For a number of reasons, some goofy, I pulled this one out of the stash, thinking I'm a big boy now, I WILL do some IDF ball and chaing RPG armor the correct way. I would have grabbed one of my Meng Merk 3's in the stash, much better kits, but the HB kit has a fair approximation of anti slip texturing molded on, which should look okay after weathering. Three things I've found so far: 1) The HB drive sprockets are a poor fit for the kit indie link tracks, and don't fit the Friuls I'm using at all, so I used some Tamiya/Academy parts. 2) The rear hull halves at the rear fuel tanks are a very poor fit, lots of sanding and putty needed, and 3) A relatively minor thing, but the instructions would have you build up the exhaust louvers on the lower hull, then fit the upper hull over them. I inserted the louvers after the hull pieces were joined, much easier.
Suspension is not as well done as the Meng kits, but mostly hidden after the skirts are fitted, so no biggie.
On the plus side, molding is mostly very good, and the kit's idlers are a work of slide-molded art. And I know I've said it before, but Merkavas are BIG.
Dark areas are brush painted with Humbrol enamel, all places I can't ger to with a rattle can, and all either mostly hidden later.
Pics:
IMG_0501 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_0500 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_0491 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_0490 by Russel Baer, on Flickr