My latest project is an IDF Tiran 5 using the Tamiya T-55 kit and Legend’s Tiran 5 conversion kit. The weapons were backdated to M1914 30.cals and the .50 cal was relocated to the gun mantlet to represent a Tiran 5 used by the IDF. The Legends conversion builds into a later version Tiran 5 used by Lebenese Christian Militia forces in the '80. The Legend set is really nice and not too bad to work with. The hardest part was removing the huge pour blocks from the turret and hull rear stowage bins. I broke them a couple times in the process.
I have completed construction and will be moving onto paint soon. Here it is so far.
As far as markings go, I haven’t been able to find any really good pics. From what I can tell, they had the black/white serial number panels on the front glacis and rear hull plate. It also looks as though a unit marking is on the left corner of the rear hull basket. Any other markings I should be aware of? I have most of the old Verlinden IDF Vehicle Markings sheet (# DT MI 302) and a bunch of left over IDF decals. Suggestions?
IDF! Cool. I did one a while ago from the Trump kit (not a great start point, I know) and used the kit markings, but I have no idea if they’re based on fact or not. I was unable to find any good pics of tanks in actual use, only museum shots. The old Verlinden book was some help, but only about where the ID plates went.
Good luck with this one, a Tiran was the first tank I built when I came back to armour. I done a South Lebanon Army one as at the time a lot of guys from the club were in the army and had served in the “Leb” and had plenty of stories and photos at the time.
I will be meeting some off the guys for a beer tomorrow and if any ex-army guys are there I will ask if any body has photos and if I get any I will post them for you.
During the 1982 Israeli invasion “operation peace for Galilee” one guy sat on a roof of a road block and just photographed M113’s all day long, we had about 200 photos of all that but I’m unsure who has the originals.
I have completed my Tiran 5. It was painted using a spray can of Krylon Khaki. I then pieced the markings together from different left over sheets and hand painting. They are based on the below pic (provided above by Scorn, thanks!) of a post '73 Tiran 5. I also based it off some of my research that said the markings on them were very colorful so they would not be confused with Syrian T55s in conflicts with them.
Once the paint was on, I dded the details such as the weapons and gear. The gear is from the spares bin and the IDF ration boxes are from Verlinden. It was then weathered using some rust drybrushing, and a couple washes with dark sandy colors. Finally, the wear ares were picked out with a #2 pencil by rubbing it along high spots.
