my parents are young.

 

Today I was assembling the chassis. Attaching shock absorbers.

 

 

 

 

It is unclear why MENG made bolt holes in a circle, around a large hole, because they are tightly sealed with a round part. It doesn't make sense. Is it beautiful? Yes! Now we will know that there are holes under the armor. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the result. I like the way it looks.

Sorry if the pictures are not very clear, I take pictures with a regular phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All this beauty will not be visible on the finished model. 🙂

 

And this is the original for comparison. It looks like it to my inexperienced eye.

 

 

 

[Dmitriy1967]

But... there was a spoon of tar in a barrel of honey.

They forgot to put a gate with poly caps for wheels in the set. I checked everything several times. No.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I wanted an easy, relaxed assembly from ready-made elements without any manufacturing of parts from scratch. If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.

 

If someone knows the exact dimensions of these poly caps and what material they are made of, please tell me. This will greatly facilitate their making.

Edited June 3, 2023 by Dmitriy1967

[Bertie McBoatface]

I built the Meng Panzerhaubitze 2000 earlier this year which seems to have a similar chassis. The poly-capped wheels were very unstable and wobbled horribly. I glued them all into place. You may be better off without the poly caps though they did help me centralise the wheels in place for gluing.

[Dmitriy1967]

8 minutes ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

I built the Meng Panzerhaubitze 2000 earlier this year which seems to have a similar chassis. The poly-capped wheels were very unstable and wobbled horribly. I glued them all into place. You may be better off without the poly caps though they did help me centralise the wheels in place for gluing.

 

Thank you, Bertie, for the information.

For now, I have postponed this and will build the rest, the hull, the cannon, and so on. And then I'll see what I can do. The problem should lie down and cool down. 🙂

[Dmitriy1967]

I came across one drawback in the assembly instructions. Meng provides some parts in two versions and you can install one or the other, depending on the modification of the tank that you are building. But nowhere in the instructions is there a hint for which tank this or that part is suitable.

 

 

 

 

 

Those who know the nuances of Leopards of different periods of construction do not worry about it. I don't know that much about it. I found hints on this link. I hope they will be useful to someone, as well as to me.

 

Meng Leopard 2A4

 

[beefy66]

Unusual to find you here Dmitry but as they say a change is a good rest for some looking good so far.

 

Stay Safe

beefy

[Dmitriy1967]

1 hour ago, beefy66 said:

Unusual to find you here Dmitry but as they say a change is a good rest for some looking good so far.

 

 

It just so happened, it's not my fault. 😳

[Dmitriy1967]

Good day!

It's getting warmer here, it's already +15C outside, you can sunbathe.

I started building the stern or transom, or the bottom of the tank, I don't know how to do it right. 🙄

I was a little surprised that MENG made Leitkreuz so thick and straight. On real technology, it is much thinner and more flexible, because it is made of rubber. But I won't redo it, let it be as it is. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The back panel after hanging different equipment looks like this.

 

 

 

 

Attached it to the hull, hung up the mudguards.

 

 

 

 

 

Hose the option of mudguards with recesses that were placed on early tanks, because I want to build a 1988 tank, I chose.

 

 

 

 

[Dmitriy1967]

Friends, I really ask you to feel free to criticize, scold and report all the mistakes that I have made or am just about to make. I will not be offended, and it may be useful to me and to all others who will also build such a model.

[Bullbasket]

You'll probably find that the lack of comment is because people like me know nothing about the subject, so therefore feel unable to comment. For me, unless it's an IDF vehicle (pre M60's), I know next to nothing about it. But I like the look of what you've done so far. Keep going.

 

John.

[echen]

3 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

I know next to nothing about it. But I like the look of what you've done so far. Keep going.

I'll second that. Your attention to detail will stand you in good stead too.

[ColonelKrypton]

4 hours ago, Dmitriy1967 said:

Friends, I really ask you to feel free to criticize, scold and report all the mistakes that I have made or am just about to make. I will not be offended, and it may be useful to me and to all others who will also build such a model.

 

Dmitriy,

 

I have been following along your build but like yourself I know very little on this particular subject so I have not had anything to contribute.

 

I have a 1/72 Border Models Leopard that I have been preparing to build for inclusion in the Leopard group build. I am keeping notes of your build that I can apply to mine. One of the reasons for this choice was to get myself out of my comfort zone and build something new much as you have done as a change from your  HMS Brave Borderer build. 

 

Spring here in Eastern Ontario, Canada near Ottawa has been a the cool side. Today's high is expected to be around 17C. Good weather to be building models after the daily chores are done.

 

cheers, Graham 

[Dmitriy1967]

1 hour ago, Bullbasket said:

You'll probably find that the lack of comment is because people like me know nothing about the subject, so therefore feel unable to comment. For me, unless it's an IDF vehicle (pre M60's), I know next to nothing about it. But I like the look of what you've done so far. Keep going.

 

Thank you, John.

Well, if my Leopard doesn't look like the IDF technique yet, then everything is going fine! 🙂

 

By the way, if I want to build more tank models, the Merkava, a very interesting and unusual tank, will most likely be the first.

1 hour ago, echen said:

I'll second that. Your attention to detail will stand you in good stead too.

Thank you, echen!