Mark's Leopard 2A6 - Pack 8

[Mark, The Master Modeller]

On with pack 8!

Stage 61 gives us a couple of track guards (At least, that's what I think they are!)

 

 

These screw onto the hinges armour.  Easy stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

We also get the hub caps for the return rollers.  These are stuck on with double sided tape.  Carefully remove a disc from the backing sheet, stick it to the hub cap, then remove the protective layer.  Tweezers are your friend here.

 

 

Then simply stick it to the return roller.

 

 

Repeat for all four return rollers.

 

 

Stage 62 is a repeat for stage 61 on the other side of the model.

 

 

Guards in place.

 

 

Hub caps in place.

 

 

Stage 63 gives us the smoke generator.

 

 

This just screws in with a couple of screws.

 

 

Stage 64 gives us the track tensioners and a bottle of smoke oil.

 

 

Take the right track suspension are and fit the right hand spring.

 

 

Add the suspension bush, ensuring that the spring locates in the slot.  Fix with a screw.

 

 

Repeat with the left side, being careful not to get them mixed up.

Now fit the assemblies to the front of the model.  I fitted them to the correct sides, but found that there was very little tension holding the arms out.  So I swapped them left for right (after disassembling them to doubt check I hadn't made a mistake!) and found that the tension was much better.  I think they got their lefts and rights mixed up!!

 

 

 

 

 

The instructions show you how to fill the smoke generator with oil, but I suggest it's best leaving this until the model is about to be used.  
I'm not sure how easy it will be to fill the smoke generator once the tank is completed.  Time will tell|!!  
As aside, more supplies of smoke oil (glycerin oil) can be obtained from Amazon and model railway suppliers.

Stage 65 gives us the idler wheels and smoke pipes.

 

 

Put a plastic bush in the wheel inner half.

 

 

Add the outer half of the wheel and fix with three screws.  I little oil to lubricate these screws is a good idea.

 

 

Add this wheel assembly to the tank and fix with a screw.

 

 

Add the hub cap that was supplied in stage 39.  Note that the right hub cap was supplied in stage 40.  These are handed, not identical, so be careful you fit them on the correct sides.

 

 

The other side is a repeat of course.

Stage 66 gives us some braces of the turret and LED lights.

 

 

Remove the bottom of the turret, then add these braces with two screw each side.

 

 

Then replace the turret bottom.

 

 

Stage 67 gives us the rear panel and light lenses.

 

 

Fit the lenses into the rear panel.  The round ones are screwed in place, the rectangular ones are just a push fit.

 

 

The LEDs are screwed in place.

 

 

Now we have to loosen the side armour so we can screw the rear panel in place.  

 

 

Re-fix the side armour and it should look like this.

 

 

Take the cable clips that were supplied in issue 30 and tame to rear light cables.

 

 

Stage 68 gives us the rear panel insert, exhaust manifolds, and other details.

 

 

Fix the tow hook and small panel to the rear panel insert.

 

 

Turn it over and fit the exhaust manifolds.

 

 

Turn it over again, and fit the other tow hooks and red reflectors.

 

 

This panel is fitted to the hull rather than the deck.  It's fitted with two larger screws and four small screws in the corers.  Be careful not to strip the smaller screws.

 

 

"Hinged' panels cover the larger screws.  These just push into place.

 

 

The smoke tubes are pushed into place.  It's important to make sure these are 't kinked.  You can shorten them if necessary.

 

 

Stage 69 give us a couple of turret guide gears and tow cables.

 

 

Put the gear in place, long size down.

 

 

Screw the retaining cap in place.

 

 

And that completes pack 8!!