By Paul Cawte
Feature
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
Paul Cawte completes Academy’s 1/35 Merkava 2D, arguably one of the most stylish and futuristic-looking of all tanks.
Introduced in 1979 and now in its fourth incarnation, nothing symbolises the Israeli military more than the indigenous Merkava (Cheetah) tank. Unique among other tanks, due to its front-mounted engine and clamshell doors at the rear, it is a vehicle designed for the Israeli Army’s particular set of needs, with a focus on crew protection. The 2D variant evolved from the 2B when the latter’s vulnerabilities to anti-tank guided missiles were exposed in Lebanon.
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