Hi Brian,
nice model! The old Italeri Leopard 1, now marketed by Revell is a nice model, even now more then 40 years old! I had used the old Italeri Leopard A3 to build a Canadian Leopard 1C, with the trackjam set, incl. a new turret and other helpful parts! I assume I had it build atleast 25 years ago, Sadly cancelled now: Leopard C1 Conversion Kit (Early Version), Trackjam Models TJM-001
Looking to the “new” Revell kit 03240, this kit is only substantially better. I’ll add pictures of my upgraded Leopard 1 AVLS BE, Revell kit 03240.
The funny thing is, the kit has the two most relevant parts to build a AVLS, the crosswind-sensor and the atmospharic pressure and outside tempreature censor!
But no word of it! To build this model, it’s like a nightmare.
First of all! All weldings beads are missing! Really all!!! I used Archer weld beads to replicate the beads; - a lot of work! The running gear and the road wheels are best to replace by Leopard Workshop parts. The same applies to the L7 105MM main gun. To long and to narrow, Leopard workshop helped again. The antenna bases for SEM 25/35 are Leopard Workshop. Leopard Workshop too, for the FN/MAG / C6 Machine Gun, 1:35 Leopard 1 Improvement set for the Revell kit 03240, Leopard Chains, Leopard 1 Smoke Launchers (1-bolt), Leopard 1 and 2 Tow Eyes, Leopard 1 welded Exhaust Grills, Leopard 1 road wheels, idlers and return rollers with Damged Tires and and finally Leopard 1 mantlet plugs! Explaining all the corrections and changes, it took my to make a better model, this would be beyond the scope!
For sure, without the perfect Leopard Workshop parts the kit 03240 will look nice if you are more than 1.5 meter away from it. But closer examination would reveil the errors.
It took me 8 weeks to build my model. In my opinion it was woth of it! Pictures of the Leopard 1 AVLS BE are added. I’m thinking to add a camo net over the barrel!?!?
The trackpad pubs “Leopard 1 Forty-five years of Service - 1969 to 2014” and “Leopard 1 BE Belgiums last MBT”! These pubs are more then worth the money.
I decided to show a Leopard 1 BE of the 2e Guides, (en francais) 2e Gidsen (in Flams).
In case anyone is interested to build a Dutch Leopard 1. I also can encourage you to buy the pub “Dutch Leopard 1, Armoured fist of the Royal Dutch Army”. Worth every cent.
Now the pictures!! Have fun.
