303531 Modeller Of 1/35 Tank "Merkava"

Additional Information

Israel began to develop its tank in 1972, the development lasted until 1977, when the first details and a photograph of the prototype tank “Merkava”were given to the press.  The first public display of the tank took place in July 1979, the independence day of Israel, at the Central stadium of the city of Jerusalem. The design of the Merkava tank was influenced by the fact that the Israelis prefer to conduct defensive actions from positions prepared on the slopes of heights. As a result of this method of firing, a high probability of shells hitting the area of the tower is assumed.
Therefore, when developing a new tank the main goal was to transfer to the possible large size of the fighting compartment from the turret into the hull, and to reduce the frontal silhouette of the tower itself.
Another factor that influenced the design of the tank was, as mentioned above, the requirement of the Israelis about the greatest probability of survival of the crew. For this reason, the crew is placed below and behind, the engine and transmission are mounted in front and protected by a heavy cast armor piece, on the inside of which a second 60 mm thick armor plate is installed at some distance . The cavity between them occupies the fuel tank. Behind the engine is another 20 mm thick armor plate . Thus, the crew was provided with sufficient protection from frontal hits. The thick-armored body is a single casting. Most of the components of the tower are also cast, of welded plates is only the front part of the tower, which is narrowed at the barrel of the gun.