Topic: non Star Wars model kits (MQ-9 Reaper UAV 02/09/2014)

[DocOutlands]

Yep, anti-tank infantry in the US Marines (reserves).  When I was in (early 90's), we were equipped with the Dragon missile system.  Expert?  HA!  Far from that - just trained to look for exploitable weaknesses.  Oh, and something else I don't like about it as an amateur armor designer/wargamer is - only one launcher?  C'mon, guys - look at the Soviet BRDM family that could sling 4+ missiles before needing to reload!  (and reload under armor, iirc, scant though it might have been)

I guess either I simply haven't kept up with my 1/35 armor kits (which is very true) or the one Jagdpanzer pair of kits I saw were the earlier vehicles without the extra side armor (which is quite possible).

I have a large stash of modern and slightly-older subjects that I bought for building up to represent the militaries of several fictional countries some of us used to play online.  Maybe one day...

[Art deWhill]

very nice !!  sharp paintjob.

[FialaFernbrugg]

Flakpanzer Gepard (prototype West-Germany 1970)

The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard ("anti-aircraft cannon tank Cheetah", better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard) is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It constituted a cornerstone of the air defence of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and a number of other NATO countries.
(wikipedia)

model kit:
Tamiya 1/35

[CaptainLux]

Really well done, looks cool!

[DocOutlands]

Gorgeous work! (as usual)  Did they use a Leopard I chassis for that?  Seems like I remember the French buying the turret and mounting them on AMX-30 bodies to supplement their Roland AA missile vehicles, but I might be off on that.  Crying shame the USA tried to imitate it with the "Sgt. York" vehicle rather than just taking the Gepard.  Much prettier lines.  Are any seeing service with ISAF?

[FialaFernbrugg]

thank you Doc
It is a complete model kit made by Tamiya. The kit is from 1975 but the quality is still very good.
I'm not sure about the French army but the Netherlands and Belgium used a lot of Gepard.
It is no Gepard in ISAF service at the moment but the German army tried a desert camo variation on Crete.

http://www.panzerbaer.de/colours/a_relaunch/bw_tarn_fz_anstrich_umtarn-b.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flakpanzer_Gepard

[Thunder]

I'm more of a Airfix guy, but these models are excellent! Really well done!

[DocOutlands]

Fiala, your links totally absorbed my Saturday morning.  Learned a LOT of interesting stuff for some modelling - and writing! - projects.   

[FialaFernbrugg]

Leopard 2 A6

The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve other European countries, as well as several non-European nations. More than 3,480 Leopard 2s have been manufactured. The Leopard 2 first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force.

Since 1994 a first batch of 225 Leopard 2s have been upgraded to armament level A5. These vehicles received improved passive protection with wedge-shaped add-on armour modules on the turret, an electrical weapon stabilisation and aimisystem, a GPS vehicle navigation system and a rear-view camera at the back. The Leopard 2 A5s were handed over to the troops at the end of 1995. Since 2001 the vehicles have been completely upgraded to armament level A6, with a 120 mm L55 cannon that is approx. 1.30 m longer. In addition, further development of the ammunition should considerably improve the first round hit probability. Another 70 tanks will be equipped with improved mine protection and stored in readiness for use.

Revell model kit:

scale: 1/35
no. of parts: 292
length: 315mm

[Thunder]

OUTSTANDING!

[DocOutlands]

I love your armor projects!  Do you do figures in 1/35th, also?  Would love to see all your Teutonic pieces on display together, shot from scale eye-level...

[Tamer]

Well there is Doc! Good to see you back Doc.

[Luke Sprywalker]

Great stuff buddy! Glad to see you and Doc posting again!

[Tamer]

On the front page Christoph.

[CloneSniper78]

Glad to see you back in here. And of course glad to see your work. I love tanks. One of my first models I made as a kid was a WWII German Tiger. The Leopard is a great tank, it's almost as good as an Abrams, j/k. I love all your work Christoph, I'm always wondering what you're going to show us next.