1/35 South African Olifant Mk.1B MBT (incl. Photo-Etch)

Hobby Boss 83897

Excludes allglues,paintsandtools necessary to assemble.

The Olifant is a modern South African MBT. The first prototypes of this tank were created in the early 1970s, and in 1978 the Olifant Mk.1 variant was introduced to the line. In this version, the tank was powered by a single 750hp engine.The hull was 8.61 m long and 3.42 m wide. The main armament was a 105mm cannon and two 7.62mm machine guns.

The Olifant (Afrikaans – elephant) was developed as the response of the South African armed forces to the introduction of the T-55 tank into the line by Angola. The Olifant was a very far-reaching modernization of the British Centurion tank. The first version of the Olifant, the Olifant Mk. 1, had a new power unit and, above all, a new main armament – the 105 mm gun was used instead of the 88.4 mm gun. In 1985, the Mk.1A model appeared, with modernized sights with a laser rangefinder. A few years later (1991), the Olifant Mk.1B version appeared, with an elongated hull, different suspension and clearly reinforced armour. The shape of the turret also changed. A 950 HP engine was also used and a completely new fire control system was installed. The last development version of the Olifant is the Mk.2 vehicle, which can be armed with a 120mm gun.