Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model

Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab (6870338)

$55.95
$55.95
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Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
  • Artitec Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab 6870338 – Ready-Made 1:87 HO Scale Model
Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab (6870338)

Israeli IDF Merkava MK-1 Olive Drab (6870338)

$55.95
$55.95
Model Details
Manufacturer Artitec
Article Number 6870338
Product Release Year 2019
Scale 1:87 HO Scale
Build Type Ready-Made
Historical & Vehicle Details
Country Israel
Military Branch Israel Defense Forces
Era Modern Era
Vehicle Type Main Battle Tank
Vehicle Family Merkava
Paint Scheme Olive Drab
Collector model. Not a toy. Recommended for ages 18+
Model Overview

This ready-made Artitec model reproduces an Israel Defense Forces Merkava MK-1 main battle tank in a weathered olive drab finish. The model captures the vehicle’s distinctive front-engine hull, sharply sloped glacis, rear-set angular turret, long 105 mm main gun, full side skirts, and six-road-wheel tracked running gear. White hull chevrons, turret number 2, barrel recognition bands, small stenciling, and red fittings complete the markings. Artitec identifies item 6870338 as a ready-made 1:87 HO-scale IDF model.

The turret is recreated with two roof-mounted machine guns, open crew hatches, dual radio antennas, sighting equipment, and a large rear stowage basket loaded with canvas rolls and field gear. Additional details include the hanging chain curtain beneath the turret bustle, front engine-deck grilles, spare track links, towing chain, lifting points, lights, rear access door, and carefully rendered tracks and running gear. Dust, grime, worn edges, and track weathering give the model a convincing operational appearance.

  • Ready-Made 1:87 / HO scale Artitec model
  • Israel Defense Forces Merkava MK-1 main battle tank
  • Distinctive front-engine hull with sharply sloped glacis, rear-set angular turret, full side skirts, and low-profile silhouette
  • Long 105 mm rifled main gun with segmented thermal sleeve and white barrel recognition bands
  • Turret roof with two mounted machine guns, open crew hatches, dual radio antennas, sights, and equipment fittings
  • Rear turret bustle with large stowage basket, canvas rolls, spare equipment, and hanging chain curtain
  • Detailed engine-deck grilles, spare track links, front towing chain, lights, lifting points, rear access door, and hull fittings
  • Six-road-wheel running gear with detailed tracks, drive sprockets, idlers, suspension components, and armored side skirts
  • Olive drab finish with white V recognition markings, turret number 2, small exterior stenciling, and red equipment accents
  • Realistic operational weathering with faded paint, dust, grime, worn edges, and weathered track surfaces
  • Ideal for Modern Era, Israel Defense Forces, armored-unit, Middle Eastern military, training, and combat scenes
  • Suitable for military collectors, HO-scale layouts, vehicle displays, and dioramas
Vehicle History

The Merkava MK-1 was the first production version of Israel’s domestically developed Merkava main battle tank. Its development was directed by Major General Israel Tal, who established and led the Israeli Tank Administration in the early 1970s. The first MK-1 tanks entered Israel Defense Forces service in 1979, reducing Israel’s dependence on imported tank designs and beginning a family of vehicles that would become central to the IDF Armored Corps.

Unlike most main battle tanks, the Merkava placed its engine and transmission at the front of the hull and positioned the turret farther toward the rear. This arrangement provided another layer of protection ahead of the crew compartment while creating useful space at the back of the vehicle. A rear hull door allowed ammunition and supplies to be loaded more easily and could also provide protected access for evacuating wounded personnel. The four-person MK-1 was armed with an Israeli-produced 105 mm rifled main gun, supported by turret-mounted machine guns and a 60 mm mortar. The type first saw major combat during the 1982 First Lebanon War, after which operational experience contributed to improvements incorporated into later Merkava versions.

About Artitec Ready-Made Models

Artitec's Ready-Made models are handcrafted from high-quality resin and produced in limited runs. Each model is expertly preassembled, hand-painted, and often subtly weathered to recreate the appearance of a real vehicle in use. Because every model is finished by hand, small variations may occur, making each piece unique.

Artitec uses vacuum-cast resin to reproduce exceptionally fine, true-to-scale details that can be difficult to achieve with conventional manufacturing methods. Etched-brass parts are added where appropriate to capture delicate components and further enhance realism.

Each model is assembled, painted, and weathered by skilled specialists—a process requiring considerable time, precision, and experience. Artitec Ready-Made models are ideal for collectors seeking exceptional detail and realism without the time and effort required to build and finish a model kit.

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