LEOPARD 1
Article By: Andreas Hueger
The Leopard 1 tank family has seen considerable growth in the last few years. The most recent Kits are based on the old but very good Italeri Kit of the Leopard 1A4.
What we are still missing is a good kit of the „original flavor“ Leopard of the first few production batches. I have tried to fill this gap in my Leopard collection. The conversion is rather easy and should be possible for anyone interested.
The Revell Kit of the Leopard A1A1/A1A4 has about all necessary detail needed for this easy conversion.
I have built the chassis almost straight from the box.
All early Leopard have the fender parts No. 38 + 39 and the very early ones also the infantry telephone box part no.36. The early batches did not have the lifting rings parts No.66 and 40. The notches will have to be closed with body putty and the body side „noses“ sanded. The snow grousers (parts 95-98) were not attached and the tracks not covered by the additional armor as usual on all later versions. Therefore parts 88 – 91 are not used, too. Instead the kit gives us the early type mudguards parts 100 + 101. Parts 61 + 62 (rear mudguards) are as well not used.
The tow chains will have to be cut to abt. 2/3length (see photos) and the hooks relocated. The lighting system needs only one minor change, part no.92 has to shortened, use part 94 as reference. I have not attached the rearview mirrors as in those days road safety restrictions were not as tight as nowadays and crews used to leave the mirrors to avoid loss or damage. You will have to add two plugs on the frontal armour plate, these are common to all Leopard 1‘s, but on the now bare front plate you really miss them if not attached. All periscope armor will have to be reworked, i.e. thinned and the „roofs“ cut.
The turret needs only little more work. All additional armor plating goes to the spares box. Revell has given us the necessary indications for the handles that heed to be attached directly onto the turret, four could be used from the box after careful sanding and another set of two has to be made of wire. The plastic parts used as guideline. Four lifting devices (parts 136) have to be attached to the turret front and rear. These are as well left over from the old Italeri Kit and Revell simply forgot them although they have to be used for any Leopard 1, too. Although Revell still forgets it : both gunner’s periscopes need and armor cover. Do not attach part no. 212 (warning light) but only the base fitting. The antenna‘s are abt. 5cm long.
Finally the biggest difference is the gun tube. The early Leopards did not use the thermal sleeves. I used an M60 gun tube (thanks Tamiya), cut it right behind the fume extractor and inserted a piece of aluminum tubing instead. I am pretty sure that most modern armor freaks have one of these left over.
The last and most difficult problem is the track. I used a left over from an old Tamiya kit (the toy-like thing) instead of the Revell tracks, they are only suitable for upgraded Leopards. It would have been better thought to use the Italeri M47 track instead, The end connectors are far better that on my version but you have to slaughter an M47 for this...
The early Leopard’s markings were attached in a slightly different way, the number plates and unit markings high on the front and the weight class on a BIG yellow sign. I purchased these from Truck line. The body color is Revell’s M46.
Model and Photos by: Andreas Hueger
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