Hi All,
I’m working on my Meng Leopard 2A7 tank (TS-027), and I am having a difficult time trying to find photos of the real life tank engine deck. Actually, the entire rear potion of the top of the hull. I’ve found many walk around photos of Leopard 2A6 tanks (virtually no detailed photos of the 2A7 version), but it seems like there was a reticence in taking any photos of the top of the rear hull. Specifically, I’m trying to determine if any of the miscellaneous conduit and other attachments, AND the 2 shovels mounted there, were painted in the NATO scheme (that is, just overpainted in the overall hull camo colors) or were any of these pieces/parts painted in other colors? The Meng instructions show part G44 (conduit?) supposedly painted in rubber black, and step 14 of the instructions (where G44 is placed) shows the shovels in a shaded dark color, sort of implying Olive Drab for the metal parts of the shovel and ‘wood’ for the handles. I know this is an awfully obscure question on colors, but I really would like all these details to be accurate, as I’ve spent a lot of time on this tank thus far, and I’d like it to be as true to the real tank as possible. I’ve used the Modeling News build series for this kit, which goes into a lot of detail, as a reference, which is where I see that the modeler did appear to use Rubber Black on part G44, but kind of hard to tell how he painted the shovels. Plus, I’m sure there have to be other little details on the engine deck that may be painted in something other than the overall NATO scheme, but, of course, I could be wrong. Anyone with photos, or with verbal descriptions of the colors I’m looking for, would be hugely appreciated!