1/35 Border Models Leopard 2a6, "somewhere" in Eastern Europe

I will eschew my usual word salad at this point and refer you to the leopardclub.ca examinations of this kit and the history of the real thing. It's commonly accepted that 2a6s are in Ukraine now, though I haven't seen any photographic evidence because the AFU has been very disciplined about operational security. Aside from small "+" tactical insignia, most lend-lease equipment in Ukraine has very little other markings, and any other marks from their previous owners has been obliterated.

The kit provides you a metal 2a6 barrel but makes no mention of it in the instructions. You may believe it's superfluous, but (at least in my copy) the plastic barrel is warped. There is a positive key at the muzzle end for the plastic muzzle, but the breech end of the metal barrel does not have the same long alignment key that the plastic version has. Without this it's difficult to align the fume extractor-- unless you use the plastic barrel to align the fume extractor (but do not, I stress, do NOT glue the plastic barrel fully into the fume extractor!). The tracks come with a helpful jig, ala Meng, the only difference is that the two jigs don't mesh with each other so you can't use them to fully press the track parts together. No big deal. Some of the tab-and-slot assemblies are tighter than they need to be. The instructions repeatedly reference sprue V, which doesn't exist. Construction otherwise proceeds without much drama, and I spent more time weathering it than actually building it.

LETS GET MESSY

Spring 2023 in Ukraine was wetter than normal, with the typical muddy terrain now degraded to the consistency of "thick vegetable soup." I started weathering as soon as possible in the assembly, giving everything a black base coat and then misting over brown primer. It may be easier at this point to list the weathering products I didn't use. No, really, look at the AMMO line, and pretty much every weathering product they've put out got slapped onto this tank. Pigments, washes, disgusting sloppy enamel weathering compound, yes, all of it. I even home-brewed my own from the remnants of several "churned earth" style enamel weathering products, mineral spirits and finely sifted dirt from my garden. Tamiya panel line wash, pulverized graphite, drybrushed gunmetal, more spritzes and sprays of dark brown and tan dust, repeat to your taste. I also took the chance to try out a bunch of other products and doodads, like a sheet of barracuda camouflage netting, which I wrapped around the barrel and draped over the hull. I also grabbed a handful of model railroad foliage and arranged it as you would for an ambush. I took the last of the glue and water slurry I used to secure the camo netting and mixed it with the leavings and cast-offs from the foliage, then dabbed it onto the tank.

27 additional images. Click to enlarge.