Good stuff! Gonna do a “what-if” or a gen-you-wine Magach? The Goffey kit is mis-labeled, but from what I’ve heard, a good casting. The ESCI kit is the same mix of parts as the Academy kit, but basically good stuff too, if rather simplified. I’m anxious to see what you do with it all.
Oh, totally a what-if. Some oddball surplus junkers cobbled together for some backwater. I have no idea what it will end up as lol. But I’m going to enjoy the everlovin’ smack out of it!
I may even have a spare 120mm in the spares somewhere.
And there ya go!
And here’s some cupola action:
IMG_6740 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Hatch, with vision device, will come from the Merkava3.
Piece by piece this is getting more interesting.
Oops, forgot something:
IMG_6745 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
This is my last ESCI hull, converting it to a “slick” M60, YKW period. What better way to use the Academy Magach7 turret? I will surely start a separate thread on this one, once I get the other two further along.
Sure I will. And then there’s the two Takom Brave Tigers in the stash (somebody had a sale) and the M60A1 Rise/Passive w/ERA, also Takom, also “on sale”, that are all waiting patiently.
I should live so long.
Russ, if you don’t make it, remember I take donations lol!
This weird tank is making me drool with anticipation. I need to get my A-24 going again. Then I can play around with more armour. Decisions…
I’ll put you in my will… lol.
So speaking of playing around, some more details on the turret, like the internal mortar (cage to come), range finders on extensions to clear the soon to come turret armor, and relocated radio antenna pots. And imagine my surprise when I turned the turret over and the loader’s hatch fell open. Pic is with both hatches open…
IMG_6746 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
That looks sweet, even without the added armor.
Looks good! Again, the additions are sharp!
Thanks all. I started the ERA yesterday afternoon, may have some time today as well. I’m using the ERA in the Tamiya and Academy kits, mostly Tamiya as it is quite a bit better. The big challenge is to differentiate my layout from the standard USMC setup. Pics soon.
Okay: first step was to put a backing layer on all the ERA modules, since I plan a larger standoff distance:
IMG_6809 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Then I got to work, basically like doing a jigsaw puzzle, fitting and trimming, wanting to get the look of the IDF Blazer modules, but more modern. Here’s the right mid and rear of the turret, front not done yet:
IMG_6810 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I also used the hull modules almost as they came, but I’ve got more to do there.
Some more. Right side essentially finished, left side well on the way:
IMG_6812 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Smoke dischargers are from a Meng Merk3.
Other side:
IMG_6811 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
And the top, showing the mounting parts, right done, left not yet started, waiting for the glue to set up on the interior mounts:
IMG_6813 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
That is really beginning to take some heavy duty shape, Russ.
This is going to be one, sweet looking oddball.
Thanks Mike. Wait till you see it with the mantlet armor on, it has a definite “samurai” look, just like the USMC ERA set, just a little “different”.
Yeah, looks cool. The ERA bricks always give a tank a completely different look than without them.
“Different” is key here…
I think I’m done with the turret armor.
IMG_6814 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_6815 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_6816 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
Maybe a bit on the top of the nose, but the majority is done.
Tell me you have skirts for this! It totally needs armored skirts!
No skirts! I want all that suspension work to show.
Awwww. Dangit.