Why no Leopard 1 or Leopard 2?

Your forum dedicated to 1/32nd and smaller plastic and metal figures and vehicles.
Post Reply
Ruger
Officer - Captain
Officer - Captain
Posts: 720
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:43 pm
Location: Visalia CA
Contact:

Why no Leopard 1 or Leopard 2?

Post by Ruger » Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:58 pm

I suppose this question could go just as well in the 1:18 forum, but I stick to 1:32 so I'll ask here.

Why haven't we seen or heard anything at all about German Leopards? It seems to be a popular tank, and is certainly used by a number of countries, which would allow for repaints. FOV did a Challenger 2, and the number of Leopard 2 tanks made out numbers the Challenger 2 by ~3,000.

And of course, the Leopard 1 that came before, it was even more prolific. So how about it? Can we get some modern German tanks?

MV
"When I went into Kuwait I had 39 tanks, after six weeks of air bombardment, I had 32 left. After 20 minutes in action against the M1's, I had none." Iraqi BN Cdr, 1991
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/CanteenX/Blowing-Smoke-sig.jpg[/img]

ketelone
Officer - Brigadier General
Officer - Brigadier General
Posts: 1951
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:37 am
Location: Elmhurst, IL

Post by ketelone » Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:33 pm

I totally agre. I have the Minichamps 1/35 Leopard 2, which is really nice, but it's not 1/32.
Ketelone

"Freedom is not free."

binder001
Officer - 2nd Lieutenant
Officer - 2nd Lieutenant
Posts: 284
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:35 am

Leopard 1 & 2

Post by binder001 » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:09 am

Two problems with looking for these as "toy" items. 1) The Leopard is a popular tank but has had a minimal combat record - only a few in Afghanistan have actually fired their guns in anger. Peace keeper tanks just don't fire the imagination like combat veterans. 2) If you are looking for one in the US, the lack of combat use and the unfamiliarity of them in the US will keep any sales numbers very low. Sorry, but unless I had a really well established company I wouldn't go out on a limb with a large production run of them. Now a European importer/manufacturer would be wise to look at a Leo 2 for their primary markets.

Gary

tmanthegreat
Officer - Brigadier General
Officer - Brigadier General
Posts: 11239
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 7:38 pm
Location: Central California

Post by tmanthegreat » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:30 am

A Leopard would be a neat tank, but I agree partly with Binder regarding the history/familiarity of the vehicle to US markets. One could pose a similar argument for the UK Challenger 2, however, the British and their tanks were major players in both Iraq wars, so there was logic in making that tank. Again, a Leopard would be cool, but more difficult to get produced and sell.
"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

AMERICAN_GRENADIER
Officer - Brigadier General
Officer - Brigadier General
Posts: 2022
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:33 pm
Location: USA

Post by AMERICAN_GRENADIER » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:42 am

they are available in 1/72 from dragon. very well done
"SEMPER FIDELIS!"
Good Traders: Buckyroo, Razor17019, Sentinel
exether_mega, Snake, thehun, Mesa

lightning2000
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2004 11:31 am
Location: New York City
Contact:

Leopard Tanks

Post by lightning2000 » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:33 am

Hi,
Dragon makes the Leopard 2 in different iterations; not the Leopard 1 in 1:72 scale. I believe trainmaker Marklin Models has both versions of the Leopard, although you'd have to check their web site to be absolutely certain.

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.net
Create Your Own Battlefield in Miniature or Build Your Own Private War Museum...The Choice is Yours at The Motor Pool!

Post Reply