The longer plugs are used when fording and underwater driving. In that configuration, the turret is placed at the 11 o’clock position. The longer plugs are used so when the fording or underwater driving is completed, the submerge hydraulics are released and the turret can be traversed to automatically pull the plugs on the longer chains from the coax port and the gunner’s secondary sight. No dismounting of the crew is required.
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Good call! I can see them in this picture! Thanks.
By the way, this is an excellent site for atmospheric pics of these early Leopards in Dutch service, particularly the black and white ones; 43Tkbat RHvS: Fotoarchief. – Sytzama.nl
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Thanks Jason, that confirms what Jakko posted. Simple and effective when making a contested crossing.
I assume the ones attached to the mantlet are for general “keep crap out of openings” use then.
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This is my favorite Leopard 1 NL pic; nothing spectacular, just a long line up of these beasts and bleary eyed crew waking up after what must have been a night of very little sleep, on the engine decks of their tanks in wet weather.
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Cracking picture!
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As an aside, and I don’t know if you intend populating your AFV, but Sylly’s Models do a range of Dutch vehicles and figures (amongst others); whilst some of the Dutch figures sport the hair-styles of the 70s, infuriatingly, none are - yet - in tank suits; however, for that atmospheric look, they are probably worth a look. See:
(I have some procured and planned - and the DAF YA-66 - for use with my Dutch MBT-70 (see “Best Tank That Never Was” campaign if mildly interested) project but have had to stall for a moment whilst I tackle a small medical issue)
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Oh wow! I was not familiar with this brand, but some of those are very nice! Thanks for the link.
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This may also come in handy:
Page 72 of the technical manual. It’s clearly a drawing of the Dutch version and not simply carried over from the German manual, TDv 2350-008-12 (of which 1TH9-2343 is largely a translation — it says so in the preamble).
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The build hasn’t stalled, I’m just waiting for some bits to arrive, such as replacement tracks. So just to keep you entertained, here she is sitting next to a Leopard 1A5. And I have to say, those “naked” Leopard 1’s look very sporty, insofar a tank can look sporty.
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Looking mighty fine Jay.I really must get some of mine done.Most are the classic Italeri kits of 1a2 and A4 but i really enjoy these ones.Ive got 2 Tamiya A4s to do and Gepard.
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One just can’t have enough Leos, Jay! Looks great!
Btw, I built mine out of the same Revell box as a Belgian 1BE
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Lovely work so far; nothing much wrong with a Leopard - or two!
Keep at it.
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Oh indeed Brian.Its been too long since i finished one,Got 3 started so need to get my b finger out and finish them
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But that’s the eternal trouble with the hobby I find - so very stimulating that one veers off on to all sorts of projects. I have a project started which will be a sort of Sturmpanzer Leo; the one I really want to get to grips with though is this ancient one - prompted by nothing more than some imagery in a Tankograd book (oh, and a clamber over one at Bremerhaven docks c.1974):
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I found out that the tool boxes on the hull are different between Belgian and Dutch Leopards. The ones in the kit are Belgian, so need some fixing to be Dutch. More stuff on the to do list.
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Only two? 
Besides these two, which will be an early Dutch 1 and an Italian 1A5, I already have a German 1A5 and 1A3 sitting in the cabinet, next to a Canadian C2. Besides those I have a C2 MEXAS waiting to be painted, together with a Bergepanzer Leopard. And I want to do a 1A4 and Gepard as well, but don’t have those in the stash yet.
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That must be why they have the plates at the ends, then. And looking at some photos: yes, indeed, that appears to be the main difference. The shapes of the boxes looks to be the same, but Belgian tanks have those extra plates on them.
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VT tank - Wikipedia Also available as a kit by Takom https://www.scalemates.com/kits/takom-2155-vt-1-2--1416430
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Thanks Jon but far more prosaic than that; I merely envisaged (a What-If obviously) a Leo 1 fitted with the Brit 165mm demolition gun, a dozer blade, and towing a Giant Viper. I see it as an assault vehicle, more than a pionier panzer, hence Sturmpanzer. Or rather, that’s the plan(!)
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Entirely plausible, I’d like to see a 165 Leo
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