Another el Cheapo eBay find purchased specifically for the Vintage campaign.
Wanted this when I was a kid. Now I have one.
A serendipitous day today - in more ways than one; however moving swiftly on, SS Models Leopard 2 prototype which they refer to as Leopard 2K, and here it is in all its 3D printed glory:
I won’t say watch this space just yet - I’ve a few other things to do, but I am looking very forward to tackling this; removal from the supporting strands will be the first challenge and will enable a closer look, but having perused the turret, it’s all looking good I feel.
In case anyone is unfamiliar with this particular prototype, it’s this one:
Ooh now I have Leopard envy! Is that a whole kit, or do you need to mate it with a plastic kit? That “Leo 1 on steroids” look is so mean…
PS: It would fit into the Best Tank That Never Was campaign!
I did say not any time soon, but in the end I couldn’t resist having a tinker:
It’s a complete kit Tom, and the detail very, very good; some striation lines but so small to be insignificant I reckon. Post a coat of primer and then the final top coat of Gelboliv I don’t think they’ll be a problem. It really is a well-thought out package. Not cheap and I’m not being coy, but I can’t remember what I paid for it, I’d have to go back on to their website. I think it’ll build up just fine, and now I’ve got the Lobitz tome, no problems with references for details.
I remember seeing pics of this and other prototypes in the military press, both home and foreign publications throughout the 70s and we young soldiers all wondered what the final iteration would look like; well, as it happened not much like this at all!
I hadn’t thought of The Best Tank etc campaign; as a prototype, it would fit nicely. We’ll see.
As an afterthought, it perhaps wouldn’t hurt a 3D printing firm to do a bit of research, and produce a conversion/modification kit of say, a hull top and rear, plus a few minor accessories to enable a US MBT-70, (from the Dragon/Drami Kpz-70) thus facilitating what lots of modellers would like I’m sure. The turrets are pretty much the same, just the hull top and rear plate, and say, smoke dischargers and antennae mounts. The Drami version isn’t punishing in price, so pennies saved could go towards whatever enterprising firm would grasp the nettle. Just a thought.
DraMi’s announcement photos show tanks with American features, including the engine deck, hull rear and additional turret weights for testing:
Though I wonder if these are 3D-printed parts or casts from masters made by modifying Dragon plastic parts.
The best part of the BTTNW campaign is that it’s a rolling series, so anything not finished this time can be completed in the next one - or the one after!
I looked it up on the SSmodel website, and I’m sorely tempted…
I couldn’t quite make out the US mods when I first saw this picture; I see what you are alluding to, and I hope they’ve made a decent enough job of it; that hull has some interesting contours to be sure - that slightly upwards lift for one thing. Anyway, I suppose an attempt is better than no attempt, but certainly a close look would be good. I assume they’ll be released in due course? We can but hope.
My comments were initiated when I opened my SS Models Leopard prototype yesterday, and just had that slightly random thought re the MBT-70.
Well Tom, I’d say go for it; hobbies are what disposable income is for!
Some modellers find SS Models’ stuff a bit lacking, but I can certainly live with what I’ve got re the Leopard. I think they’ve done a smashing job to be honest, and never, never, in my wildest dreams did I think we’d ever see one in 1/35.
I’ll certainly give the campaign some thought; I’ve quite a bit going on to be honest.
A soft spot for Chesapeake Model Design resin, an old goal to tweak the venerable Tamiya T-62 and a collection of spare parts equaled a new purchase!
Felt excited about building for the first time, in a long time.
This looks like a pretty kit good, Brian.
I’ve recently ventured into a couple of SS Model 1/350 Warships, and they are really not bad at all. Their Soviet Cold War era warships offer quite a selection.
The 3D market looks to become a very interesting avenue in the hobby. I’ll watch out for this particular Leopard build!
Kevin! 
From Derbyshire UK
Wrong! This Kevin’s in British Columbia. 
from an exhibit of my club yesterday
I meant Hi, from another Kevin in the UK
Gotcha! Had to look the term up. Yes, it’s great to be a Kevin isn’t it?
