Italeri 1a4 Leopard shelf queen

[Richard48]

At long last after years away from modelling its lets build.Well dust off an old shelf queen.I bought this Italeri 1a4 when they were on a limited release in conjunction with Modelbau Koenig.I like the grey plastic on this one as i find it easier to construct and doesnt show up the glue marks hehe.Im not a massive fan of Photo etch as it fights me all the way.Decided to do some weld beads using Slaters microstrip.Im thinking this one will be a Bundeswehr A4 on exercise.Thinking camo nets a la Verlinden.My style of finishing is definately in this train of thought as Mr V inspired me to do afvs when i read his books in my teens.Most of all im enjoying modelling again and still a total Leopard nerd.!!!!!
Cheers from Richard

 

[Allen Dewire]

Welcome back to the bench Buddy!!! Dive in and have a good time with the Leo. That looks to be a nicely detailed kit and I'm sure you'll have fun finishing her up too...Go Rich, go!!!...

Prost
Allen

 

[Richard48]

Welcome back to the bench Buddy!!! Dive in and have a good time with the Leo. That looks to be a nicely detailed kit and I'm sure you'll have fun finishing her up too...Go Rich, go!!!...

Prost
Allen

Many thanks my friend.
Nice to be snipping sprues again.Shes a golden oldie kit but still is good with some TLC.Think ive been sniffing too much Tamiya thin.Try opening a window the rabble cry.
Prost.
Richard

 

[Tworrs]

Well you're off to a good re-start Richard, keep on keeping on.

 

[Jakko]

this one will be a Bundeswehr A4 on exercise

Nobody else had these, so it’ll probably be that or one in recently cleaned condition

 

[Richard48]

Well you're off to a good re-start Richard, keep on keeping on.

Cheers bud.

 

[Richard48]

Nobody else had these, so it’ll probably be that or one in recently cleaned condition

Think it will be on exercise somewhere in Germany.Got Tankograd Cold war Warrior as my reference.I do like the A3 and 4.Have a nice boxy meaty look about them..Maybe winter camo if im daring!!!!!

 

[Si Benson]

Looking very nice Richard

I’ve often looked at the italeri leo 1 so interested to see where you take this.

 

[Jakko]

I do like the A3 and 4.Have a nice boxy meaty look about them..

They look so more 1970s–80s than the other Leopard 1s, IMHO.

Maybe winter camo if im daring!!!!!

I built the Italeri kit like that about twenty years ago, based on a photo of a 1A1A1 (or something) in a Tamiya book. Want me to post some photos of it?

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Richard, welcome back to the bench. Good to see the enthusiasm has got you again. Before paint model looks good and looking forward to more.
Built the 2A4 some time ago. For camo net try Fields of Glory, they sell camo net which is better than etch or 'decal' type, and you can add your own cam bits.
We used to see Leo 1's when based in Germany, charging around and getting stuck...

My Leo, must do a 2A6 some time.

 

[Richard48]

Looking very nice Richard

I’ve often looked at the italeri leo 1 so interested to see where you take this.

Cheers Si.
Give an Italeri A4 a go bud.Still builds up nice with some tweaking and one of the better kits from 1970s.
Rich

 

[Richard48]

They look so more 1970s–80s than the other Leopard 1s, IMHO.


I built the Italeri kit like that about twenty years ago, based on a photo of a 1A1A1 (or something) in a Tamiya book. Want me to post some photos of it?

Hi Jakko.
Sure post some pics.Cant have enough Leopard models i say.Always enjoy seeing them in model form.
Rich

 

[Richard48]

Richard, welcome back to the bench. Good to see the enthusiasm has got you again. Before paint model looks good and looking forward to more.
Built the 2A4 some time ago. For camo net try Fields of Glory, they sell camo net which is better than etch or 'decal' type, and you can add your own cam bits.
We used to see Leo 1's when based in Germany, charging around and getting stuck...
View attachment 495883
My Leo, must do a 2A6 some time.

Thats a mighty fine 2a6 there wow.Looks superb with the barracuda netting.Thanks for the heads up with the nets pal.Think nets add a nice busy look to tanks on exercise.Id love to have had a ride in a Leopard.They certainly nip around and have a certain growl about them.
Rich

 

[Jakko]

I built this twenty years ago — the photos are dated 24 August 2003 — when my painting skills were even worse than they are now Note I’m not talking about the whitewash, which came out exactly as I wanted it but which people have since commented to me that they wouldn’t dare paint it like that To which my reply was: That’s how it looks in the photo of the real tank I copied.

Though that was, as said, not an A3 or A4 … let me look it up, because I want to know myself now. Aha, page 13 of Tamiya’s old Photo Album of West German Leopard Tank: indeed a 1A1A1, by the looks of it. I copied the pattern there on my model pretty well, if I say so myself, just adapted to the angular turret. And, of course, filled in the sides not visible with a similar pattern of my own devising.

The figures are Verlinden, BTW, from the old NATO Tank Crew set, but “NATO” there really means “West German”

 

[Richard48]

View attachment 495914View attachment 495915View attachment 495916View attachment 495917View attachment 495918View attachment 495919View attachment 495913

I built this twenty years ago — the photos are dated 24 August 2003 — when my painting skills were even worse than they are now Note I’m not talking about the whitewash, which came out exactly as I wanted it but which people have since commented to me that they wouldn’t dare paint it like that To which my reply was: That’s how it looks in the photo of the real tank I copied.

Though that was, as said, not an A3 or A4 … let me look it up, because I want to know myself now. Aha, page 13 of Tamiya’s old Photo Album of West German Leopard Tank: indeed a 1A1A1, by the looks of it. I copied the pattern there on my model pretty well, if I say so myself, just adapted to the angular turret. And, of course, filled in the sides not visible with a similar pattern of my own devising.

The figures are Verlinden, BTW, from the old NATO Tank Crew set, but “NATO” there really means “West German”

Thanks for sharing Jakko.Very eyecatching.Looks damn good to me.Nice Leopard.
Richard

 

[Jakko]

It certainly makes a change from NATO green, or NATO green with mud camouflage