Thanks, John. I'll open my favorite part of this thread, the Merkava Mk.II section with a rather cool action footage recorded with a GoPro camera fitted to one of the crewman's helmet. The footage, as well as some of the photos that will follow are from the talented photographer, Noam Garmiza's project.
His website: https://500px.com/eaglex
Video (no FB account needed): https://www.facebook.com/noamg.photography/videos/vb.421301347948215/1189520437792965/?type=2&theater
Hosted by Darren Baker
IDF Light/Heavy Metal
Posted: Friday, November 10, 2017 - 07:52 PM UTC
Posted: Saturday, November 11, 2017 - 03:20 PM UTC
The following photos were taken by Noam Garmiza during the week he spent in 2014 with IDF's main armor training formation in the Negev Desert.
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Posted: Saturday, November 11, 2017 - 10:20 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Thanks, John. I'll open my favorite part of this thread, the Merkava Mk.II section with a rather cool action footage recorded with a GoPro camera fitted to one of the crewman's helmet. The footage, as well as some of the photos that will follow are from the talented photographer, Noam Garmiza's project.
His website: https://500px.com/eaglex
Video (no FB account needed): https://www.facebook.com/noamg.photography/videos/vb.421301347948215/1189520437792965/?type=2&theater
Cool video. Question - what's the IDF's master plan with regard to tanks? Are they in the process of phasing out earlier version Merkava's and going to standardize on the 4? Seems like they have quite a mix of tanks in service, compared to the US which essentially just has M1's that only differ in the level of upgrades. Any sign of a Merkava Mk 5 in development?
Posted: Sunday, November 12, 2017 - 06:45 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Question - what's the IDF's master plan with regard to tanks? Are they in the process of phasing out earlier version Merkava's and going to standardize on the 4?
Yes, that's the general direction. The Mk.IIs have been recently phased out from the last regular unit; now they serve in reserve formations only.
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Seems like they have quite a mix of tanks in service
Not anymore, really. Regular units are equipped either with Mk.IIIs or Mk.IVs, reserve units with MK.IIs, IIIs and IVs. The last regular Shot platoon converted to Merkava Mk.IIIs in '92; the last reserve Shot unit was dissolved in 2002. By 2006, all remaining Magachs in regular units had been replaced by Merkava Mk.IVs; by 2014 the Magach was phased out from reserve units too. Even the Spike missile equipped Pere units were dissolved in 2016 (both regular and reserve).
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Any sign of a Merkava Mk 5 in development?
Not officially. The Merkava 4 replacement most likely won't be a Merkava at all: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/sneak-peek-the-israeli-armys-new-tank-21193
Posted: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 - 04:00 PM UTC
More photos from Noam Garmiza's project
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Posted: Sunday, November 19, 2017 - 01:41 PM UTC
In the late '80s the IDF experimented with a three-tone camouflage to be applied on its Merkavas. AFAIK, the experiment included an olive-green, as well a haze-gray scheme (unfortunately I don't have photographic evidence of those).
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Posted: Friday, December 01, 2017 - 02:42 PM UTC
Just catching up here in Light/Heavy metal section of our IDF fix, and wow, look at all these cool pics by Noam. Thank you Sir as these are awesome!
Posted: Sunday, December 03, 2017 - 03:29 PM UTC
More Mk.IIBs...
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Posted: Wednesday, December 06, 2017 - 04:00 PM UTC
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Posted: Wednesday, December 06, 2017 - 06:59 PM UTC
Wow, this is a treasure. Thank you for sharing. 
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 02:59 PM UTC
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Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 03:58 PM UTC
Great photos Israel, I always look forward to seeing a new post on this thread!
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 04:39 PM UTC
Superb!!! Simply superb. Many thanks.
Do you happen to have a photo of a Merkava 3Dalet with the older style Merkava III tracks, similar to Friul ATL 49 set?
Do you happen to have a photo of a Merkava 3Dalet with the older style Merkava III tracks, similar to Friul ATL 49 set?
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 05:03 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Great photos Israel, I always look forward to seeing a new post on this thread!
Thanks John, much appreciated.
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 05:04 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Superb!!! Simply superb. Many thanks.
Do you happen to have a photo of a Merkava 3Dalet with the older style Merkava III tracks, similar to Friul ATL 49 set?
Thanks, Nikos. I'll have a look, I might have some...
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 06:13 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Thanks, Nikos. I'll have a look, I might have some...
It will be a lifesaver if you manage to source some out, since I have already used my Meng IIID tracks on their Baz kit and bought a Friul set for the Dalet kit, only to find out that the Dalet uses different tracks.
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 06:32 PM UTC
Thanks for sharing this great pictures
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 06:45 PM UTC
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Thanks, Nikos. I'll have a look, I might have some...
It will be a lifesaver if you manage to source some out, since I have already used my Meng IIID tracks on their Baz kit and bought a Friul set for the Dalet kit, only to find out that the Dalet uses different tracks.
Could you please send a picture of the other option as well for reference? I'm not sure what I'm seeing...
Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 06:45 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Thanks for sharing this great pictures
You're welcome.
Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 01:04 AM UTC
"Normal" Merkava III Dalet track
Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 01:07 AM UTC
Regular Merkava 3 track
Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 02:12 PM UTC
Merkava Mk.II evolution: http://fighting-vehicles.com/merkava-mk-2-tank/
Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 04:43 PM UTC
I always thought that the differences between the Bet and Gimel were internal and that the Bet has the add-on armour on the turret and the engine deck. 
Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 04:47 PM UTC
Tactical 'V' applied on Merkava turrets is very unusual
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Errmmm...Merkava with searchlight? Does anyone have more info about this device?
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Errmmm...Merkava with searchlight? Does anyone have more info about this device?
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Posted: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - 06:14 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I always thought that the differences between the Bet and Gimel were internal and that the Bet has the add-on armour on the turret and the engine deck.
Frankly, I've never heard of a variant called Mk.II Gimel. We referred to all Mk.IIs with applique armor on the engine deck and turret as 'Bet'...
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