Leopard 2a4m can in afghan (Hobbyboss Kit)

[stevebrodie]

I am going to be building the HobbyBoss 1/35 model of a Canadian leopard 2a4m CAN soon for a review site. The box art shows the tank fitted with ‘slat armour’ to the rear of the tank and turret. Searching the net I cannot find any reference photos showing this configuration, and other sites have added more confusion by stating that this configuration was never implemented, it was either no slat armour to the rear or slat armour to the rear plus barracuda netting to the rest of the tank. So my question is; did the Canadian leopards carry the armour as portrayed on box art or not, was the armour applied before arriving in Afghan and then the netting added at a later stage ?

Many thanks for any assistance you can provide;


Hi Steve,

I'm certainly no subject matter expert, so I would suggest your best plan would be to post your question on the Army.ca forums. We actually have a board dedicated to "Gaming, Models and Re-Enactment" which would be the perfect spot:

https://army.ca/forums/index.php/board,71.0.html


Cheers
Mike

 

[Staff Weenie]

I've seen a few pictures of them with this. Here's one from Combat Camera.

 

[stevebrodie]

Thanks for that, box art shows it configured like this

 

[Franko]

Staff Weenie - that's a Leo 2A6M, not an A4M.

As for the Op, yes. The A4M on tour in Afgahnistan were using the Barricuda kit with the slat Armour and were not plain green. They may have been for a very short time whilst in KAF during deployment, but I doubt it.

You could model it without the slat armour and that would be accurate as to what we have in Canada right now. You could also buy the conversion kit from Perfect Scale Modelbau and build it like they were in Panjwaii.

http://www.perfect-scale.de/en/www--perfect-scale-de-3/Leopard-2A4-M-Can-w--Barracuda-Camouflage.html?XTCsid=ar2o3vdsffjr0imhtp50c50ha3

Pricy, but accurate.

Hope that helps.

Regards

 

[stevebrodie]

Staff Weenie - that's a Leo 2A6M, not an A4M.

As for the Op, yes. The A4M on tour in Afgahnistan were using the Barricuda kit with the slat Armour and were not plain green. They may have been for a very short time whilst in KAF during deployment, but I doubt it.

You could model it without the slat armour and that would be accurate as to what we have in Canada right now. You could also buy the conversion kit from Perfect Scale Modelbau and build it like they were in Panjwaii.

http://www.perfect-scale.de/en/www--perfect-scale-de-3/Leopard-2A4-M-Can-w--Barracuda-Camouflage.html?XTCsid=ar2o3vdsffjr0imhtp50c50ha3

Many thanks for that, so a green leopard it is then back in Canada. Though i may purchase some Barracuda Netting and build as in theatre.

 

[Franko]

You could do that but, in my opinion based on seeing similar examples, it wouldn't look nearly as good as the PSM kit.

I have a contact in the industry and he has told me there is another company planing on making the barracuda kit in plastic instead of resin. That might be a cheaper option for you if you wait.

PSM makes museum quality parts. You get what you pay for.

Regards

 

[stevebrodie]

You could do that but, in my opinion based on seeing similar examples, it wouldn't look nearly as good as the PSM kit.

I have a contact in the industry and he has told me there is another company planing on making the barracuda kit in plastic instead of resin. That might be a cheaper option for you if you wait.

PSM makes museum quality parts. You get what you pay for.

Regards

Thanks for the info on the plastic option in the future. need to keep it mostly OOB for the review and swapping the whole upper hull and turret is outside the remit  [lol: plus don't fancy paying £100 either  [

 

[Franko]

Thanks for the info on the plastic option in the future. need to keep it mostly OOB for the review and swapping the whole upper hull and turret is outside the remit  [lol: plus don't fancy paying £100 either  [

Yeah, it's definitely not for everyone, but if accuracy is what you want the you have little choice.

I made a replica of my tank as it was in Afghanistan and I'm at the $380 mark. Still not quite done.

Regards

 

[stevebrodie]

But i bet it will be well worth it, especially as you have a tie to the tank. Any progress photos anywhere ?

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I made a replica of my tank as it was in Afghanistan and I'm at the $380 mark. Still not quite done.

Well, if you're making it at the 1:1 scale  [

 

[GINge!]

I thought there the HB 2A4M could be made OOB and accurate. The box art may have the wrong colours, but were they not in AFG as per the box art, ie, no barracuda cam, at least for a short while? Or did they roll off the Antonovs with the cuda cam in place?

PS - there's more Leopard 1 goodness in the pipe.

 

[Franko]

I thought there the HB 2A4M could be made OOB and accurate. The box art may have the wrong colours, but were they not in AFG as per the box art, ie, no barracuda cam, at least for a short while? Or did they roll off the Antonovs with the cuda cam in place?

PS - there's more Leopard 1 goodness in the pipe.

No. They were shipped bare and wrapped up in cam as soon as they got to KAF.