DREAM WORKS HERE



Item Name: . Israel Defense Forces Merkava MK.I Main Battle Tank IDF
Kits .Tamiya
Scale: .1:35
Builder:.Volcano
Item Status:.Built To Order / Pre-Order

Detail features:

Award winner built and painted Israeli Ministry of Defense Merkava MK.I (Hebrew: מרכבה, [mɛʁkaˈva] "chariot") with realistic weathering finish. IDF Sina Grey color scheme with accurate decals and unit markings. Top building quality with outstanding details throughout whole model and very high standard accuracy on every individual part. Turret, basket and side skirt with sharp details. Detailed tracks with road wheel detail. Adding on vehicle tools and more add-on details.

* Top building quality with great details overall.
* Moulding quality is excellent with detail is extremely sharp.
* 105mm main gun barrel is a multi-part and looks very good.
* Applique armor features recessed lines and lovely raised details including bolt heads, tie-downs and latches.
* The upper hull with a lot of the detail integrated.
* The turret with busy on vehicle equipment details.
* The barrel is a multi-part and looks very good.
* The M2 .50 cal and the loader’s MAG machine gun are very well done.
* Driver`s hatch with details both sides.
* Loader`s and commander`s hatch with details both sides.
* Impressived ball and chain armor hanging from the rear of the turret.
* The lower hull with suspension arms, return rollers, spring details.
* The rear hull storage racks are fair detail wise
* Boat hull ventral armor plate covers motorization holes in the lower hull.
* The rear panel has the access clamshell doors as separate parts and can be displayed open or closed.
* Suspension with the nicely detailed springs presented.
* Road wheels with details.
* The detail on the track links is very good.
* Side skirts with great details.
* Adding metal towing cable, antenna, on-vehicle tools and many accessories.

Buffing and polishing to remove mold seam. Base color with primer and putty for better surface detail. Airbrushed and painted with multicolor. Add clear paint for good finishing on decal applying. Washing to enhance the surface detail increase the appearance of depth including panels, doors, hatches, rivets, bolt head and more. Dry brushing to emphasize and highlighting texture with edge for good wear, tear and fading. Multi-color filters for blend color effects. Adding nonglossy paint for better finishing. Great detail paint job on rust and paint chips off with scratches, worn and bare metal realistic simulating, flow rust and rain streaks effects, grease with staining appearing, engine smoking and muffler burned representing. Also smear and dirt with dust and real mud and more on real-life weathering. Final protective layer for long-term collection.

3095

1 Dream Works Hobby
2 Dream Works Hobby
3 Dream Works Hobby
4 Dream Works Hobby
5 Dream Works Hobby
6 Dream Works Hobby
7 Dream Works Hobby
8 Dream Works Hobby
9 Dream Works Hobby
10 Dream Works Hobby
11 Dream Works Hobby

Development of the Merkava main battle tank commenced in the 1970s. This tank is named after a Biblical chariot. First prototype was completed in 1974. Initial production of the first batch of 40 tanks commenced in 1977. The Merkava was officially adopted by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1978. Full-scale production commenced in 1979 and ceased in 1983 in favor to improved Merkava Mk.2. A total of 250 Merkava Mk.1 tanks were built. Now this tank is out-dated. The Mk.1 is no longer used by the IDF. Surviving tanks kept in storage. Some of them were converted to specialized armored vehicles. The Merkava Mk.1 was never exported outside Israel.

This Merkava saw action soon after its introduction. It was widely used during the 1982 Lebanon War. The Merkava Mk.1 outperformed contemporary Syrian T-62 tanks and proved to be a tough nut for anti-tank weapons of the time, such as the AT-3 Sagger and RPG-7.

The Merkava was a significant improvement over the previous Israel`s Centurion main battle tank. The tank has unusual layout with a front-mounted engine for better crew protection. It reflects a unique requirements of Israeli MoD. Furthermore It can carry 10 fully-equipped troops at the rear, at a cost of reduced ammunition load. This unique feature allows to carry infantry into the battlefield, or evacuate casualties under heavy armor. Dismounts enter and leave the tank via a rear hatch.

Turret of the Merkava has an unusual shape. A front-mounted engine and transmission also provide improved frontal protection. The tank is fitted with NBC protection and automatic fire extinguishing systems as standard. At the time of its introduction the Merkava Mk.1 was one of the most protected tanks in the world.

The tank is armed with a fully-stabilized 105-mm rifled gun. It is a license-produced version of the US M68 tank gun. This gun is loaded manually. Ammunition is stored in special protected containers. Each of them holds 4 rounds. It is loaded via a rear hatch. Up to 62 rounds can be carried, including APFSDS, HEAT, HE-FRAG, and smoke rounds. The Israeli M111 APFSDS round penetrates up to 150 mm of rolled homogenous armor at an angle of 60°. Some sources report that this tank is compatible with Israeli LAHAT anti-tank guided missiles, that are launched in the same manner as ordinary rounds.

The Merkava Mk.1 has a fire control system with a digital computer and laser rangefinder.

Secondary armament consists of coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun and two more 7.62-mm machine guns on top of the roof. Furthermore the tank can be fitted with external 60-mm mortar, which fires smoke, illumination or anti-personnel rounds.

The Merkava Mk.1 is operated by a crew of 4, including commander, gunner, loader and driver.

This main battle tank is powered by a Teledyne Continental AVDS 1790-6A diesel engine, developing 908 hp. The same engine was also used on some other Israeli armored vehicles. It is mated to Allison semi-automatic transmission. The Merkava Mk.1 is slow due to its excessive weight. The main emphasis of this tank is crew protection rather than speed and mobility.