Leopard 2A4SG

Hi Guys

I know I said I wasn't going to be posting much work on here, but things have changed a little so...

I was going to send this to ITA and my brother so he could market it as a kit, but sadly that can't happen for various reasons so I'm just going to build it and finish it as a one off model now

This is the hobbyboss Leopard 2A4, which I am converting into the latest version of the Singaporean Leopard 2A4SG as seen at the recent 'Army Open House in the City' event

All the add on armour is scratchbuilt and I have already made a great many changes to the detail on the kit to replace overdone weld beads, all the anti slip, missing details etc. The boxes on the rear of teh turret are also unique to the SG leopards, one being a non-standard stowage box and the other an air conitioning unit

So far this is about 80 hours work. I anticipate another 120 before the building phase is finished and I can commit to paint

Anyway; enjoy and all comments and criticisms are very welcome

Edited By Chris Meddings on 04/07/2012 05:03:37

Nice start to it Chris. Coming along nicely.

Cheers!

Zerk.

Top work Chris nice to see you on modern stuff.

Rgs Mac

Hi Chris. Looks like a great build. I've always wondered how you would go about converting an existing kit like this. Do you reference by eye from photos or do you have blueprints? It would be nice to make a LeClerc of the UAE armed forces but reference pics are not something they like you to have out here and I can't just walk up to one and start clicking away.

I digress. look forward to watching this develop.

Pete

Hi Chris

Your dedication to getting the detail right does you credit. It is clear that you have the skill to achieve a great result. I just wouldn't know where to start but I'll follow your work closely and hope to pick up a load of tips and ideas.

Jim

Thanks guys

Mac, I'm surprised this hasn't had more interest to be honest. Since starting this I can suddenly see the appeal of modern, especially doing something not available as a kit; a different version etc.

Peter; I thought they were the same here, but the pictures I took were of several on open display at the annual Army Open House in the City event where the SAF take over the Grand Prix facilities and circuit in the heart of Singapore's downtown area. There were thousands of people there. I even got inside several vehicles and could take as many pictures as I wanted luckily

I tokk around 200 of the 2A4SG and I'm working purfrom photos. plans are not available unsurprisingly

Jim, its ot that hard. Its really all about knowing how to cut styrene, a few useful toos (compass cutter and hole punch and applying basic modelling skills. Quite a lot of it is trial and error.

In fact, the most important thing I've learned scratchbuilding is very simple: if its not good enough, or you've gone wrong and it needs work to correct it, start again and do it smarter. You need to have an element of perfectionism (not accepting substandard parts) and a lot of patience (making more and more of them till you get it right)

it is INCREDIBLY rewarding though

Hi Chris

Really sound advice. The same philosophy applies to all aspects of modelling - do the very best you can, learn as much as you can and above all enjoy it.

By the way your article in the latest mag is EXCELLENT - why Oh why has that kind of basic, practical advice not been a major feature of MilMod magazine before! I hope that articles, in a similar vein, are planned for the future to cover all the "mysteries" of modelling.

Jim

Hey Chris, that's seriously cool and outa left field to see you tackle [doubly-cool] I agree I would think I'd see more of the subject coming from modellers in general---facinating mods on one of the best tanks that exists----not my field of specialty but very interested to see your progress man.

Adam

Chris

I thought I understood the eighty hours looking at the first two photos, a big kit.

Seriously, a nice project and a great start, unsurprisingly in your hands.

Cheers

Tim