Medevac - Evasan 1/87: The LEOPARD A2 at 1/87

vendredi 23 décembre 2022

The LEOPARD A2 at 1/87 - English Version

The LEOPARD A2 at 1/87

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Staging of LEOPARD A2 tanks in 1/87

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Brand: HERPA Scale: 1/87 Reference: 740 678

Brand: 4MFOR Scale: 1/87 Reference: 18515

Brand: Y Modelle Scale: 1/87 Reference: 87132

Brand: Y Modelle Scale: 1/87 Reference: 87134

Brand: HERPA Scale: 1/87 Reference: 740 494

More pictures of this diorama under this link:

American and German tank dioramas

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In the early 1970s, following the abandonment of the German-American MBT-70 program (initially intended to provide both countries with a common tank platform), West Germany, still eager to replace the LEOPARD 1 , asked the PORSCHE, KRAUSS-MAFFEI and WEGMANN groups to work on the project.

The starting point was the KEILER prototype and the MBT-70 program. The motorization, the track, the rolling system will be taken from the MBT-70 and the general architecture from the Keiler. The only question that arises is whether the gun calibre will be 105 mm or 120 mm.

From 1972 to 1976, several prototypes were built according to different configurations, 17 in total, plus two versions called AV tending towards the American M1 project in view of a unification of the elements (turret with composite armouring, suspension reinforcement, laser rangefinder and not optical). The tests completed, the AV version is retained (with its non-composite but perforated armor) and is used as a basis for the production by the companies KRAUSS-MAFFEI and MAK in eight batches (2 950 tanks built between 1979 and 1992).

In 1988, a modernization program was implemented to give birth to the A5 version: relocation of the panoramic sight of the tank commander, increase of the armor on the front of the turret and on the undercarriage, installation of a thermal camera for the commander (the gunner already had one, which could be copied for the commander), GPS/inertial navigation system. On the A6 version, the 120 mm L/44 gun is replaced by the 120 mm L/55 version from Rheinmetall, which is longer. NBC capability, night vision.

The unit price of a LEOPARD 2 tank was estimated at $5.3 million in March 2006 (Source: Forecast International).

The armour is composite, made of steel, ceramic plates and tungsten. It is similar to the Chobham used on the M1A2 and Challenger 2. The main difference between the Leopard 2 armor and the Chobham armor is the use of tungsten instead of depleted uranium. Tungsten has a better density and hardness while having a better torsion capacity.

The Leopard 2 is by far the most exported Western European tank since the 1980s, largely due to surpluses resulting from the reduction of armed forces in Europe.

Canadian LEOPARD A2 during the intervention in Afghanistan

More than 3,200 tanks have been built up to 2007, including all versions and foreign licenses:
Austria (115), Germany (320), Canada (120), Chile (118), Spain (349), Denmark (57), Finland (124), Greece (353), Indonesia (104), Netherlands (180), Switzerland (380), Singapore (170) Poland (232), Sweden (280), Norway (54), Turkey (298), Portugal (37), Qatar (62).