AMX 30 EBD
Armored mineclearing tank

Model and pictures by D. Lecru

When the Gulf war started, the French army did not have any mineclearing tanks. In emergency, the AMX30B got a former East German KMT5 system. A remote control device was adapted to prevent the driver from being inside during the breaching operations. A total of 6 tanks were modified and issued to the 6th foreign legion engineer regiment. During the attack of the division Daguet, two groups of three tanks were organized to support the battalion task forces.

This model is a conversion by Des Kit for the Heller kit. The conversion is in a yellow resin and comprises the mine rollers set with its support plate, the two pushing arms, the 6 rollers, one turret without the bustle, a protection plate for the radio operator-loader station and the five lights on the rear deck.

A thorough blank testing was necessary as well as the use of putty for the seams. The original kit turret was preferred to the conversion one and was slightly modified.

References :
http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/amx30-ebd.htm
http://maquettegarden.free.fr/materielsmodernes.htm

 

         
         
         
         
       
         
Index