Chariot of Fire- Meng Merkava IIID

[papa 695]

Fantastic

[boatman]

WOW if im ever coverted to the muddy side this is the tank id love to build very nice build sir
chris

[minitnkr]

Love those antennae. Great job. PaulE

[scottie3158]

Al
Excellent work mate.

[Wouter]

Wouter- did you ever share your Merk IV? I’d love to see what you did with one:nerd:
Alistair☠

Very nice update mate!
And the Merk IV was shared on the old place. If you bought MilMod mag in the past you might even have it in print . Ill see if I can find some photos when Im back from work ^^

Cheers

[boatman]

HI Alistair! a question please how will that front M/G be fired as I cant see a hatch for a crew man to open nr it to fire the gun or is it automatic ?
chris ps or has one of the crew men got long arms ? lol

[Road of Bones]

HI Alistair! a question please how will that front M/G be fired as I cant see a hatch for a crew man to open nr it to fire the gun or is it automatic ?
chris ps or has one of the crew men got long arms ? lol

Hi Chris,
It's fired remotely - there are a pair of servos at the rear of the MG, and a control wire that feeds back through the Loader's hatch. It's not really an anti-personnel weapon, more used for determining trajectory of the main gun in urban areas, I believe. There's a co-axial MG to the left of the main gun, as well as the commander's and loader's hatch MGs used for dealing with dismounted threats.

Alistair

[boatman]

Hi Chris,
It's fired remotely - there are a pair of servos at the rear of the MG, and a control wire that feeds back through the Loader's hatch. It's not really an anti-personnel weapon, more used for determining trajectory of the main gun in urban areas, I believe. There's a co-axial MG to the left of the main gun, as well as the commander's and loader's hatch MGs used for dealing with dismounted threats.

Alistair

OK thanks Alistair! for the info I can stop scratin my head over that now but very nice build an a very nice lookin tank I just love the shape of it to me it ticks all the boxes
chris

[Guest]

The Israelis have been putting M2 HB machine guns over the main gun barrels of tanks since about the 1980s, including on their Centurions and Magachs (upgraded M60A1s). If I recall correctly, they are (or at least were originally) intended as a heavier coaxial gun, initially mainly for urban combat in Beirut. You even see them on photos of M109 self-propelled guns in Lebanon.

[Road of Bones]

This might help:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/re-50-cal-mounted-on-main-gun-on-idf-tanks-t134713.html

Basically, it fulfils both roles - as spotting/training round, or as a less-destructive main armament for dealing with targets that perhaps don't require a full 120mm round, or in areas where such ordnance would be overkill.

The M1 Abrams link of the coax 0.50" to the main FCS is a sensible idea too.

[Steve Jones]

That really is up there with the best of them Alistair. Some terrific attention to detail. The crew will indeed be the icing on top of a most sumptuous cake.

[Jim R]

Hi Alistair
That is looking quite superb. Looking forward to the figures.
Don't smudge the white on the barrel - oils take a while to dry :tongue-out3:
Jim

[Allen Dewire]

Beautiful Al. Absolutely top class work there Sir!!!

[Wouter]

Hi Alistair, here is my chariot number 4 from the past:


Cheers

[Guest]

Alistair,
Superb, once it has had a wash then the anti-slip should pop out, great build and still like it.
Mike.