1/600 Scale Modern German Kampfpanzer 70 Main Battle Tank.
Contains 10 highly detailed tanks.
Contains:- 10x German Kampfpanzer 70 Main Battle Tanks
Kampfpanzer 70 Main Battle Tank
The
MBT-70 (German:
KPz 70) was a 1960s German-U.S. joint project to develop a new
main battle tank, which was to be equipped with a number of advanced features. It utilized a newly developed hydropneumatic "kneeling" suspension and housed the entire crew in the large turret. The MBT-70 was armed with a 152mm
XM150 gun/launcher, which could use conventional ammunition and the
Shillelagh missile for long range combat.
By 1969 the project was well over budget and Germany withdrew from the effort. They developed a new main battle tank on their own, the
Leopard 2. In the US, MBT-70 development continued for a short time, until 1971 when Congress cancelled the program. They began development of a less expensive design, which became the
M1 Abrams. Although the MBT-70 failed to enter service, the Leopard 2 and M1 are the current main battle tanks of both countries.
The MBT-70's main armament was a stabilized
XM150 152 mm gun/launcher, a longer-barreled and improved variant of the XM-81 gun/launcher used in the light
M551 Sheridan and the
M60A2 "Starship". This gun/launcher could fire conventional 152 mm rounds like
High Explosive,
anti-personnel,
High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and
Armor Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) rounds, but also the
Shillelagh missile, a 152 mm guided missile, which had a combat range of some 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). In the 1960s the effective combat range of the 105 mm
L7 tank gun was considered to be about 1,800 metres (5,900 ft). The XM578 APFSDS round was made of a newly developed tungsten alloy, which was 97.5 percent tungsten. This new alloy had a density of 18.5 g·cm³, which was a big improvement compared to the older
tungsten-carbide APDS and APFSDS rounds. Another new feature of the ammunition was that the tank rounds were "caseless"; i.e., they had combustible cases.
The MBT-70 was equipped with a
laser rangefinder and an
auto-loader, located in the turret rear, two 'cutting edge' devices for this time. The auto-loader was capable of loading both missiles and normal tank rounds.
The Germans were planning to use the MBT-70 in combination with the
Keiler, a tank equipped with a
Rheinmetall 120mm
smoothbore gun. Therefore, a suggestion was made to base a version of the Keiler on the MBT-70 chassis — this version was nicknamed
Eber, but only a wooden mock-up was made. According to the German plans, the MBT-70 would destroy enemies at long ranges, while the
Keiler would have an effective combat range of up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).
The secondary armament of the MBT-70 consisted of a remote-controlled 20 mm Rh 202
autocannon for use against aircraft and light armoured vehicles. The gun could be retracted into a container behind the driver's rotating cupola for protection as well as to reduce overall height, and was operated remotely by the commander. Furthermore, a 7.62 mm
machine gun was mounted coaxially alongside the main gun for close-defense. The US prototypes were fitted with the
M73 machine gun, while the German version utilized the
MG-3 machine gun.
The ammunition load of the MBT-70 prototype seen in the
Deutsches Panzermuseum consists of 42 tank rounds, 6
Shillelagh missiles, 660
20×139 mm cannon rounds and 2,700
7.62×51mm NATO machine gun rounds.
Cleaning Information
Some part cleanup will be necessary. The 3D printing process uses a waxy substance to support certain part features during the printing process. Although the parts are cleaned by Shapeways, some waxy residue may remain. It can be safely removed with water and a mild aqueous detergent like "Simple Green" using an old, soft toothbrush, Q-tips or pipe cleaners. During the printing process, liquid resin is cured by ultraviolet light. Microscopic bits of resin may remain uncured.
Let your parts sit in direct sunlight for a few hours to fully cure the resin.
Water-based acrylic paints meant for plastics is strongly recommended. Other paints, especially enamels, may not cure on Frosted Detail 3D-printed plastics.
Use dedicated model sprue cutters to remove parts to minimise the risk of damage to parts.
Please take a look at my other items.
Painting tips and preparation