best merkava kit?

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

i want to get a merkava kit mark1 or mark2.the tamiya kit was fairly cheap and did not seem too good.acadamy one looked very good but had rubber/vynle tyres.are these a problem,do they look ok when finished.kit info would be great.
gazza.

2

Shame you don’t want a Mk III…! Revell’s diminutive 1/72, which I started yesterday is simply great!

3

Acadamy also makes MKIII. Overy all I’m happy with Acadamy’s product. The ball and chain armor is a pain to work with, but I have not found a better after market replacement sofar. Legend Productions makes armor package updates for both the MKII and MKIII and they now offer a MKII turret. I found Legend Productions at the barrelstore.com I believe it was. The vynle road wheels? I’m not too sure on myself, as long as they fit well and I can weather them it works for me.

4

I asked this question some time ago and got the answer that the Tamiya Merkava 1 is best overall but is of an early Merkava. The Academy Merkava II is next followed by the Academy Merkava III. I guess the Mk III is a prototype modifed Mk II and not a true Mk III.

Avoid the Trumpeter/Wasan Merkava.

In 1/72 scale the Revell kit is tops followed by the old Esci/Italeri Merkava.

5

Here’s the box art of the Italeri/Esci kit (Merkava I)

and here’s the one for the Revell kit… (Merkava III)

6

Just my opinion, but the Academy kit of the Merk II and III are the best ones out there. While the Tamiya is of the older Merk I, it still doesn’t touch the detail on the Academy kits. Fit and finish on the Academy is also better.

Gip Winecoff

7

I have built Tamiya and Academy 1/35 Merkava1 and Merkava2. IMHO, I think the Tamiya one is slightly better. The Tamiya Merkava was designed in 1984, almost 20 years ago, but still packs with lots of details. Fitting was excellent details and it has vinyl net for the turret basket. Academy one is also detail with more parts but no vinyl net. The road tires are, like freefall mentioned, vinyl, and could cause painting problem. The crew figure in Academy is far from desire. In fact it’s face looks more like a caveman era human. Tamiya figure is of cause, unbeatable.