1:35 "Antennas for Leopard 2", (10 pcs.)

Antennas for the Leopard 2 1:35 — a resin accessory from Spalah

This is an accessory for a model, not a kit of a tank. The set carries antennas for the Leopard 2 in a thinner and sharper version than thick-walled injection-molded plastic can give. The box states 10 pieces. Spalah is a Ukrainian brand that 3D prints its parts from photopolymer resin.

The real subject

The Leopard 2 is a German main battle tank. Antennas are among the parts that give a model away most: in plastic they tend to be thick, carry a parting seam from the mold and break after a couple of builds. On the real machine they are by contrast strikingly slender and their bases have shaping of their own. A thin printed part holds a scale thickness and gives the tank turret a silhouette an experienced modeler recognizes at first glance. There are 10 pieces in the set, so it will cover several models or a spare part for when the first one breaks.

Fitting and painting tips

First wash the parts in warm water with dish soap so that the mold release agent disappears from the surface. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a cutting disc; do not break them. Protect your breathing while sanding, as resin dust is not to be inhaled. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) — ordinary cement for plastic will not bond resin. A primer coat is mandatory; without it paint will not hold on resin. Glue the antenna on as one of the last parts, so that a hand does not catch on it during further work.

Who the set is for

• modelers of the Leopard 2 who mind the thick antennas from the base kit
• builders who want spare pieces at hand
• more experienced modelers — resin is glued and sanded differently from plastic
• collectors who will compare the shape of the base with a photograph of the machine they are building

This is an accessory for a model, not a kit. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.