Meng Merkava IIID Build Log.

Hi DHSKEVIN,

Looking crisp and surface detail seems nice as well.

What is your overall impression of the kit so far?

Surprised at the bad attachment points - kind not like MENG.

It looks as if the attachement is actually protruding from the back of the sprocket - could it be that it is supposed to be cut of flash to the surfacerather then trying to cut it out of the radius?

Thank you for sharing your build with us!

Very Best Regards

Johan

I've built two of their kits and am working on a third now and have had a similar issue with them all. It takes some extra time to clean up some parts but the results are fine. See the post I just made about washing before painting. Other than that these are amazing kits and well worth the effort. Good luck with the Merkava.

What do you think of the thickness of their plastic parts? I found them a little thinner from other companies and easier to bend if not careful. I'm currently half way on their French AUF1and I'm finding these kits are highly detailed and the fits are great but I also think there may be some growing pains like the above sprocket. Looking forward to building their D9R Bulldozer.

Interesting point. I think the plastic is softer than others making clean up more difficult. I usually use a knife to clean up parts but have started using a sanding stick after a few minor slip ups got me concerned my old habit might cause a big problem. I also agree with your comment about fit and detail. If you like the AUF1 you'll love the Bradley.

heres an update today:

Hull finished applied side skirts.

I dropped the other Rear break Light onto my hard wood floor, Im guessing a 4th Dimension opened up and swallowed my break light. i spent a good hours on my hands and knees last night scouring my kitchen floor and could not find this piece of plastic... im just dumb founded. any ideas on how to scratch build a new break light or what i can do? im lost without it.

You may want to check old kits first, some of the newer kits come with 700 parts you may scratch out something, or if you have a pair from other kits you could change out the left one so they both match. Just a thought.

These taillights look similar to other kits, I think you'll be all right, but Keep Looking, it's there.

I quit using a blade to clean up Meng parts just because they're to soft.

I'll see what I have for you.

no worries , my little 3 year old got a hold of my Merkava Turret and well lets just say its not going to make it. So i just had to bite a $50 bullet and bought another MENG Merkava Kit.  

on a positive note tracks are done, But the build will have to hold until the new kits comes in the mail. Hopefully Scale Hobbyist.com Will ship monday there pretty quick about it.

All the best, the tracks look fantastic.

Looking good LHSKEVIN, I feel the pain of 3 y/o, my rug rats have done their own custom modifications on some of my builds.

To make your replacement rear light, I would use a piece of plastic tube and a piece of round rod .

I know I'm a bit late now, so good luck with your build...cheers....Kenny

lol np, thx for advise , im good now since i had to order a new Kit so the light issue is no more.

Some of theses Dragon kits have so many duplicate parts that if you're lucky you could replace something or scratch one out, sorry for your loss, so what are you going to do with a dup kit? Off the top of my head I could think of a lot of DIO ideas with two vehicles. Especially if one suffered right rear battle damage….Just sayin

heres an idea..

finally got my replacement kit in, and started this build back up again here is some shots.

Turret almost done.

Applied the Anti-Skid texture to turret with Rustoleum Textured paint.

some on the hull

My patriotic pride has to proclaim the M1 Abrams the best Main Battle Tank ever produced.....but shhhh, secretly between us here, the Merkava, hands down, has always been the coolest looking MBT for it's "I am king boss around here" design in my opinion. 

Tip for you next time a part goes MIA, especially more so if you are working over a hardwood floor.....take your vacuum cleaner, take some old nylons you girlfriend/wife has laying around (or use something similar along those line) and rubber band it over those hose opening.  Then start vacuuming the floor.  The vaccum will suck it up eventually, and the nylons will stop the part from being swallowed into the vacuum and should be waiting right there for ya.

Anyway, I like the idea for the second tank....turn it into a war casualty and heck, maybe have some figures from the non-hit tank milling around the burned out one to add some visual interest.  Or maybe not milling about, maybe have Israeli soldiers using the burned out tank for cover with the main one in the forefront.

Brian

Well turret is complete, basically done building but I'm still awaiting my mig ammo paint set almost 2 weeks since it shipped from spain......

Added some temp stowage IDF mre's cots and sleeping bags, also going to make a tarp for rear basket out of clay.

Turret is painted, and applied a wash and some weathering. Still have a bit more to do on the turret. Let me know what ya think.

Dhskevin,

Awesome!  Fantastic job on the turret.  I may have to do an armor kit one of these days.

Cheers,

Wayne

wow that turret looks great, ive been meaning to try out those MENG kits.

Very, very nice. I like the turret and colors.

It is coming out very nice.

I have a Merkava on my stash, somewhere this year I will get my hands on.

Good job, keep us informed.

Enthralling, comrade.

This is looking really good, the turret is awesome.