Finally got this finished. This is an Academy Merkava Mk.IV LIC built almost box stock. The ball-and-chain armor was made by putting drops of super glue on the ends of the included photoetch chains. Strangely, even though the kit is of the LIC variant, it only comes with 2 of the 4 LIC corner markers, so I scratch built all 4 using resin spring mounts and fiber optic line. The flag antenna was made the same way with an ETA Israeli flag attached. Using Meng Namer kit parts for a master, I cast a stretcher out of Milliput to hang on the back of the tank. I also replaced the link-and-length kit tracks with SanXin Model assembled metal track.
This model represents a tank of the Edom Division, Paran Brigade, Caracal Battalion. The Caracal Battalion is a mixed sex battalion with some all-female tank crews. The crew figures are from Miniart, Black Dog, and Royal Model.
The shield on the back of the turret basket is the insignia of the Paran Brigade. Some tanks carry them and they are hand made by the crews out of wood. Mine is made from sheet stryrene. I also hand painted most of the white markings on decal paper as I could find no proper decals for this battalion.
Stowage is from Black Dog and the rear basket covers are made from parchment paper. AFV Club Anti-Reflective Glass stickers were used on the kit glass (seen as metallic yellow and red in the photos).
The base is longer than needed because it has a cover which is needed to clear the figures and the flag. The only case with proper height was extra long. It would be nice to put something in that space, but I don’t know what.
Also don’t really have a firm name for the diorama (vignette?) yet. “Desert Cats” is a play on Desert Rats using the fact that a Caracal is a wild cat. “Desert Foxes” seems a bit sexist even though a fox is on the insignia of the Edom Division. “Barbie’s Chariot” came from the fact there is a tank in the US Army called “Barbie’s Doll House” because its commander is a woman (and Merkava is Hebrew for chariot).
Update: Added Israeli army logos in that blank spot at the end of the base and settled on the name "Hannah and Her Sisters".
