The Leopard is done...

it looks great
what are the wing thing for ? ive seen them on the challenger too
what did you use for netting it looks very good
great job well done

Very nice Chris. I really like the camo netting on the front of the turet.
mark956

I think the wing things are something added by Tamiya to lure AC builders to armor. Actually they are armor panels that swing out to allow access to the engine compartment. They had to be added on after a design change. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.
The netting is cheese cloth ( It does work good Shermie ) airbrushed with some parsley thrown on for good taste.

Great job, Chris. The camo is just perfect. The netting is very realistic, too.

Overall, it's fantastic. Can't wait to get my hands on my Leopard.

Can you see the trend here?

First, I had a Sherman but I didn't touch it until you built yours.

Now, I had to wait for you to finish your Leo before I start mine.

Am I a copycat now? LOL.

Thanks guys.
Dwight- I don't look at it that way. I feel it is a compliment that my work is so good that I am causing others to try and duplicate it .

so when are you going to start your Panther Dwight Ta-Ala

is this a silly Question (where do you buy cheesecloth from?????)
if it is a silly Question im sorry (but could you tell me anyway)

whats lizzardQueenie working on ? has she got herself the P38 yet?

Doesn't it feel satisfying to get that camo job you want just right? It took me three applications on my Tiger I, before I was satisfied. Looks great Chris, I also like the use of netting.

"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."-R.E.Lee

Cap: Here's my situation. I spent all my hobby budget for this month last month (Leo 2 A5, British Chally 2 & M1A2) so I have not purchased the Panther yet. I'll get that with my December budget (and the 1/144 Concorde if it does come, too...oops sorry this is supposed to be the armor forum). That would be my 2nd Panther so I am also excited.

Captain- I don't know where the best place to get cheesecloth is, my dad happened to have some. I guess a grocery store or something like that would carry it.
She has started her P-38, it got most of it's paint this afternoon other than that the cockpit is put together.

LQ Nice job. Very impressive camo job, and yes the netting does look .

I now have a series of good detail shots of this beast (too late for you now I guess) but I've noticed that the spare rubber track blocks on the front of the vehicle (the 'X' things) are not painted with camo in the shots I have. The fittings where they go is, of course. Maybe this is just on the vehicle I have shots of.

If you want me to email you a few shots, let me know where to send them.

Captain. Cheesecloth is, funny enough, what old time cheese manufacturers would wrap their cheese curd in to hold the cheese together. It was an open weave to allow aircirculation and also drainage of fluids. Wax was sometimes poored over the cloth depending on the type of cheese. It was also used to make airing covers to keep insects off food like cakes, pastries and cheese - you know those umbrella type things!

It became a very popular fabric to make summer clothes (women's blouses, etc) in the late 60's and early 70's, at least here and in the US. It is still used for this purpose, so I'd say your best bet to find it should be a fabric shop or Haberdashery.

Excellent work lizardqing! Man, I wish I had a decent digital camera to shoot good photos! I just finished a Diorama of a German secret strong point from a kit put out by Arii. It looks incredible; I just wish I could show everyone!

Peter- I found alot of pics to on my quest with this big guy. I have a couple were it shows the camo over the snow blocks, so it sounds like it is something that depends on the vehichle.

Duke- Thanks. That dio sounds like it is someting to see. Hope you can show it off here someday.

thanks Peter for the info on where to get chees cloth
all i thought was it origional use and didnt know where they make cheese around here lol, but ill give my missis the task to find some cheese cloth (i cant tell her what its for though)

Dwight i was sayit it for the copycat thing

Looks great Chris !!!!! You captured the hard edge of the camo very well.

Definitely a build you can be proud of .... great camo net too.

Thanks for sharing.

Captain

QUOTE: ill give my missis the task to find some cheese cloth

Go on, be a bit adventurous and go and have a look for it yourself. You will be surprised what you turn up in a fabric shop.

I went in with my wife once. She bought nothing, but I bought a couple of decorative buttons to use as masters for casting building ornaments, some netting to use in a chainwire fence on a 'Nam dio and on a separate M113 ACAV dio, some netting that had a great brick work pattern to it (I spread it over a plaster building I had just made and pressed it into the curing plaster with a rolling pin. I waited til the plaster was almost hard and then gently pulled the netting out - presto, instant crumbling brickwork) and some really nice paint brushes that were 'on special' , that were for painting flowers and stuff on fabric, but were just fine for me too!

Chris, awesome job!! You did anexcellent job on the camo, net and weathering!! I I think the parsley is quite tasteful btw

That green doesn't look near as dark now does it?

Outstanding job!!

Eric

Thanks Robert and Eric.
Eric- I actually went back and sprayed a darker green over the light one that was on it. I believe I had originally used testors flat green. I ran out before the whole thing was done and could'nt find anymore anywhere so i went with MM medium green which was darker.

It's interesting how the color looks different when you ad the others for the camo isn't it? Again, you di great on that one Chris!

Eric

It really did change the look alot. Now I next time maybe I can skip the silly putty and try it free hand. That should look real interesting.

Well done, Chris. Great build and great finish. Need to put it on a nice wooden base now.

Great job Lizard,

Looks great

Chris,

Excellent job! Nothing like a Leopard to make one feel, well, happy.

Ron.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Captain Caveman [is this a silly Question (where do you buy cheesecloth from?????) if it is a silly Question im sorry (but could you tell me anyway) w

Captain C. :
u can find cheesecloth at places that stock house paint (DIY shop or hardware store); painters use it to strain paint to filter out particles of dust, etc. ... it's a loosely woven cotton, i think... good for camo netting !
good luck with ur search !
frosty

Looks good Chris. The net is a really good effect. Our allies in Europe are indeed quite fond of them. Very nice.

Thanks for the compliments everybody. If it were not for all of you though it would not have to good so I have to thank all of y'all.

Great model, did an excellent job. congrats
I think the wing dings are removable armor plates. When damaged they get exchanged for new once or if a new armor type gets developed it can be installed instead.

The Leopard is the most dangerous cat. Fast, agile, strong and deadly. The Leopard rules

I can't wait till aftermarkets parts or a kit of the new Leopard 2 A6 comes out. It has a new Barrel with length of 55 calibers instead of 44 now. Muzzle velocity is about 1850m/s compared to the old one with about 1800m/s.

Nice work, Chris. I just bought Tamiya's 2A5 and Trumpeter's SLT-56 Tank Transporter to pose together. I imagine it will be a looooooooong time before I finish either one, but at least I have the kits!

Lookin' good!

-Mark

Grizzly- I did'nt know that was also what they were for. All the kit said about them was they were for accessing the engine compartment because of the shape of the armor. Always learnin somethin around here.

Mark-That should be a great looking finish though. You will enjoy the 2A5 , one of the best all around kits I have done yet. Look forward to seeing yours come along.