1:35 Merkava 1 (Centurion Type) - Corrected Road Wheels 12 Wheels & QW Mask (for Tamiya Kits)

An old mold, a new wheel

The kit of the early Merkava from Tamiya is among the oldest that can be built of Israeli armored vehicles in 1:35. The molds came into being shortly after the machine was committed in Lebanon and they bear the marks of their time: softer edges, simplified surfaces and a running gear that no longer much resembles today's view of the photographs. That is just why it pays to reach for replacement parts with this box. The wheel is conspicuous on the Merkava, it runs on six mountings on each side and the side plate exposes them more than the builder would expect.

What is included

Twelve wheels in the rendering derived from the British subject will cover both sides of the vehicle, and the enclosed QW template then makes spraying the tire easier. The dimensions of the mounting are adapted to the very Tamiya kit mentioned, in 1:35.

How to plan the improvement

Changing the wheels makes the most sense at the moment when you decide to intervene in the track as well. New wheels change the outline of the running gear and the old plastic track need not fit them as it was designed to. The order of the work is simple: first fit and align the wheels, then try the track, and only after that glue the side plates. Anyone who reverses this sequence usually ends up at the file and re-gluing parts that were already finished.

Whom to recommend it to

The set will be appreciated by anyone who wants to get a model meeting today's demands out of an older kit without having to rebuild the whole hull. The whole improvement moreover amounts to fitting twelve wheels, far less work than rebuilding the same machine from scratch.