1/600 Scale Israeli Merkava I Main battle tanks x10. Set contains 10 highly detailed tanks.
Contains:- 10x Merkava I Main Battle Tanks
Merkava I Main Battle Tank
The Mark I, operational since 1978, is the original design created as a result of Israel Tal's decision, and was fabricated and designed for
mass production. The Mark I weighed 63 tonnes and had a 900 horsepower (670 kW) diesel engine, with a power-to-weight ratio of 14 hp/ton. It was armed with the 105 millimeter M68 main gun (a licensed copy of the British
Royal Ordnance L7), two
7.62 mm machine guns for anti-infantry defense, and a 60 mm
mortar mounted externally, with its operator not completely protected by the tank's hull.
The general design borrows the tracks and road wheels from the British
Centurion tank, which had seen extensive use during the Yom Kippur war and performed well in the rocky terrain of the Golan.
The Merkava was first used in combat during the
1982 Lebanon War, where Israel deployed 180 units. Although they were a success, the
M113 APCs that accompanied them were found to have several defects and were withdrawn. Merkavas were converted into makeshift APCs or armored ambulances by taking out the palleted ammunition racks in storage. Ten soldiers or walking wounded could enter and exit through the rear door.
After the war, many adjustments and additions were noted and designed, the most important being that the 60 mm mortar needed to be installed within the hull and engineered for remote firing—a valuable feature that the Israelis had initially encountered on their
Centurion Mk3s with their
2" Mk.III mortar. A shot trap was found beneath the rear of the turret
bustle, where a well-placed shot could jam the turret completely. The installation of chain netting to disperse and destroy
rocket propelled grenades and
anti-tank rockets before impacting the primary armor increased survivability.
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.
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Painting tips and preparation