The Kpz-70 (MBT-70) main battle tank was a joint development program between Germany and the United States launched in the 1960s, intended to develop a state-of-the-art main battle tank equipped with cutting-edge technologies. This tank adopted the latest hydro-pneumatic suspension system available at the time and featured a large turret spacious enough to accommodate all crew members. This model kit is Kpz-70, which is the MBT-70 German version.
A good one to start with as it is an interesting subject. On your earlier pic, it showed many different 3D parts on different kits, one w/what looks like a US rear plate (arrow below). Does Zimi plan other versions, hopefully a US one?
This is just a hobby for me. I am not a super awesome expert of military vehicles like many of you. It is a neat looking vehicle and I like building American tanks so I became interested. My knowledge of the MBT-70 is limited to what appears in the Wikipedia article on the MBT-70. According to that article, the MBT-70 and Kpz-70 use Diehl 170 double pin tracks. The XM803 uses unknown tracks. I thought, maybe, it uses the same tracks as a Leopard or M-60 or something like that.
Not having a pop Doug, just curious as to why you sort of posed the question.
And so you should be Doug - enjoying the hobby I mean, as a hobby; keep it pure! There’s far too many experts around in any case; I only wish I was half as good as I sometimes think I am.
Unless you’re really into converting you’d be pushed to make the Kpz into an MBT-70 - the US one. That said, it may not be as difficult as I’ve inferred, but it’s quite a busy job I feel. or I might just be crap at converting!
Amongst my compilation of references for the tank is this image which looks like it’s fitted with the tracks normally used on the M48/60s series:
The turrets - as far as I can make out - are pretty much identical; the hull is where things drift. Here’re some comparison phots I di d some time ago to show the differences between the KPz-70 and MBT-70. Dragon and Commanders Models’ respectively:
Rather than using kits for references (something I always advise against) they now have my MBT-70 walkaround. There were no signs telling me to stay off, so lots of good top down shots.
Oh, I am not bothered. I do not know anything about the vehicle and the Wikipedia article does not contain much information. I am definitely not going to convert anything so my journey ends here.
Cut off the engine deck and build the American one, as well as its hull rear (other than the Bradley tail lights, which are there on this model because it’s a what-if). At the front, it needs the stowage bins built, which needs the hull there to be deepened slightly, too. However, for a what-if production MBT 70 rather than a prototype, my assessment is that you should probably go with the front corners as the kit has them, because the initial German tanks also had those bins but later prototypes lacked them.
Other changes needed are things like different headlights and guards as well as the smoke launchers and antenna bases on the turret. Technically you would also need to fit different diameter roadwheels and idlers, but I kind of doubt most people would notice
Then it is incorrect. Note that the original design only included top louvers for the air cooled engine. This was by design, in order to facilitate the engine compartment being rapidly sealed and isolated to protect the internal components and prevent radioactive particles or chemical agents from contaminating the rear of the vehicle.
The system was found to be unworkable. (as anyone might suspect) The intake and exhaust vents were too close to one another. During trials the engine overheated as the system drew superheated air back into the intake vents.
The solution was to revert back a more traditional setup which would have prevailed on the final production version, with rear vents.
This version is as close to what the production vehicle would have looked like as any any of them got, with a lot of simplifications to the turret and suspension - far different than the Dragon kit in many respects.
OK, that’s new information to me. I based my model on what I could find in Hunnicutt’s Abrams and Spielberger’s Waffensysteme Leopard 1 und Leopard 2, neither of which includes anything about those grilles for the American version. They do show mesh for the air intakes and a simple slot with a flap for the exhaust.
Your lower photo at least is an XM803 (going by the T142 tracks on it), not an MBT 70, and Hunnicutt’s book does include that style of grille in its drawings for the XM803, though. The question, then, is: would this style of exhaust also have made it into American-production MBT 70s, or is it a development from after it morphed into the XM803? For a what-if model, you could go with the XM803 grille, of course, on the basis that the American design team may have come up with it anyway.
It is a neat looking vehicle and I like building American tanks so I became interested. My knowledge of the MBT-70 is limited to what appears in the Wikipedia article on the MBT-70. According to that article, the MBT-70 and Kpz-70 use Diehl 170 double pin tracks. The XM803 uses unknown tracks. I thought, maybe, it uses the same tracks as a Leopard or M-60 or something like that.
