Leopard 2A6 with crew Ukranian Army

ModelFan
First impression
ICM
Nr. 35013
1/35
Ejection moulded, 6 frames, 5 vinyl tracks and tow cables, piece of clear acetate.
291 parts (45 for the figures)
Price: 50,00 Euro

The Leopard 2 variant entered service in 1979, but has undergone several upgrades during its lifetime and the current production variant is the highly advanced 2A7+, with the 2A8 coming. However, the 2A6 is still a powerful tank on the battlefield, and will probably remain so for quite some time. It has the Rheinmetall 120mm smoothbore gun which gives it a higher muzzle velocity that improves its penetration ability over its predecessor, allowing it to reach and destroy targets at a greater distance.  It also has an armoured ammunition storage area in the turret that is designed to blow out in the event of an ammunition blast, further improving the crew's chances of survival.  For a close-quarters defence, the 6 is equipped with an MG3 machine gun, and the armour applied gives it an arrowhead profile on the front of the turret, as well as several more subtle upgrades that follow the 2A5. Sales of the Leopard 2 have been good abroad because of its reputation, and Canada, Turkey, Spain and most Scandinavian countries use it, as well as many other smaller ones.  Since Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many countries have provided military and other strategic assistance.  Although Germany initially seemed reluctant to offer their leading A6 variants to a non-NATO country, they eventually supplied A4 and A5 variants, but policy changes led to a small number of the more capable A6s being added to the roster, to be used as a "tip-of-the-spear" in the centre of the attack to punch a hole in the front line.

The Model
The model is based on the Revell tooling that was first launched in 2012 and is part of the long-standing partnership between the two companies.  The model comes in the well-known sturdy ICM box with a lid on which a drawing of the tank and the crew.  Inside the box are six die-cast frames made of grey styrene, as opposed to Revell's green, of different sizes, furthermore a set of plastic/rubber tracks and tow cables of the same material, supplied in a plastic bag, unlike usually with other ICM boxes. It looks like it comes directly from Revell and is packaged in the ICM box.
Furthermore, a small sheet of transparent thin plastic packed separately, a decal sheet and the building instructions printed in spot colour with glossy outer pages on which the profiles are printed in colour, plus a separate sheet with instructions for the figures consisting of five figures and a dog performing tricks for his owner against the promise of some treats.  I don't know the Revell model of this Leopard, but understand that it has been copied 1 on 1 by ICM.  The figures are from 2024 that are also available separately, but the combination is of course a great marketing trick that ICM has used before and lends itself perfectly to a diorama, or at least to add some figures to your model.
 
The hull (body and upper deck) consists of 4 parts, the assembly of which is supported by 2 frames. This should allow for easy and correct assembly without inaccuracies. Drive wheels, rollers and intermediate wheels are each designed in two parts. The tracks are made of vinyl, which consist of 2 parts for each side. I must confess that I am not a fan of vinyl tracks or vinyl in general (tow cables) and will probably fall back on aftermarket alternatives. However, it must be said that they do not look bad at all and with some weathering tricks a good result can be achieved. But everyone according to their own wishes. The mud flaps are also made of vinyl, but that is basically correct because in reality they are made of rubber. Whether they will look realistic remains to be seen during construction.
Personally, I think the fan grilles on the engine deck are very well done. No etched parts are actually needed, fellow modellers will undoubtedly think differently. The cupola is built in several parts, with the barrel unfortunately divided in two parts along its length. You will have to make do with it because at the moment (Feb. 2025) there is no known alternative. The non-slip surface on the tower is present, but could be a bit more pronounced for my taste. There are now a number of products available to improve this. What is certainly a challenge is to cut the small piece of clear plastic in the right way so that the optics for the commander and any others will fit. It should be possible, but to be honest, that shouldn't be a problem with the plastic packaging still present in many homes. The quality of the cast parts is very good. There are no distortions, sinkholes, and I was not able to detect any flash. The kit comes with sharp details. Tools are not poured onto the fairing parts, but are supplied as separate parts.
 
According to the manual, the antennas for the vehicle must be manufactured the old way, from stretched sprue. A bit strange because Revell always supplied a piece of wire. All hatches of the vehicle can be shown open, but this only makes sense for the hatch of the commander. The model has no further interior!

The figure set is very nicely designed. Very fine details, such as a very successful sculpted uniforms, are a feast for the eyes. The helmets of the crew each consist of 3 parts. The construction will show how the fit will ultimately turn out.

The building instructions are supplied as a booklet in A4 format with the model and are printed with the well-known ICM layout. After the parts overview, you will be guided through the construction of the model in 55 clear steps. At the end, you have the option to choose from 6 variants, with these differing only in the decals. The camouflage itself is identical on all vehicles. I haven't really been able to check its correctness There are not that many photos (yet) to be found on the internet of the Ukrainian 2A6 version. Rumour has it that they cannot be used properly due to the lack of (repair) parts. However, I assume that ICM has carried out the necessary research.

The instructions for the figures are a separate A4 sheet and have an equally clear representation of the building steps. The figures are a pixel camouflage uniform, a challenge? Although, the uniforms of the Ukrainian military now consist of many other options, so with some research you can confidently choose a different pattern. The set consists of a commander who definitely has to be in the tower because he only consists of one half, in addition a figure that can be placed on the tower smoking a pipe. Two others fiddle with the tracks and the man with the dog.  
ICM refers both cases to their own acrylic colour line, which I can totally imagine. Every Grivna counts at this time. Comparison tables are now available on the internet!
The decal sheet is of good quality and the decals are thin. The markings are realistically “messy”. Six variations are possible:


•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, summer 2023, Zaporizhzhia region
•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Summer 2023, Robotyne
•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Autumn 2023, Zaporizhzhia region
•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, December 2023
•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, winter 2024 (marking option 1)
•    Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, winter 2024 (marking option 2)

Conclusion:
With this re-release/rebox of Revell, ICM brings us a model in a new combination, of which an excellent model can certainly be constructed, with a very up-to-date reference from ICM. Small downsides in my opinion are the vinyl tracks, tow cable and the barrel that consists of two parts along the length. With some weathering tricks, the tracks can be made into something reasonable, and the tow cable can be reproduced from copper wire. Extra attention is then needed during the run. Of course, you can also go for the more expensive aftermarket products. The quality of the model certainly lends itself perfectly to going all out on extra detailing according to your own wishes and abilities, but the model is certainly also suitable for beginners. A good choice of ICM to use the Revell model. Note, the model is from 2019. With the figures included, a diorama is obvious, but you can also just leave them out.
Highly recommended!  

Thanks to ICM for making it available for a review.