Unfinished Business – Finishing Off the Belgian Leopard
This article is part of a series:
- 1/35th Leopard Line Up
- Leopard 1A5 Bundeswehr
- Weathering, the Belgian Leopard Conversion Continues
- Leopard AS1 Aus Cam Update
- Leopard AS 1 Olive Drab Lusterless Update
- Dutch Leopard 1
- Australian Leopard AS1 Dozer
- Danish Leopard 1A5DK
- Takom 1/35 Canadian C2 Leopard Mexas
- Australian Trials Leopard Tank
- Australian Leopard AS1 with drivers and engine compartments.
- Leopard AS1 Engine, Engine Bay and Drivers Compartment Latest Progress
- Unfinished Business – Finishing Off the Belgian Leopard
A few days ago I was sorting through my Leopard stuff and came across a few items of etch and resin. I then realised that they were from my Legend Belgian Leopard conversion. To my horror there was still quite a lot to be done, which I had not realised. So here is the progress on finishing off the Belgian Leopard. Still some more brass and other items to affix and paint. The great part about photographing the progress is that it has shown me that I need to reposition the hooks on the mud flaps.
29 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Bernard Bedeur said on September 17, 2021
That’s a great tank model Ian.
Nothing like a Leopard screaming through mud in the forest. The suspension was incredible to see taking up the irregularities of the the track chosen.With the sound of the engine to add to it.
Awesome memories of that at Leopoldsburg training camp in Limburg Belgium.
Ian Foulkes said on September 18, 2021
Thank you Bernard, I appreciate such a nice comment from ex-military (as I am as well). I hope that it has brought back nice memories of your time!
Ian Foulkes said on September 21, 2021
Did you ever go to Vogelsang by any chance?
Jim Crabb said on September 18, 2021
Great build. But why are there padlocks on the external storage bins?
Ian Foulkes said on September 18, 2021
Thanks Jim. The locks are there because squaddies are squaddies the world over and will nick anything that is not nailed down, as well as a few things that are! From one of my postings...
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Spiros Pendedekas said on September 18, 2021
Looking really great with all thesr details added, Ian!
Super job indeed!
Ian Foulkes said on September 18, 2021
Thank you Spiros. I'm going to have to spend some time actually finishing and then mounting my "leap of Leopards"
John vd Biggelaar said on September 18, 2021
Great details added, Ian @ianfoulk96
The ruler next to the locks clearly shows how small those are.
Ian Foulkes said on September 19, 2021
Thanks John,
It definitely does that! I need to get one of magnifying glasses that you wear around your head. It's been great fun finishing this one off
Michel Verschuere said on September 18, 2021
Love to see a BE Leo. Soo sad they were sold, we no longer have an MBT in the arsenal 🙁
Ian Foulkes said on September 18, 2021
Thank you Michel. It is my belief that when a country loses a capability then it is more expensive to regain and retrain to replace that capability than it was to maintain it in the first place. We're facing similar situations over here! We are cursed with being run by accountants who know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing!
Bernard Bedeur said on September 18, 2021
So True. In my time Belgian defence was just under 60 thousand. Now under 17 thousand. At the eve of WW1 around 200.000.
We just bought the F-35 but will limit flying as that costs too much to operate !
Ian Foulkes said on September 19, 2021
I was on exercise Lion-Heart 84 (Spear point 84). We deployed 140,000 soldiers for that one exercise. That's twice as many as the current armed forces. The bottom line is that aircraft can fly over a piece of ground, Navies cut sea lines of communications, but to win the battle/war needs "boots on the ground" to defeat an enemy
Jeff Bailey said on September 23, 2021
VERY nice attention to detail, Ian! @ianfoulk96
I will say this however. Those padlocks that you used look great & very convincing.
As a former M48A5, M60A1 & A3, M1, M1IP, M1A1, and finally M1A1 Heavy Armor tanks I'll tell you that in the field (as shown by your use of mud) they would be gone & kept by the TC (Tank Commander) or the loader! They're WAY too much bother to use get into the hull tool compartments for the tools needed for regular maintenance - which is (basically) any time the tank stops moving for more than a few minutes.