Model Forum / General / Models / February 2009

The kit shares no parts with their previous Merkava III kit.  It's 100% new
tool.  In fact, the III kit that I have from them is labeled :static model"
and has a (different) hull devoid of the motor holes.  I felt basically the
same about the kit and did a min-review about a week ago for another forum
that I'm on.

At first glance it looks pretty good. The distinct saucer shaped turret is
molded in two large upper and lower halves. Track is link and length. They
include a small PE sheet with the perforated plates for the rear stowage
baskets and the bottom of the stowage basket, metal license plates, and an
interesting way to make the ball and chain armor for the turret rear. This
consists of rack sections of chains with a flat disk on the end. One of the
sprues (two actually, since the sprue is duplicated) has a number of round
domes molded on the sprue runner. You are expected to slice off the the
domes and stick one to each side of the disk at the end of the chain,
resulting in a 3D ball. Since there seem to be around 70 chains, this should
lead to a lot of fun cutting out and attaching about 140 half balls.
Overall, it looks generally accurate, but I'll let the expert weigh in on
the exact details. Decals for one vehicle. As a final note, there appear to
be at least two actual versions of the Merkava IV, an early version (Baz?)
without a loader's hatch in the turret and thin side skirts with a rubber
bottom and large openings in the two rear skirts, and a newer version (LIC?)
with a loader's hatch and thicker solid skirts. This kit is of the early
version. The area of the turret where the loader's hatch would be is a
separate part, so it's possible that Academy could later release the other
version.

There are a few nits with the kit. First, no non-skid texture on the turret
or upper hull, which is disappointing. Adding it will be a challenge since
there is a ton of fine detail in the form of bolt heads and rings that you
have to avoid covering up. Second, the lower hull has the dreaded
motorization holes to deal with. It's somewhat surprising to see this in a
modern kit, but perhaps motorized kits are bigger in Korea than elsewhere.
In the same "old school" vein, the upper hull has open sponsons on the
underside. Although the skirts hide this for most of the length, the rear
part of the skirts have large openings in them and also stop at the rear
idler so there is a section of hull at the rear where this is completely
uncovered. My feeling is that you'll need to block off the rear 1/3 of the
upper hull. The forward part will be hidden by the skirts.

Perhaps there is room for improvement, but not a bad kit for under $40.

Dave

Kit Review: Academy 1/35 Scale Kit No. 13213; Merkava Mk. IV; 620
parts (586 in tan styrene, 18 vinyl, 15 etched brass, 1 nylon string);
retail price US$44.00

Advantages: very accurate and nicely done kit misses few details; link
and length tracks a smart idea

Disadvantages: “motoritis” of the hull; assembly of chain armor weight
balls will be tedious

Rating: Highly Recommended

Recommendation: for all fans of modern armor or the IDF

The armor used by the Israeli Defense Forces has always been popular,
as it generally has shown brilliant local reuse of either cast-off or
obsolete vehicles or native genius in creating highly effective
vehicles; many other countries have actually based some of their new
armor concepts (such as heavy armored combat vehicles or HACVs) on
Israeli designs.

The Merkava (Chariot) tank began as a product improved design based
on parts from the British Centurion and L7 105mm gun combined with the
American AVDS-1790 diesel engine on a totally new chassis, which moved
to an engine-front design with the smallest possible turret to protect
the crew at all costs. The vehicle also had a rear access hatch and
jump seats for recovery of personnel or wounded in combat while
providing maximum protection. It made its combat debut in Lebanon in
1982.

Since then the tank has evolved through three more evolutions, each
more heavily armed and protected than the last. Today we now have the
Merkava Mark IV, armed with the US M256 120mm gun, a .50 caliber M2HB
machine gun for coaxial work or “pest control” of light armored
vehicles, and a 7.62mm machine gun for the commander’s use. The tank
has state-of-the-art sights and communications equipment, massive
turret armor protection (weight is indicated as heavier than 62 metric
tons) and other protective measures. The tanks have been in service
for several years now but were first sent into combat in the
disastrous raids on Hizbollah in Lebanon.

Academy has now released a new kit of the Merkava Mark IV; since they
also had a Mark III (which I have not seen) I cannot comment on
whether or not this kit is based on the earlier one. But from what I
can tell this appears to be a “ground-up” new mold kit using slide
molding and other state of the air techniques.

The kit is very conventional in general layout, but shows its
motorized origins with the now standard three holes in the belly of
the hull for the motor mounts and remote control wire access. A plug
is provided for the central cable hole, but not for the two motor
mount holes up front. Also, while many of the smaller details are
provided for the lower hull, the access hatch at  the rear is a “false
front” and cannot be displayed open without a lot of work in creating
a interior and an inner face to the hatch.

Given that, the rest of the kit is nicely done and very
straightforward. The road wheel bogies are one massive unit with a
rocker assembly that is attached but as they are springs will need
careful cleanup. The road wheel pairs consist of four parts: rear
wheel, vinyl keeper, front wheel, and separate rim with tire for
definition; happily, the rims and tires are styrene and not vinyl so
painting is not a problem.

Modelers will be happy that Academy includes “link and length” tracks
with the kit (curiously referred to as “semi-connecting tracks” on the
box ends!) The main runs have no ejection pin marks but the “wrap”
sections do, so a bit of cleanup or filling (modeler’s choice) will be
needed on those. The track runs therefore comprise but 27 parts each.

The turret is approximately 60% the size of the hull, and most of the
detailing parts are used on it. The commander’s hatch may be
positioned opened or closed, as can the gunner’s primary day/night
sight doors. There are several antennas (parts B31) which I assume
from what I know of the vehicle to be part of its battlefield control
system interface (these are something new many countries are using
such as the US system for brigade and below automated command and
control). There are also several regular antennas plus a
meteorological sensor mast and the turret basket. The coaxial .50
caliber has a slide molded bore and comes in a total of 14 parts
including its mount, 17 if you count the ammo feed.

The main gun comes with a number of add-on bits for lifting eyes and
other fittings. The side skirts come with separate top-mounted hinges
and edges so this is a nice bit of detail usually left to the modeler.
The engine exhaust grille is formed from separate “V” shaped parts,
but the large mesh cover is not provided as part of the etched brass
fret. (This was the only major part that I noted missing when compared
with photos of current Merkavas in service.)

The etched brass includes the vehicle serial number plates (so in
theory only one tank can be built from the kit) as well as end pates
for the hull stowage bins, the floor of the bustle basket and most
importantly, the chain armor around the lower edge of the rear of the
turret. This protection, which received the somewhat flippant
nicknames “Dingle Balls” or “Chi-Chi Balls” after their appearance
being similar to “Low Riders” favorite fringe window trim for their
cars, has been a royal pain ever since the IDF added to their tanks
some years ago.

Academy’s solution has been to make them as etched brass frets with
the round portion attached from separately provided half sections
(molded on the D sprue edges in what is now Academy’s standard style
for small supplemental parts) for the modeler to attach with super
glue. They provide 184 sections for 66 balls; as each ball takes two
sections, they provide at least 50 extras as “sacrifices to the carpet
monster!” I suggest added them BEFORE removing the ball sections (five
to eight in a group) for attachment to the turret.

A small section of decals is included, but as Academy notes you will
have to add the canvas removal tactical panels from tissue with a
soaking in either white glue or “soup” made of glue and plastic.

Overall this is an outstanding effort and one which should be well
received by IDF fans.

Thanks to Ed Sexton of MRC for the review sample.

Cookie Sewell