Strv122
Ref : Tamiya #35242
Hong-Kong Creations Workshop #CK3502
Echelon Fine Details #T35003

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The Strv 122 is the last arrived within Swedish armor arsenal. Derived from the German Leopard 2A5, it benefits from an improved crew protection. It is fitted with an additional armor on the front hull and the turret roof. The TC and loader hatches are more than 20cm thick and are closed with a crank system. The Strv122 inspired the export version : the Leo2A6EX.

The kit is a conversion issued by Hong Kong Creations for the Tamiya Leo 2A5. The resin parts present a high quality carving and molding. The base kit preparation requires some cutting work (sometimes an important one) which must not be spoiled : suppression of the front mudguards and the first skirt section, suppression of the lower part of the rear deck, suppression of the turret rear.
The fitting is perfect even if according to the boxes, you may have some trouble to have the turret hatches sliding in their lodgings. Some parts are very fragile like the TC sight protection which is quite paradoxical for a protection!
Instructions are issued in a leaflet comprising numerous clear pictures and some explanations when applicable. The 3 tone camo is very clearly shown and the mentioned colors are from the Tamiya range. One regret, if I may, the kit misses decals or a template to reproduce the complicated ID plates.

But there arrives the excellent Echelon Fine Details decal set. It comprises no less than 13 marking options of which you can build 6 complete different tanks. The markings are printed on the film without any excess of it which eases their preparation.

The first series of pictures shows the tank prior any application of decals and weathering.

         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
       
         

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