IDF AMX-13

 

Magach 6Bet Gal Batash

 

IDF D9

 

IDF Shot Kal Dalet

 

Merkava 3 Baz, Gaza 2023

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Merkava 3 Baz w/Nochri. WIP 2

At last I update my blog after year+.
Not that much time for modelling. Merkava recived its base coat and chipping

Merkava 3 Baz w/Nochri. WIP 1

A Merkava that I've been building since summer.

Nagmachon. Finished. At last! :)

I started this hardcore conversion more than a year ago and now its finally done! I'm very glad indeed to have it finished)

The model was published on the Latrun museum official site http://www.yadlashiryon.com/show_item.asp?levelId=63829&itemId=4750&itemType=0

Published in AFV Modeller #72:

and in M-Hobby #147:

IDF Nagmachon. WIP8: chipping

Metal rusty, yet mostly primer chips:

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 7: Fading, washes & details

First post of the year - current progress on the resin monstrousity

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 6: back in business

Aftera long 4-month break I'm going back to the Nagmachon monstrosity. The base color is on so far

Merkava siman 3 Dalet

He's my really modrn build - the Israeli Merkava 3 Dalet tank! The subject looks cool and I was very happy to buy a plastic 1/35 copy this sumer. Not resin ha-ha )) As I started the build I managed to write a review for M-Hobby magazine (to be followed by a build feature).
Now, that took me several months to finish the Merk, now here are the pics:

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 5: Ready to paint!!! At last )))

after months of f#cking resin and breathing super glue my nagmach is finally ready to feel some paint )

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 4

A mid-summer update on the monstrous Israeli APC. The build is some 90-95% completed. Hope to proceed to painting by September)))

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 3

IDF Nagmachon WIP2

Some progress on my Nagmachon.
Legends' resin is not user-friendly at all. 99% of details requires sanding, filling, corrections and so on. That's why the progress is very slow.

IDF Nagmachon. WIP 1

Unlike most of armies, Israeli Defense Force focus on armor protection of their APC, instead of upgrading the firepower. It makes sense, since any dirty-assed "freedom fighter" with an RPG can easily destroy a thin armored vehicle armed with 100mm gun. Nagmachon APCs feature thicker tank armor + ERA blocks. As for other APCs, they feature even more sophisticated composite armor like MBTs. A friend of mine while riding inside an Achzarit (T-55 based APC with composite armor) survived RPG attack without being injured. 4 RPG grenades hit the Achzarit but fortuntely they failed to penetrate the armor and injure the soldiers. Namera features even more powerfull armor package, similar to Merkava 4.

Nagmachons saw extensive service in 1990s in the Security zone in Southern Lebanon, fighting Hizballah terrosts. In the 21st century they (being equipped with "doghouses") oppose "palestinian" terrorists in Gaza, Judea & Samaria.

I decided to build an early version (late 90s - early 2000s) without a superstructure. I'm combining Legends resin conversion kit & AFV club Centurion's suspension and lower hull. Some other aftermarket & scratchbuilding parts are involved

Lebanese M-50 Sherman

I finished my 2nd M50 as a late vehicle in Lebanese service. Since mid 1970s Israel supported her Lebanese Christian allies with various AFVs, including aging M-50 Shermans. With minor modifications they saw action in 1980s against various muslim terrorist militias during the Civil war.

For my model I used Formations resin turret, DML hull and a lot of aftermarket and scratchbuilt parts. The camo scheme - grey & green was taken from T. Gannon's book.

An article was published in Scale Military Modeller International, May  2011 issue

IDF M151A2 Djapas utility car

The small model had been a shelf queen for ages before I finished it in 2009. Several times I repanted and disassembled it. Many aftermarket and scratchbuilt parts were used.

M151s enterd IDF service in the early 80s (or late 70s) and all of them seem to be of A2 version, unlike Academy's A1 offer. The only A1 photos of Israeli vehicles seem to be Jordanian trophies. I finished my Djapas as a vehicle during Peace for Galilee operation, 1982, armed with old M1919 instead of more common MAG. M151 are still in service in IDF reserve units.

M-50 Sherman Degem Aleph, 1956-58

To oppose arabs' T-34-85 & Pz IVs, Isrealis retrofit their Shermans with powerfull French 75-mm gun ( derivative from WW2 Panther tank gun). The same gun was used on AMX-13 tanks an Egyptian Shermans M4/FL-10. Handfull of M-50s were available during operation Kadesh (Sinai campaign) in 1956. During 1950s-80s M50s saw action in Israel and Lebanon, were upgraded and exported to several countries.

Some time ago Dragon re-released their old M-50 kit, but in 2009-10 no M-50 was avaliable. That's why I kitbashed an ancient MP models turret and a modern DML composite Sherman hull. It took me a lot of time to detail and accuratize my model using various aftermarket and scratch-building.