Entering service in the last couple of years, the Leopard 2A7V is the most modern version of the German main battle tank. Improvements include better driving optics, a hardened 120mm gun barrel with an effective range of up to 5,000 meters, and improved front armor.
Now, here comes the all-new Tamiya 1/35 scale Leopard 2AV7 plastic model kit. To say there are a ton of parts here is a bit of understatement with more than 380 in dark green plastic complemented by 126 gray link-and-length track parts, 19 clear parts for the periscopes and sighting optics, 12 photo-etched metal (PE) screens and stowage bin mesh, and four vinyl polycaps. Masks — you’ll need to cut them from the sheet — and decals to mark one of three German vehicles round out the package.
The detail on the parts looks great with crisp edges, deep vents, and subtle but obvious nonskid texture patches.
Everything fit together well, but this is far from a quick build, mostly because of the high parts count. I was especially impressed with the PE parts. They are easy to handle, fit perfectly, and take paint well. The inclusion of parts to shape the PE mesh for the turret stowage bins takes out the guesswork for perfect parts.
Because the upper hull includes fender skirts and the link-and-length tracks are easier to install before the hull is together, I assembled the kit in three major subassemblies: lower hull, upper hull, and turret. I left delicate parts, such as the turret stowage bins and smoke grenade launchers off those assemblies to avoid the risk of the masking breaking them during application and removal.
After painting the lower hull, suspension, the inside of the fenders, and the wheels Tamiya NATO Green and weathering those areas, I installed the wheels.
The only area of the project that gave me trouble was assembling the tracks. According to the instructions, the upper and lower halves of the tracks trap a pin (Part T2) leaving it movable. Each of those clicks into the next link with runs joining the lengths for the upper and lower runs and the whole thing can be closed around the wheels. Mmm hmm. The pins joining the links were too small to hold together as I tried to perform this action, no matter how carefully I maneuvered the parts or held my tongue or how many swears I strung creatively together. In the end, I built the sections around the sprockets and top runs, anchoring it in place with liquid cement as I went.
After the tracks were installed, I glued the upper hull in place, masked the tracks and wheels, and painted the camouflage with Tamiya lacquers masking with poster putty between layers.
The decals laid down perfectly over a layer of clear gloss and the sharp surface detail took enamel washes beautifully.
Typical for Tamiya, the kit includes figures for the commander and loader to be posed in the turret hatches. Optional heads wearing helmets or berets are provided, and the instructions show the colors for the five-color digital camo on the uniforms. Decals supply German flags for the sleeves, rank insignia for the shoulder boards, and strip where the name would appear.
The finished Tamiya 1/35 scale Leopard 2A7V plastic model tank looks the part and captures the upgraded vehicle’s lines and the size of the huge turret. It is engineered to be virtually foolproof, including the smart use of PE, so there are few pitfalls other than the delicate tracks. Those and the large part count make it a good choice for anyone who has built a few tanks.